The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-02-12
WORKING A BIG GUN.
METHODS OF TODAY DIFFER FROM
THOSE OF CIVIL WAR TIMES.

aaTrott-do was OnS OF the Men Who
Worked the Swabber and Hammer.
Our regiment was IN infantry regi,
ment," said the old soldier, "but in the
course of our service wo did moro or less
duty rs artillery. On ono occasion prao
tically tho whole regmont was detailed to
man big guns in n siege. The particular
gun that 1 served on was 100 pound par.
rott. Thcre were bigger PARROTS than 100
Founders. and other guns, too, that were
bigger, but 100 pound parrott was
pretty sizablo gun, s or 10 feet in length,
possibly longer-I don't remombcr exactly
--riilcd, and with u broad wrought iron
band shrunk on to tho breech to rc-enforce
1T. Tho shell was pointed and elongated,
about as big around rs an oyster keg and
something longer. 1t had u band of soft
metal attached around its base, and when
tho gun was fired this band expanded into
tho grooves of tho riiling to give tho shell
tho twist and so insure accuracy of flight
This gun was mounted in n battery
an earth brcastwork in front, with trayersos
at tho sides to protect tho men from shoe
coming from those directions 1t was fired
through an embrasuro in tho parapct of
tho brcastwork in front. Tho carriage
upon Which it was mounted raised tho big
gun to height of eight feet or so above
tho ground Along tho inner sido of the
broastwork, under tho muzzlc of tho gun
thcro was Il PLATFORM, SO TINT tho muzzlc
could DO conveniently reached. Nos. |
and of tho mon vino manned tho gun
stood upon this platform to load it and to
6wnb tho gun out after it was fired.
was No. Oh t'Np Eieco, to tho loft of the
vnuzze
Tho man from the magazine brought
around cartridge, the charge of powder
dono up In n flannel bag about tho sizo Of
Il good sized salt bag and laid it on tho
platform. No 3 picked it up and inserted
it in tho muzzlo of tho gun. No. picked
up tho sponge staff or s feet in length,
and having tho sponge, or swab, ut one end
and tho rammer Mt tho other, and placed
Che ranlmcr ond against tho cartridge and
then both mon rammed tho cartridge
gently home, tho man whose duty it was
standing on tho carriage mt tho brccch o!
tho gun with his thumb on the vent mean.
Thilo.
1.-Two men brought around tho shell,
loaded and capped, and stood it on its base
on the platform Tho two men on the
platform picked up tho shell and placed it
in tho gun. Tho shell had percussion
cap to be exploded by contact. In the
center of tho face Of tho hammer there was
cavity big enough SO TINT its edges would
rest upon tho shell clear of tho cap No.
placed the rammcr carefully against tho
end of the shell SO that tho cap would be
within tho cavity, and both men rammed
tho shell homc gently and smoothly, but
setting 1t up snugly against the cartridge.
Tho man at tho vent ran O printing
wire down into tho vent and through tho
cartridge, and then inserted in tho Won't
friction Lrimer to which II lanyard was ut
tachcd. All tho men about tho gun jumped
10 tho ground, and tho man stood with
lanyard outstretchcd, waiting the COM
mand.
I" Fire!'
"a twitoh upon the lanyard, tho primer
exploded, its fire shot down into the pow
der, and Boom!' went the 100 FOUNDER
The carriage recolod upon tho iron sup.
porting frame and away sailed tho she'll
while all tho mon jumped upon tho gun
carriage again or upon tho platform to
watch It's effect.
'Then camo the swnb There was q
bucket of water standing on tho platform
Into which the swab was dipped OCCASION
ally IT tho gun was being fired rapidly
Tie damp swab, or sponge, was inserted
III tho muZ2lo of tho gun and rammed
clean to the other end of tho bore, turned
there, and then drawn ont again to extin-
J guish any lingering sparks OF powder that
might have ignitcd the next charge OF
plosion and TO clean the gun. Then load
again.
"Wo worked on these guns for weeks
and 1t was Il most fascinating employment
1t seemed wonderful then, and it .ecI.ls
moro and moro so now, rs tho time grows
moro remote. ] had read i'll story books
and in histories about wars and battles
and tho fierce cannonccrs and all that sort
of thing, and here we were at it ourselves
ms daily occupation ana under contract
10 work for years
Tho other day went over to the navy
yard to SEQ tho battleship Indiana, md
she's daisy. wo arc not fighting ma
tion-wo don't need to be-but such fight
ing tools rs we keep in stock ought to DO
OF the best, and here's Il ship that one
needn't DC ashamed to send into any wa
tors
"Wo roamed all over tho ship, from the
| Shaft alleys to the military tops, and finally
| we went down into ono of the turrets OK
| tho great IS inch guns. Wo had seen the
| giant tube projecting out over tho deck
| through the portfolio. Now We admired
| the beautiful mechanism of tho breeoh
Standing OH a little platform near by was
what looked like great round tin can, in
size something less than half Il barrel. It's
| conical shaped metal top part tapered up
| To what might have been the neck of the
can. Tho vertical sided barrel of tho can
was completely covered with sbcepskin
with the woolly side out. And this was
the swab, or sponge, for tho IL inch gun
Tho gun is 40 fccS Icing. Fancy Nos and
| 2 standing at the muZZlo to sponge ouI
this guni 1t would be like sponging r.
| chimney lying on its side. But they don't
do it that way. The gun loads at the
breech and is sponged from there. The
powder chamber is spongod after every dis