Night into Day... Limelight...

I found a much more detailed bio of Robert Grant... He actually stated in the 1840s promoting Limelight... He tried many ways to promote and use his limelight...


Snip...

The Crystal Palace July 1853 saw the opening of the Exhibition of Industry of All Nations, a world's fair in New York with a Crystal Palace similar to the one at the 1851 Great Exhibition in London (Fig. 3). The exhibition included a 350-foot-tall, mostly wooden tower next to it (Fig. 4). Robert Grant had a display inside of an achromatic oxy-hydrogen microscope, a mega-scope (magic lantern), and an oxy-hydrogen lighthouse lantern.25 He may have used the same optical devices from the lecture tours of the 1840s. The lighthouse lantern is obviously from the continuing tests and would lead to the tower outside. The wooden tower, called the Latting Observatory, was the tallest structure in the city at that time with a specially designed platform for the calcium light, which was six feet in diameter and fifteen feet high.26 Records do not show how often Grant fired up the light, but Scientific American, the following year, describes it as casting a shadow like a quarter moon, eleven miles away. That same story also tells of the Northern Board of English Lighthouses declaring their testing to show the light “impracticable in the present state of our knowledge.” The British had tested the light of off and on for lighthouses since the late 1820s. Grant responded by saying his new calcium would last twenty-four hours without disintegrating. This is interesting since he said it would last forty-eight hours just four years before. Perhaps this is why that magazine again took a skeptical view of cost and maintenance.27
I wrote that article last year for the Magic Lantern Society of the United States and Canada magazine .The article follows Grant from 1840 to 1868 when he died. The reason I focused on him was I wanted to see if I could build an operating calcium light since professional magic lanterns were using them. I ran across his CW use of the lights, found he used lanterns in lectures and was in his fifties during the war so close enough for me to portray. I had been a living history CW camp tinsmith for years so just changed a bit. The article has almost all my research and I’d be honored if people read it in full.
 
Here I found where it was tried... The link explains a man name Grant pushed the limelight idea on the military...

Link:https://www.historynet.com/rebels-in-the-limelight.htm

Snip...

After the Confederate capture of Fort Sumter in April 1861, Grant envisioned a new opportunity to capitalize on his decades of toil, although he was destined for further frustration. He hoped to install his light in Fortress Monroe, at the tip of Virginia’s Peninsula, so Union Maj. Gen. Benjamin Butler’s garrison there could keep an eye on Rebel shipping during the night. That project failed, however, because the trials of Professor Grant’s calcium light were, according to The New York Times, “a little twisted up with red tape

Snip...

Undaunted, and backed by such notables as Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan, Grant returned to New York City to form the Calcium Light Sharpshooters, a unit created especially for night action. The original plan was for the Sharpshooters to use calcium lights to reveal and target enemy positions and movements in the dark. The federal government eventually decided it needed a more conventional troop allotment and incorporated the unit into the 102nd New York as Company E. Grant’s struggle to find acceptance and application for his light continued for two more years; his luck finally changed in the summer of 1863, thanks to continued Union frustration in conquering the port of Charleston
The calcium light testing at Fortress Monroe was actually successful. A Civil War magazine used the “red tape” quote from the New York Times in May 1861 to suggest failure. But The New York Herald and the Times itself had favorable articles a few days later. The red tape was probably administrative with the Army and not technical. Grant ended up with the contract and was at the Fort from January to June 1862. General Butler’s account books show cost of lights, operators and trips back and forth to NYC for Grant to arrange things. After June 1862 the Monitor/Virginia battle and the Peninsula campaign the Confederates moved out of the area and Grant went back to New York, probably until the siege of Charleston needed his lights in summer 1863.
 
A few shots of my calcium light

Quicklime was an ancient weapon a chemical type weapon...also a component of Greek fire and the source material for limelight...

https://blog.ansi.org/2016/08/calcium-oxide-quicklime-history-uses/#gref

Calcium Oxide in Warfare As time progressed, the peaceful use of quicklime remained, but the chemical found another application that satisfied a different goal. In the late BCE, there is evidence of armies in different regions hurling calcium oxide at their enemies. Generally thrown by hand at this time, it didn’t even matter if the vessel carrying the quicklime directly hit its target, since the powdery substance could spread rapidly through the force of the wind. The calcium oxide wasn’t really a form of direct decimation, but a sort of advanced smokescreen that would significantly stun the opposing forces. Part of this was the overpowering of choking and even suffocation that the soldiers would endure upon exposure. Just as bad for continuing a battle was the effect that quicklime had on their eyes. Due to their high level of moisture, the eyes were drastically susceptible to the effects of calcium oxide, which would turn into slaked lime upon contact, and the resulting mortar material in the soldiers’ eyes would practically blind them.

During the Middle Ages, many armies took advantage of this weapon, using it against naval forces to supplement a victory. Carried by the speed and distance of a catapult, trebuchet, or some other kind of ballista, calcium oxide could easily affect every crewmember of a ship. This was detailed by Thirteenth Century writer Giles of Rome: “there used to be a large number of pots filled with ground quicklime, which are to be thrown from aloft into the enemies’ ships. When the pots are thrown with force and shatter on impact, the powder rises in the air and enters the enemies’ eyes and irritates them so greatly that, nearly blinded, they cannot see. This situation is very dangerous in naval warfare because fighting men in such war see themselves threatened with death from every quarter. Wherefore, if the eyes of the fighting men in such a battle are so irritated by powdered lime that they cannot see, they can easily either be slain by their enemies or submerged in the water.” Another dreadful maritime war application of calcium oxide might have been its inclusion in the secret recipe of Greek Fire, a mysterious substance that is still not entirely understood today. Greek Fire was an incendiary mixture used by Eastern Roman Emperors to face against naval power, and first appeared in the Seventh Century CE to depend Constantinople against an invading fleet. This material was basically liquid fire; it was hurled at enemies through siphons, burning on contact. As it was inextinguishable, the chemical fireball spread quickly, even continuing to burn on water (and it should sound familiar to Game of Thrones fans).


Read more at the ANSI Blog: Calcium Oxide: From Ancient Warfare to Modern Industry https://blog.ansi.org/?p=7122

If you read the Battle of Sandwich 1217, you read about quicklime being used effectively against the french as a chem attack... this battle ended the invasion of England by France...

Here is an old artist picture of the battle, see the arrow with the bottle on the end that is Quicklime ready to be used... or the guy about to toss a flask is also quicklime...

1565198406996.png

from wiki..

Aided by their upwind position, the English archers inflicted considerable damage on the enemy sailors and soldiers before the French bowmen were able to effectively reply. The English also opened pots of lime which blew in the faces of the French.[15] Early in the battle, the French flagship engaged Richard FitzRoy's ship. As more English ships came up, they joined the fight against the flagship, while the other French ships maintained their tight formation, but failed to assist their flagship.[
 
Quicklime: http://www.medievalists.net/2015/02/top-10-strange-weapons-middle-ag

Also known as calcium oxide, quicklime is made from heating limestone in a kiln. When ground into a powder it could be very effective, especially in naval warfare. The 13th century writer Giles of Rome explains: “there used to be a large number of pots filled with ground quicklime, which are to be thrown from aloft into the enemies’ ships. When the pots are thrown with force and shatter on impact, the powder rises in the air (as has been noted above in reference to land war) and enters the enemies’ eyes and irritates them so greatly that, nearly blinded, they cannot see. This situation is very dangerous in naval warfare because fighting men in such war see themselves threatened with death from every quarter. Wherefore, if the eyes of the fighting men in such a battle are so irritated by powdered lime that they cannot see, they can easily either be slain by their enemies or submerged in the water.”
 
Quicklime had another purpose in war cover the dead with it...


Snip... war use...

Quicklime is not a stable material, and will react with CO2 from the air causing it to convert into heat energy. Due to this reaction, it is used as a source of heat and light. Due to lime being an akaline product, contact with skin can cause reactions that range from mild irritation to full scale burning.

Snip... in death

Quicklime does have uses for burials. In the Red Cross Emergency Relief Items Catalogue, quicklime and lime are listed as a tool for aiding in proper disposal of human remains that cannot be afforded a deep burial. However, the goal of the product is not to destroy the body but rather to prevent putrefaction that create odor, and attracts flies and animals. Quicklime was often used over plague or cholera burials to prevent the spread of disease, thought during this period to be transferred through noxious bad air known as miasma (a morbid term for another day). Again, in practical usage quicklime is being used not to destroy but to prevent disease from spreading.
 
Confederates invent luminary shells with Quicklime...? I found this in the fight for Ft. Blakeley...


The armies skirmished day and night for more than a week as the Union engineers constructed three parallel systems of earthworks located progressively closer to the Confederate position. Liddell's men attempted to slow the Union advance under cover of dark by launching several small scale sorties and periodically lobbing "fire balls" (artillery shells filled with quicklime, CaO, that gave a brief, intense glow as they burned) into the air to temporarily illuminate their targets. They also enlisted the aid of Confederate ships, including the CSS Huntsville, Nashville, and Gaines, lying in the Tensaw River, which shelled the Union lines until eventually driven off by artillery.

Thoughts?
 
I think I found what type of shell Liddell was shooting a form of Carcass Shell... using quicklime...

https://markerhunter.wordpress.com/2012/03/29/13-inch-mortars-pt2

Another ancient projectile type, the carcass, offered some incendiary effect. The carcass was basically a hollow shell filled with a flammable material, be that some sort of pitch or the infamous Greek fire. Small holes at the top of the carcass allowed the payload to ignite when the mortar was fired. By the Civil War, the Army discontinued service use of carcass projectiles. These things were difficult to handle… not to mention dangerous.

While technically a pyrotechnic, another type of projectile offered limited incendiary effect. Described in the manuals as “fire-balls,” these consisted of a canvas bag loaded with a shell and explosive composition. The entire assembly was coated with pitch. When loaded, a metal base separated the fire-ball from the propelling charge. When fired, as with standard shells, the flame touched off a fuse. At some point above the enemy position, the fire-ball ignited and provided illumination. Certainly not as dependable as modern flares, but better than nothing perhaps.


from wiki...

Carcass (projectile) - Wikipedia

Total war wargaming world...

https://empiretotalwar.fandom.com/wiki/Carcass_Shot
 
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A few shots of my calcium light. It is chalk ( calcium carbonate) heated with a mapp pro gas and oxygen jeweler sized torch. At Gettysburg we lit up a tree line 377 yards away as measured by the Engineers.

That would make a wonderful part of a Civil War Technology traveling road show, for reenactments and living histories.

You have 2019/2020 tour dates yet?
 
Also, for the rest of you folks like me who need an illustration to visualize how this works.
 
That would make a wonderful part of a Civil War Technology traveling road show, for reenactments and living histories.

You have 2019/2020 tour dates yet?
I'm usually a few places in New York State and in the living history camp at the July Gettysburg anniversary event each year. Done with the light for this year.
 
balloon searchlight.jpg
This drawing if from Frank Leslie's Illustrated newspaper. Some time ago a CW magazine described this an impossible fantasy. Actually the New Bern, North Carolina newspaper, ( in Federal hands by now), carried a story January 21,1863, that Professor Lowe of the Balloon Corps was experimenting with carrying a calcium light aloft and results were satisfactory. I think this was very possible for several reasons. Lowe's two largest balloons were designed to carry five people and the calculated gas to weight allows over 2200 lbs. A small light only weighs a few pounds and the tanks that Robert Grant sold and refilled in 1865 were advertised as a boy could carry the two tanks with gas for several hours of light. From this an assumption can be made that the light and gas would replace one person. The mentioned article stated that the flame would have blown up the balloons hydrogen. Actually the needed flame is about the size of that from one of those butane candle lighters. Also the hydrogen was sealed in the balloon envelope many feet over the basket and heads of the people. When my light is at full power, the lime is at about 4300 degrees F but the heated part is only penny sized. The focal of the reflector is 4.5 inches and works so well that last week the reflector had many insects on the inside, 4.5 inches from the flame and they all survived.No heat is felt at the back. Lastly, Lowe's balloons all used a three point tether system to keep it steady so the lookout could focus on one point. This then would have allowed the same for the light. I do not know if this was ever used but do believe it is very possible.
 
View attachment 320241 This drawing if from Frank Leslie's Illustrated newspaper. Some time ago a CW magazine described this an impossible fantasy. Actually the New Bern, North Carolina newspaper, ( in Federal hands by now), carried a story January 21,1863, that Professor Lowe of the Balloon Corps was experimenting with carrying a calcium light aloft and results were satisfactory. I think this was very possible for several reasons. Lowe's two largest balloons were designed to carry five people and the calculated gas to weight allows over 2200 lbs. A small light only weighs a few pounds and the tanks that Robert Grant sold and refilled in 1865 were advertised as a boy could carry the two tanks with gas for several hours of light. From this an assumption can be made that the light and gas would replace one person. The mentioned article stated that the flame would have blown up the balloons hydrogen. Actually the needed flame is about the size of that from one of those butane candle lighters. Also the hydrogen was sealed in the balloon envelope many feet over the basket and heads of the people. When my light is at full power, the lime is at about 4300 degrees F but the heated part is only penny sized. The focal of the reflector is 4.5 inches and works so well that last week the reflector had many insects on the inside, 4.5 inches from the flame and they all survived.No heat is felt at the back. Lastly, Lowe's balloons all used a three point tether system to keep it steady so the lookout could focus on one point. This then would have allowed the same for the light. I do not know if this was ever used but do believe it is very possible.


Attention and calling @TSCLowe
 
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