Impressions Sittin' on a Powder Keg!

AndyHall

Colonel
Joined
Dec 13, 2011
In non-ACW work, I've come across an event that involved capture of 25 lb kegs of powder. What would those look like, exactly? I'm not certain if 25 lbs is the amount of powder, or overall weight. What size would such a keg be? How would it differ from kegs holding other contents? Is there a sutler that produces these?

Basic questions, I know, but I'm starting from zero on this.
 
http://www.icollector.com/Oriental-Western-Sporting-Co-Powder-Keg_i11003866

Oriental Western Sporting Co. Powder Keg, 25 lbs., approx. 13'' high by 10'' dia., ca. 1872-1890s, black/gold label reads ''Oriental Western Sporting Powder, Boston Mills, F-G''.

11003866_1.jpg
 
Here are some more Civil War powder kegs.
Civil War; Union.supplies- ammunition,powder.kegs..jpg
 

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  • Civil War; Union.supplies- ammunition,powder.keg,mfd.by.American.Powder.Mills,Boston,Mass..jpg
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  • Civil War; Union.supplies- ammunition,powder.keg,mfd.by.Hazard.Powder.Co.,Hazardville,Conn..jpg
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I can see the logic of making the barrels like flour barrels, with the willow bands or some other flexible wood, because you could knock the bands off without causing sparks. It wouldn't matter if there was a metal chisel or screwdriver placed under the band and hit with a hammer, and the gunpowder would be lighter than liquids, so it wouldn't need the stronger metal barrels or bands.

But how did one deal with those pictured with metal bands? Were there special tools for opening them, or did they not spark just because... they didn't spark?

I've wondered the same thing about modern tins of black powder, but I figured aluminum or whatever they're made of must not spark like iron or steel. A period barrel with iron or steel bands, being opened by the nearest screwdriver with an iron or steel point, seems to be a risk for disaster. Unless those are some other darkened metal or some other metal was used in the opening tool...

What risk was there of sparks, from iron/steel against iron, or iron against another metal, or two other metals? Maybe I'm worrying too much even about iron against iron.
 
No, in my layman's opinion I don't think you're worrying too much especially considering there are warning signs on gas pumps saying to make sure your car is turned off when pumping gas and make sure you refill a gas jug on the ground instead of on the tailgate of a truck for example. Granted that's gasoline and not gunpowder but both are explosive. You bring up a good point. With nothing whatsoever to base this on I'm picturing in my mind them using some kind of small pry bar coated with India rubber or something to reduce the chance of sparks. I doubt they would just use the edge of a hatchet or whatever's handy, it's too risky. They would need a special tool to safely open it I would think.

Another question along similar lines is: at nighttime how did they see in the dark inside a fort's powder magazine without bringing a torch or candle or oil lamp in there and risk blowing everyone to oblivion? (There is probably a simple answer I'm overlooking. Maybe something similar to what that era's coal miners would use to see in a mine?).
 
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