[Homestead] A Silly Historical Question...

Bunjov at aol.com Bunjov at aol.com
Sun Sep 21 08:47:48 EDT 2008


Interesting!
 
Thank you, too, Don. This is of particular interest to me because I have  
posted comments in the last few days about my friend whose vegetable garden I  
tend while she's away, and who recently lost her husband, who was a special  
needs teacher and a Civil War buff.
 
On the anniversary of his passing, last year, we went out into the riverbed  
and - in his honor - shot off a small blackpowder cannon. She plans on doing 
it  again this year - next Saturday. Everyone brings their 'weapon of choice', 
and  we set up targets and toss back a few cold ones.
 
Also, in his memory, a group of his former students - and friends and  
relatives - did a bike run between Newberry Springs and Vegas - off-road. It was  
most cool. About 2.5 hours - same as freeway time - only cheaper!
 
Sandy
Mid-Mojave
 
 
 
 
In a message dated 9/21/2008 5:32:58 A.M. Pacific Standard Time,  
don.bowen at earthlink.net writes:

Musketeers were trained in the use of muskets.  They wore the  uniform of the
day with swords but in battle they used the musket.   Muskets of the time
were slow to load and fire and not at all reliable or  very accurate so were
used more for shock value than anything else.   Once one or two shots were
fired the musketeers dropped the musket and  fought like any other foot
solider.  They were the elite foot solider  of the day.

The musket of the time was a Fussel and fired with a match  cord.  The match
cord came toward the shooters eye as the trigger was  moved forward.  The
metal bullet (sometimes stone) was a very loose  fit in the barrel and no
wadding was used so much of the very week powder's  charge was wasted.  But
the loud discharge, long flames, and heavy  smoke did unnerve opposing
armies.

Don Bowen   KI6DIU
http://www.braingarage.com/Dons/Travels/journal/Journal.html

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