Author Topic: Which Implements ..??...Are HISTORICALY correct....... (Read 601 times)

opatriot · « **on:** January 24, 2006, 05:07:34 PM »

GDAY FRIENDS....Ive been looking over lots of early photos of cival war artillery ......even puchased a large photo print of one of the popular ones seen on a bunch of web sites ....its the photo with capt. Tidball and Pennington plus LT. Clark and Dennison.... union 1862.............anyways they show two sponge rammers and something else, looks like plain wooden rod , but i cant make it out ........rideing under the carriage...also shows handspike mounted by cheeks ...plus tar , or water bucket hanging ...........which implements are histoicaly carried under the carriage ..??? ..... I looked through your photos RICK from your web site ..NEFF CANNONS .....and you show one sponge and one wormer ..........thanx for the help .....davey

Artilleryman · « **Reply #1 on:** January 25, 2006, 02:41:30 AM »

The plain wooden rod is the handle end of the worm. The worm head is held by its own keeper under the trail. Two sponge rammers were used on a field carriage.

They used rammer heads, but for safety today we use a staff without a head. The idea is that if you have a premature firing while loading the staff slides out of your hand and minimizes your injuries (which will be significant) whereas if you had a rammer head on the staff you will most likely hyper-extend your arm (lose your arm by having it pulled off).

Your rammer staff should be marked to show that you have the powder charge seated properly, and marked to show that you have the projectile seated properly.

opatriot · « **Reply #2 on:** January 25, 2006, 09:54:34 AM »

I Know these are probably silly questions .......but i suppose im just the currios type.....if im understanding rite ..the worm head was disconected and mounted on its own hook under carriage ..?? why didnt they slide worm in rod end down with worm screw faceing muzzle...?? .......so i suppose ill fashon two sponges and a worm rod for the three implement hooks in the front of my carriage.....all that said ..any advice if i should paint or leave implement rods unfinished ...???.....cant tell in those black and white photos what they where doing ........... probaby silly to think of these details ...?? ..oh also where did they carry the ram rod ..??..on the limber..??......thanx a bunch .........davey

Artilleryman · « **Reply #3 on:** January 25, 2006, 10:34:36 AM »

I'am not sure, but here is an educated guess. If the worm end was towards the muzzle cannoneers might get caught on it while working around the gun. Another reason may be that if you put the staff end under the trail it would not contact the rammer stop properly. I don't know if that is why they did it the way they did, but in storing a worm on my gun experience has led me to the above reasons.

Paint everything. Iron black, wood green.

Don't worry about the questions, if you don't ask you don't learn.

GGaskill · « **Reply #4 on:** January 25, 2006, 12:37:26 PM »

Don't worry about the questions, if you don't ask you don't learn.

I might add, "They don't teach this stuff in school any more."

Double D · « **Reply #5 on:** January 25, 2006, 02:22:11 PM »

Quote from: Artilleryman

Paint everything. Iron black, wood green.

My Hero!!!!