Trivia #2 Handspike (10/2/2014)

Status
Not open for further replies.
A Handspike a type of Civil War era tool used in aiming and firing a cannon.

"HANDSPIKE: Metal or wooden poles of various sizes inserted in the trail of cannon and used for maneuvering cannon to the left or right. On field pieces, the trail handspike was 53-inches in length. The maneuvering handspike was used for garrison and seacoast carriages and gins and was 66-inches long, while that used for siege and other heavy work was 84-inches in length. The shod handspike was used for mortars and their casemate and barbette carriages. The truck and roller handspikes were wrought iron and used for casemate carriages."


http://www.civilwarartillery.com/glossary/glossarygz.htm
 
While I can't rule out the possibility that someone may have labeled some particularly inedible chunk of hardtack or something a "handspike," it was primarily a term for a tool for shifting heavy objects, particularly big guns.
 
HANDSPIKE: Metal or wooden poles of various sizes inserted in the trail of cannon and used for maneuvering cannon to the left or right. On field pieces, the trail handspike was 53-inches in length. The maneuvering handspike was used for garrison and seacoast carriages and gins and was 66-inches long, while that used for siege and other heavy work was 84-inches in length. The shod handspike was used for mortars and their casemate and barbette carriages. The truck and roller handspikes were wrought iron and used for casemate carriages.

http://www.civilwarartillery.com/glossary/glossarygz.htm
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top