CIVIL WAR ARTILLERY LANYARD

CIVIL WAR ARTILLERY LANYARD

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$395.00

Quantity Available: 1

Item Code: 2026-9245

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An excellent example of the Civil War artillery lanyard. A turned, hardwood handle tapering from the center to the ends with raised rims for a secure grip, with rope cord attached at the center of the grip, with a small iron hook fixed at the end, about 139” overall, when stretched out. Friction primers, using a serrated wire rapidly pulled through a combustible compound in small, brass T-shaped tube to ignite the cannon’s propellant charge had been used experimentally in the Mexican War and were officially adopted soon after in preference to percussion locks or the older linstock methods of firing the cannon.

This would be one of the tools carried in the implement or “tube” pouch of “Number Four” on crew of a field gun, who would place a friction primer in the loaded cannon’s vent, put the hook at the end of the cord into a loop in the end of the serrated wire in the primer, and then stood back with lanyard played out, waiting for the gunner’s command to fire. A sharp yank on lanyard set off the primer, whose flame ignited the propellant charge, and the round was then on its way. The crew would then reposition the gun from its recoil if necessary and again perform their prescribed tasks to ready the gun for its next shot. It was a complex series of steps that had to be performed in the right order even under fire, something requiring precise teamwork and instilled by hours of drill. We show a photo of a Civil War gun crew, with the artilleryman at right putting his weight on his left leg and reaching out slightly, posed as if to pull the lanyard.

This is a complete and very good example of a key piece of artillery gear with handle showing good finish, full-length cord and original wire hook.    [sr][ph:L]

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