Artillery implements!

[John Winn]

I don't know about that article's accuracy with respect to the gunlock. Yes, flintlock devices were placed on naval guns circa 1800, and perhaps on garrison guns, though I don't know that, but I have never seen flint gunlocks on field pieces. I thought they went right from linstock to friction primers on those guns. Any reenacting gunners know about CW use of linstocks or earlier flint gunlocks?

I don't re-enact but field artillery is a special interest of mine and I've read quite a bit about it. I've never once seen any mention of a flint gunlock. None of my reference books mention them and the manuals of the day do not either. I have heard - but haven't seen documented evidence - that at least early in the war linstocks were still used occasionally. I could see that as a backup if somehow there weren't any primers but flint locks ? No.

 

[JOHN42768]

Great display. Now I looked up and learned what/ how a whiffletree chain is used .

 

[drezac]

Be very very cautious about any "original" linstocks. Someone on ebay was selling a rare original linstock. Funny how he sells one every few months,with the same photo. He must have a crate of originals

 

[Jobe Holiday]

There is another "guy on E-bay" with a never ending supply of "Original Lanyards". He a well known fraud, and E-bay won't do anything about it regardless of all the complaints they have received. This information is from a multitude of discussions about him and his "Lanyards" on various FB pages. I parted company with E-bay a long time ago for reasons like these.
J.

 

[Billy1977]

Great display. Now I looked up and learned what/ how a whiffletree chain is used .

I probably should have already myself but can you give me a brief rundown on what that is?

Be very very cautious about any "original" linstocks. Someone on ebay was selling a rare original linstock. Funny how he sells one every few months,with the same photo. He must have a crate of originals

Thanks for the warning. I wasn't personally looking to buy any linstocks or other Civil War artifacts, I don't really have that kind of a disposable budget to be honest, but I just like having pictures of what the stuff looked like, as a visual record for my own reference. But I'm glad you mentioned that, as it makes a world of difference to me whether something is a photo of an original relic or an "original" one.

There is another "guy on E-bay" with a never ending supply of "Original Lanyards".

Thanks for the warning Jobe Holiday for the same reason.

 

[JOHN42768]

I probably should have already myself but can you give me a brief rundown on what that is?




Thanks for the warning. I wasn't personally looking to buy any linstocks or other Civil War artifacts, I don't really have that kind of a disposable budget to be honest, but I just like having pictures of what the stuff looked like, as a visual record for my own reference. But I'm glad you mentioned that, as it makes a world of difference to me whether something is a photo of an original relic or an "original" one.



Thanks for the warning Jobe Holiday for the same reason.

Wiffletree. Device used to equalize force trough linkages in a harness arrangement. Here is info:

 

[John Winn]

Fun thread. Nice to see actual photos of the gear.

 

[Billy1977]

Thanks JOHN42768 and thanks John Winn.

 

[Billy1977]

Does anyone have any pictures of Confederate portfires and portfire cutters? Unless some of the ones I posted earlier were in fact C.S. and I don't know it I can't find them anywhere. Would it look pretty much like a Union portfire?

 

[Billy1977]

Does anyone know what this is? Is there any way this might be a Confederate sponge bucket or grease bucket?

 

[UCVRelics]

I don't know about that bucket what size is it. Here are few artillery items from my personnel collection.

 

[Billy1977]

Great stuff UCVRelics! Here's a bucket someone found in Tennessee that I suspect might be a Confederate sponge bucket or grease bucket. What do you all think?

 

[UCVRelics]

I think the chain is to long for an artillery bucket.

 

[Craig L Barry]

I am familiar with the linstock (slow match) from my Rev. War days but were these still in use during the Civil war?

At STRI battlefield park, we sometimes fire using the slow match/linstock method when doing CS artillery historic weapons demos. Knowing the detail that the rangers put into the research for these programs, I have to assume they were documented as in use at least as late as the Battle of Stones River (late Dec 1862/early Jan 1863). It makes some sense if you consider the reputation of CS made fuses for occasional failure. I can say this much, it takes a bit of luck to fire using the slow match/linstock method as ignition is achieved as the slow match is "waved" across the vent by the number 4 man. The movement of the slow match through the air while waving it across the vent keeps the wick burning. It is not held in place over the vent. Consider the variables including the distance from the vent you are standing, the thin gauge of the cord used for the slow match and the small size of the vent. It takes a bit of skill to pass the slow match right across the vent. And hopefully on the swing past the vent, she goes "bang."

We don't demostrate it all that often, but in the programs I have participated in, I can only recall one instance where the first pass across the vent resulted in ignition. We considered that a great success. Undoubtedly the artillery crews of the time were more practiced and had a better success rate.

The best comparison I could make is maybe the old matchlock type musket vs a percussion cap. If you have a supply of decent artillery fuses, that is a much more reliable system of ignition. If not, you could make do with a slow match/linstock in a pinch.

 

[Billy1977]

What about this thing? It says it's a wooden grease/tar bucket. Why does it look the way it does? Is it still caked in mud or what?

 

[Billy1977]

Craig L Barry, what does a slow-match look like exactly? Is it that cord seen on the linstock?


If so do you think that's an original slow-match or a reproduction? Or just some piece of rope someone attached to make the linstock look complete?

 

[kevikens]

I don't know about that bucket what size is it. Here are few artillery items from my personnel collection.
View attachment 137091 View attachment 137092 View attachment 137093 View attachment 137094 View attachment 137095 View attachment 137096 View attachment 137097 View attachment 137098 View attachment 137099 View attachment 137100 View attachment 137101 View attachment 137102 View attachment 137103 View attachment 137104 View attachment 137105 View attachment 137091 View attachment 137092 View attachment 137093 View attachment 137094 View attachment 137095 View attachment 137096 View attachment 137097 View attachment 137098 View attachment 137099 View attachment 137100 View attachment 137101 View attachment 137102 View attachment 137103 View attachment 137104 View attachment 137105

On the image of what appears to be the remnants of an artillery sword. I notice that the handle has the linear ridges a la French model of 1830 from which the US artillery word was copied. Ours, however had a fish scale handle. Do you know if this was a French short sword that wound up in the US or CS service, or is it a CS copy of the French model? Do you know its battlefield provenance? Thanks

 

[UCVRelics]

What about this thing? It says it's a wooden grease/tar bucket. Why does it look the way it does? Is it still caked in mud or what?

You have to remember that every wagon had a grease bucket to keep the wheels greased to avoid them burning out. This one appears to be from a wagon and it hung off he back of the wagon thus all the mud.

 

[UCVRelics]

On the image of what appears to be the remnants of an artillery sword. I notice that the handle has the linear ridges a la French model of 1830 from which the US artillery word was copied. Ours, however had a fish scale handle. Do you know if this was a French short sword that wound up in the US or CS service, or is it a CS copy of the French model? Do you know its battlefield provenance? Thanks

I dug that one back in the 80's at Shiloh. It was made by Boyle & Gamble. Here is a complete one.

 

[Craig L Barry]

Craig L Barry, what does a slow-match look like exactly? Is it that cord seen on the linstock?
View attachment 137239

If so do you think that's an original slow-match or a reproduction? Or just some piece of rope someone attached to make the linstock look complete?

Yes, the slow match is the cord on the linstock. It was just a piece of wound hemp or flax cord. I'm not sure how it is treated but it stays lit a long time. I think they use cotton cord in the reproductions.