Fire Starter Bullets

[Tom Hughes]

When soldiers went into camp and needed to get fires started they often used the powder in their bullet cartridges as an igniter for the fire.
Then the minie ball was discarded into the fire and subsequently melted.
Here are some examples of such minie balls I recovered from fire pits in camps in and around Vicksburg, MS.
Thanks for looking!

 

[bill shack]

I tried that with my musket. Did not work. The black powder blew away all the kindling. maybe i am doing it wrong, if someone know have this is done please explain.

 

[Kirk Womack]

I tried that with my musket. Did not work. The black powder blew away all the kindling. maybe i am doing it wrong, if someone know have this is done please explain.

They wouldn't fire the powder from their muskets, they would mix it in with the tinder. It would burn hot for just long enough to get the tinder going.

 

[Old Breck]

I really have my doubts that soldiers started fire with black powder cartridges when they could have used, I don't know, a match? Ammunition belong to the ordinance department.

 

[Package4]

I really have my doubts that soldiers started fire with black powder cartridges when they could have used, I don't know, a match? Ammunition belong to the ordinance department.

Ever try to light green or wet wood? I have not read letters or diaries indicating it was done, but the amount of melted lead found in fire pits would indicate that ammunition was used around the fire, boredom maybe, but fire starter would seem most plausibl.

 

[Package4]

Ever try to light green or wet wood? I have not read letters or diaries indicating it was done, but the amount of melted lead found in fire pits would indicate that ammunition was used around the fire, boredom maybe, but fire starter would seem most plausibl.

To be clear, I am not saying they fired their muskets to start the fires, firing a musket in camp was not permitted and doubt it would work to begin with. Pouring black powder on green or wet twigs does work.

 

[redbob]

At Vicksburg, Confederates placed kerosene soaked cotton into the hollow bases of Enfield bullets and fired them (with a reduced powder charge) into Union cotton bale emplacements to set them on fire.

 

[Kirk Womack]

I really have my doubts that soldiers started fire with black powder cartridges when they could have used, I don't know, a match? Ammunition belong to the ordinance department.

Matches cost money, and were often unobtainable. Cartridges were issued to the men, and they always had them. Also, starting green kindling with a match is pretty well impossible without something to help it along.