Barnard Elliott Artillery Book, c. 1775

Barnard Elliott Artillery Book, c. 1775

c. 1775

Contains military records written by Captain Barnard Elliott of the Second Regiment of South Carolina troops

recruiting journal written in 1775

correspondence by Barnard Elliott to the Captains of Artillery

and note by Elliott to W. Smith.

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Silberberg, Jules (Metadata)

Copyright has not been assigned to the Charleston Library Society. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Special Collections Librarian. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Charleston Library Society as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher.

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Ms. 50, Barnard Elliott Military Records, 1775

English

Artillery Book
Major Elliott
Artillery Company consisting of 100 Men serving as Commissioned Officers, are composed of the following

Ranks & Places Inferior Officers
Commission’d Officers 3 Serjeants
Captain 1 3 Corporals
Capts. Lieutenant 2 8 Bombardiers
1 Lieutenant 3 20 Gunners
2 Lieutenant 4 2 Drumers
1st Lieutenant fire worker 5 1 fife included as a matross
2 Lieutenant fire worker 6
3 Lieutenant fire worker 7


The commissioned Officers take their Post or Stations from the Right and left to the Center. The Officers march on the Left Except when in Colums [sic] then they fall in Proper intervals.

Characters, used for Laboratory Composition

10 Salt Petre
3 Sulphur
X Meal Powder
Ξ Corn Powder
X Gold Dust
Saw Dust
CC Cole Dust
A Antimony

To Pulverise Salt Petre.
Put the Salt petre into a brass or copper Kettle add as much water as will cover it, then set it over a Slow fire continue stirring and working it all the time, untill the water goes off, when it will become a Powder, and after being Cool’d may be put up and is fit for use in Composition.
Composition for Fuses

Proportion
Meal Powder X 3
Salt Petre 0 3
Sulphur 3 1

For the fuses for Shells of all kinds
except Hawitzers

This composition being well Ground and mixed on the mealing Table if past first thro' a hair & Afterwards thro' a Lawn seive, & put up for use.

Fuses for Hawitzers
Are Generally Charged with Meal Powder only, they acquiring to burn much Quicker than any other. (See
Hawitzer Practice).

Driving of Fuses

The Composition being Prepared as directed, Holes are bored to fitt each fuse in a Heavy Block which stands firm at every Ladle full of composition the blows as in the following Table to be given with a wooden Mallet, must be all of the Same force, not too hard, when the fuse is full a double of Quick match, is Laid AX the Tube part of the fuse & set down with the Driver after which another double of Quick Match is Laid ax the first of set down as before will leave & Ends of Quick match, each being gently laid round in the Tube of the fuse, is afterwards filled or Primed with meal Powder moistened.
(turn over)
Spirits of wine, the Extreme part Capp’d wth a paper & put up for use

A Table of the length and Diameter of fuses, weight of compostion number of Ladles to fill Each fuse, number of Blows requisite to Each Ladle full of Comp. and time of burning.

Nature of Shells
Length of solid
Compn. & diameter
of fuse holes
Weight of Compo
& Mumber of Ladle
to fill Each Thelle
Number of Blows requisite to each
ladle Compo
Inches
Length Diamr.
Wt. of Composition
No. of Ladles
Blows. Time of burn in seconds
13
10
8
Royal Cohorn
Hand Granade
Howitzers 8
8 0
7 5
7 0
3 75
3 5
2 0
6
38
35
30
23
21
19
19
24 35
18 30
15 27
12 16
12 15
10 9
15 8


Fuses for Shells to fire or throw from Hawitzers

Are filled from the small end, the Large or Out side End being left
solid with a round head about 7 tenths from the Estreme [send] end 4 holes the Quick match is draw’d before driving, it is drove in the same manner as before directed the Composition meal Powder only the ends which were laid a cross thro' the holes are afterwards primed with the meal Powder moistened with Spirits of wine and laid on small Cavities, which are made inwards fro

N.B. The Quick match in fuses is allways drawd out with a Point of a Knife & well dudg’d before firing.

Fuses for Shells to fire or throw from Howitzers are filled from the small End, the Large or Out side and being left Solid wth a round head, about 7 tenths.

Wild Fires a kind of Artificial or factitious, wch burns wen [sic] under water, with greater violence than out of it. It is composed of Sulphar, Naphtha, Pitch, Gum, & Bitumen

and is only extinguishable by Vinager mixed with Sand & urine

or with raw hyde, its motion or tendency is contrary to that of natural fires, & always follows the direction in which it is thrown, whether it be downward, side ways, or otherwise

the inventor Callenicus who first applied it in the Sea Fight commanded by Constantine Pogonatos against the Sarazens near [illegible] in the Helleyport with such effect that he burnt the whole Fleet therewith

Of Quick Match

There are two kinds vizt. That used for Priming Mortars, Fuses, Laying Trains & is made of Cotton. That used for the Tubes for field pieces and all Quick
Fireing [sic] is made of worsted.

Of the 1st the cotton weak being a Single thread & Lightly twisted is Coiled off in a broad ea. then Vessel or Pan to which is added the Spirits of wine, enough to cover it & Meal Powder in which the weak is steeped 24 hours after some more Meal Powder being added it is realed Single on a frame made for that purpose, during the time of Realing and afterwards you continue [illegible] it

it with Meal Powder thro’ a Lawn Scive, until the weak is sufficiently cover’d, after which it is put out to pry in the Air. Care being taken that the wind does not affect it

too much of which will make it hollow.

Quick Match for the Tubes for fireing [sic] field Pieces

Proportion
Spirits of Wine 4 Quarts
Water 12
Salt Petre 1
Worsted 4

The Worsted being a Small Single thread is coil’d in a Pan to which is put the Spirit of wine and water, let it continue 24 hours, then make it not over a slow fire in a Kettle adding at the same time the salt Petre, after which it is taken out with the Liquor, & meal Powder added to thicken if then reel it off, continue at the same time thro’ a Lawn Seive to Sift the

Meal Powder over it, put it out to Dry not letting the wind affect it.

Charging the Tubes used in Quick fireing

The Quick match being Prepared it is draw’d thro’ the tube with a small wire Crooked at the End, Cutting it of Close at the point of the tube at the other End you leave about two Inches of the match which is Laid in the hollow or Cap Part of the Tube, & Primed with Spirits of wine & meal Powder (which is the Priming used in all kind of Tubes and Fuses) Both ends being Capped with Paper is put up for use.
Forming Light Balls

It will be Proper first to observe that the thickness of paper when finished for a Cohorn ought to be 3 tenths of an Inch And Is in proportion to any mortars of Larger Size. Get a wooden ball turn’d to a Proper size which being rubb’d over with Tallow you Lay on Paper (Cut in ye manner as was directed in the Laboratory) then rub over your Paste of Glue on the first paper (taking care that no paste touches the wooden ball) & Put on a second layer of Paper, giving it time to dry, after which a third may be laid in like Manner when dryed the paper is cut ax holding it a little time before the fire the wooden ball may be
[illegible] out after which the paper is closed again and by

laying sone paper first over the cross You afterwards continue laying it round on every side, always taking care to give every Layer time to dry, untill it becomes of the thickness and Diameter Required. When dry three holes are burnt in [illegible] with a red hot Iron. Then you may charge it with the Composition hereafter directed.

Composition for Light Balls

Meal Powder 1
Salt Petre 6
Sulphur 2 ozs
Antimony 0.3
Pitch 1
Tallow 0.3 ozs

The Pitch and Tallow being first melted in a Pot over the fire it is taken off and while it is warm the composition (being first well mixed together) is put in by degrees a little at a time continue working it all the while until the whole



is mixed, when you immediately begin to Charge your Balls thro' the holes (this must be done before the Composition hardens) after the balls are full, you lay in the holes the ends of Quick match leaving the bite about one half the diameter
of the ball, he ends as thrust in untill the bite lays close 3 or 4 doubles of which ought to Lay from hole to hole being drudged with meal, Powder is fit for use.

Anti [illegible] Earth Quake” To 20 lbs of Iron filings, add as many of Sulpher: mix work, & temper the whole together with a little Water, so as to form a mass of the consistency of a firm paste. This being buried 3 or 4 feet under ground, in 6 or 7 hours time will have a prodigious affect: the Earth will begin to tremble, crack and Smoke, of fire & flame burst through.

Composition for Oblong Carcases

Gun Powder 27 [illegible] 8 ozs 0 Dry
Salt Petre 3
Tallow 1 7 6
Pitch 14
Turpentine 0 7 0
Sulphur 2 12 0

The Pitch Fallow and Turpentine being milled as before directed in the Light balls take the Pot from the fire, add to it the Salt Peter and Sulphur by degrees, keep stiring [sic] it all the time then put in the corn powder by degrees very carefully, working it all the while so of the corn powder remains in Lumps

Lastly add to it the chopt flax working it as before, Untill lt becomes to a consistancy quite Stiff.
Bombardier's, there are 25 in Number, one chief & 24 under him, established in the office of Ordnance at a yearly Salary

their empolymt. Is about the mortar, they [illegible] it in the fuses, fire the bomb, load & fire the mortars, & work with the fire workers on all sorts of firework.

Fire master in the Train of Artillery, an Officer who gives directions and proportions of ingredients for each composition required in the Fire Works, whether for the service of War, or for rejoicings and reservations. His Orders are given to the Fire-workers, and Bombadiers who must execute them.

To Charge or fill an Oblong Carcase for a Mortar 10 Inch.

First canvass is Laid in the bottom or Largest end of the carcase Suffecient to wrap round the Whole composition when filled, then put as much of the Composition as fills the bottom or Lower Shell. Then you lay in three hand
Granades triangular wise being charged with the fuser turned inwards yet not so as to touch each other then Lay in another Cake of the Composition to fill it
somthing more than half, Lay in three more hand Granades as before & Afterwards fill up the whole
with the Composition. Let it cool which in Summer will take some time, the Canvass is brought up round afterwards thro' the hole Left in the Iron at the Top, bore down directly in the Center 4 Inches a half Inch Augor, drive it with fuse composition & Quick match the whole depth of the hole then Prime it in same
Manner as fuses, the Carcase being first well woolded with hambrs, Line.

Of Port Fires

Of these are in use two sorts and are distinguished by dry or Common Port fires & wet or Stop’d Port Fires.

Compos. For dry Port Fires
20 Salt petre 3
3 Sulphur 1
X meal Powder ½
These are used instead of matches to set fire to powder or Compos. Quick match &c.

Compos. For Wet or Stop Port fires
20 Salt Petre 4-8 oz
3 Sulphur 2-8
Meal Powder 6
Linseed Oil 1 Pint
These are used as before likewise cut in proper lengths & Placed on
the vent of ordinance when Charged for [illegible] There 3X
being well mixed and sifted (in the latter it is moistened with
Linseed Oil, being well rub’d with the hands till
the Oil is well mix’d) it is drose in small paper cased about 15 Inch’s Long.

Wild Fires. Wherein were thirty thousand men, Hugh King of Burgundy, demanding Ships of the Emperor Leo for the Siege of [illegible], defied likewise the Greek Fire. F. Daniel gives a good description of the Greek Fire in his account of the Siege of Damietta under St. Louis Every body says that author was astonished with the Greek Fire, which the Turks then prepared. They threw it out of a kind of Mortar

and some time, shot it with an old sort of Cross Bow, which was strongly bent by means of a handle, or winch of much greater force than the bare arm. That thrown wth the mortar appeared in the Air & in view of a
Turk with a long tail & a noise like Thunder.

An 8 Inch Hawitzer Practice
Powder Range
Powder oz
Elevation DM
1
2
3
4
5
Yards


6
111
229
140
80
145
729


7
302
124
138
75
108
756


2
136
137
66
94
51
849


3
210
146
112
182
40
766


4
280
354
126
129
50
782


5
266
209
134
109
44
776


6
326
247
180
117
37
877
1
7
381
200
109
80
76
776


8
496
149
76
113
279
943


9
353
120
80
60
301
945


7
333
144
72
231


943


6
259
128
80
57
146
744


5
280
161
121
53
332
800


6
296
161
128
41
48
668

Let a body projected with an angle of 45° of elivation [sic] be 12 seconds in its flight, what is the horizontal range.

Range
12 Square
12
144
Multiplied by
16.8
144
864
144
3/2318.4 feet
772-2 yards

The horizontal range of a body projected with an angle of 45°, being 1000 yards to find the time of its flight as 16.1 feet is to the given distance 3000 in feet so is unity to the square of the time required.

16.1–3000–1
16.1 |3000| 18 seconds
|168
1390
1288
102

Ricochet firing, that is the pieces are elivated [sic] from three to six degrees and Loaded with a small charge, in order that the ball may bound and roll along the inside of the parapet

for which reason a front of Polygon should be made to shew the gunners clearly the object of these batteries and to try and find the Charges for various distances.
Nature of a brass mortar
Wt Elevation Grazes of the Flight
Flight Orders Fuse


15-0




13
3-0








650




15-0




12
3-0








720




15-0




12
3-0








707


8 Inch


42
45












684
675


15-0




12
3-1








724




15-0




12
3-1








690




15-0




12
3-1








800




6-0




11
3-0














6-0




13
3-0








866




6-0




14
3-0








767


Royal


158
45












772




5-12




12
3-1








656




5-8




12
3-1








654




5-8




12
3-1








610




3-12




14
3-0










675


3-12




12
3-0








710




3-12




11
3-0








590


Cohorn


8
45












640




3-12




12
3-1








525




3-12




11
3-1








630




3-12




11
3-1














14-0


10-0
4
3-0
330
435
494


640




14-0


10-0
3
3-0
280
320
460


650




14-0




4
3-0
354
465
515






Shaw [illegible]
14-0


11-0


















14-0


11-0
4
3-1
370
425
463


706




14-0


12-0
5
3-1
402
480
515


650




14-0


12-0
4
3-1
358
456
525


650



The diameter of a Nine pound ball is found to be 3.9995 inches which being so very near 4 Inches by taking it as such no sensible error can happen in computation.

If a Cannon ball be 8 Inches in diameter what is the solidity.

8
8
64
8
Cube diameter 518

.5236
512
10472
5236
26180
2680832 Solidity in Inches

The diameter of the Circle is to its Circumference, as 113 is to 355 nearly.

The Square of the diameter is to ye area of the Circle as 452 to 355.

The Cube of the diameter is to the solid content of a Sphere, as 678 to 355.

If a Cannon ball is 4 Inches in diameter, what is the Solidity?

4
4
16
4
Cube diamtr. 64
Proportion us’d .5236
64
20944
31416
Solid Inches 33.5104 Nine pound ball
Let a body projected wth an angle of 45° of elevation, by 12 seconds in its flight, what is the horizontal Range

12
12
144
16.1
864
144
2518.4 feet or 772.8 yards

Firing shells instead of Balls from Cannon will be to springing a small mine.

Worms at the heads of Spunge Staffs.

At Baunswick is a Morortar fire of Brass upon the Rampart 10 feet 6 Inches long and 9 feet 2 Inches in diameter weighing 1800 Quintals, & for 9 Quintals of Iron in its carriage, & carries a ball of 730 lbs each to a distance of 30,000 [illegible] & will throw a bomb of 1000 weight, but requires 52 lbs of Powder. This mortar was made in 1411.
A cubic foot of gun-metal weighs 549 pounds, or 19 cubic Inckes 61 pounds

the last sum reduced in this proposition gives 24.5215.

But the cube of 24 the diameter of the shot, is to the cube of 4, the diameter of of a 9lb ball, as 216 to unity, so 245215 to 1135 lbs the weight of a 9 lb dr

and if this amount be divided by 9 we shall have 126 lbs of metal for each pound of the shots weight consequently, the weight of the shot of any gun multiplied by 126 is the product divided by 115 gives the Weight of the Gun.

A field piece whose caliber is 2 Inches what is the weight of ball

She will carry

2
2
4
2
8



100:8::14
8
100 |112| 1.12 ozs
100
120
100
200
200
000


A field piece whose caliber is 2 ⅜ Inches what weight of ball will it carry.23

23
23
69
40
529
23
1587
1058
12167

1.00–12167–14
14
48668
12167
|1.70.338
1.70 parts of 1 lb, which being above 50, is = to 2 lbs


If the bullet is Lead to find its weight when the diameter is known, this is the [illegible]
Cube the diameter and multiply this cube by .5236, and this last product by by [sic] 41 gives the weight.

Examples
What is the weight of a Leaden bullet whose diameter is 5 Inches?
Multiply: 5236 5
By cube of 5= 125 5
26180 25
10472 5
5236 125
65.45 00
41
6545 00
2618000
Lb 26,8345 00 the wt
The weight of an Iron bullet being given to find its diameter
Example


A bullet whose diameter is 4 Inches what is the Weight
4 as 100: [illegible]: 14
4 64
16 56
4 84
64 100 |396
8.96 Parts of Inch
What is the weight of an Iron bullet whose diameter is 8 Inches?
512.14 8
14 64
2048 8
512 512
31.68
What is the diameter of an Iron bullet whose weight is 18 lbs?
As 14:18::100
18
800
100
14 |1800| 128
14
40
28
120
112
[illegible]


Square AB that is [illegible] by 6 is 26. This divided by 2 or BC shows the distance 18 yards or [illegible] &c.

Or suppose AB, 7 feet or 84 inches as in the large Instrument. And BC = [illegible] of an inch.


84
84
336
682
7156
70560

12
70560 inches
5880 feet
1960 yards or [illegible] and 200 yards



The large Longemeter is 84 Inches which squared is 7056, then where the hypotenuse [illegible] the [illegible] suppose it, 5 of an Inch then 7056 divided by 5 gives the Distance 1176 feet.

Diameter of an Iron bullet by 3 ½ Inches what is the Right?
The Cube of 3.5 Inches = 41.8745

3.5
17.5
105
122.5
35
512.5
367.5
41.875



100::41.875=14
14
167500
41875
100 | 586250
5.86 parts wch is = to a lb


For a square pile of Balls
Add to the number of nalls in the lower [illegible]. Then double the Number balls in the lower add 1 to this number. Multiply these two sums by one another and that product by the no. Balls in lower row divided by 6.

A Sqr Pile of that whose lower row is 20 Balls [illegible] the no. Balls

20
1
21



40
1
41
21
41
81
861
861
3 ½
2583
287
287


For an oblong pile of shot

Double the number of balls on lower row add 1 to to [sic] it, to this add 3 times the number in the upper row less one. Multiply this number by the no. in the lower row more 1. Then mutiply by the number Balls in lower row divided by 6.

An obling pile of balls whose lower row is 24 and upper row
20 19 24
19 3 1
57 25
25
285
114
1425 5700 Balls
4
48
1
49
Fon triangular Pile of Balls

Add 2 to the Number in lower row, next add 1 to the same number multiply these two numbers into each other and multiply that product by the Number of balls in the lower row divided by 6 this will by the [illegible] number contain’d in the Pile.

The lower row suppose 72 71 6/7
[illegible] 8 1 1/7
7 2/1
72
10-2
82
Suppose the lower row 5 balls
5 2
1 7
6 6
42
[illegible] the lower row must be divided by 6

five being less than 6, we say ⅚ this brok. Into a decimal 6|500/.83 is .83

42
.83
126
336
34.86 or 35
According to the observations of the [illegible] Mr. Mossennus a bullet shot out of a Great Gun flies 92 fathom in a Second of time which is equal to 59 3/9 English feet & according to the Computation fo Mr. Huygens, it would be 25 years in passing from the Earth to ye Sun. But according to W. Derham [illegible] a bullet at its first discharge flies 510 Yds in five half seconds which is a mile in a Little above 17 half seconds.

Light is Supposed to fly at the rate of 200,000 English miles in one Second of time [illegible] physick is the same thing but about Seven or Eight minutes of an hour in coming from the Sun to us.

A Cannon ball flies at the rate of one English mile, in 8 ½ seconds.

Artillery Park, the place in the Rear of both lines in the Army for encamping the Artillery, which is drawn up in lines of which one formed by the guns the ammunition waggons make two or three lines, sixty pages behind the guns, and thirty distant from each other: the Pontoons & Tumbrils make the last line. The whole is surrounded with a rope, which forms the Park

the gunners of Matrosses encamp on the flanks, & the Bombardiers, pontoon men, & Artificers, in the Rear. Train of Artillery includes all field pieces with furniture compleat for march
ing as mortar pieces, cannons, bombs, Carcasses &c.

Distance
To throw a Shell 506 yds length of fuse must be 2 ½ Inches and Quantity of Powder 4 1/2 Ounces.

To throw One 270 yds length of fuse must be 1 ¾ Inch and Quantity of Powder 2 1/4 Ounces.


Diameter. Of Ball 3 Inches
3
9
3
7


100–27–14
14
108
27
100| 378| 3.78 parts = to 4 lbs
300
78


Let there be an Obland run finished Pile whose sides of the upper surface are 500 by 50 and the corner Row 12.




Then a 500 by 50 gives 25000
50
1/2 |25000
12500
Half the sum of 25000 multiply by 12500 [=] 72500

Puleris Fulmenians is prepared thus. Take 3 ozs of purified Nitre 2 ozs salt of tartar, & 1 oz of brimstone, grind them well together in a morar

then puting a small quantity, as about half a dram, over the fire on an Iron plate, will make a great explosion. The Acc’d spirits of the Nitre of Sulphur beeing too sened by the heat wash toward one another, or toward the Tartar with so great violence, as by the shock at Once to turn the whole into Vapour & Smoke.


[illegible]


A piece of wood supported horizontally at both ends will bear in the middle before they break as follows
Oak – 320 pounds
Elm – 210
Beech – 290
Fir – 280

Example
What weight will a joist of Oak sustain that is 12 feet Long, 8 Inches thick and 6 Inches wide?
8
8
64
6
384
320
7680
1152
122880
But of the joist be Laid flat then the side 6 Inches is the thickness and 8 Inches the breadth, and this is the Strength
6
6
36
8
288
320
5760
864
12) 92160
7680 lb on 68 [illegible] 22, 8 lbs ye joist will bear wn hung in the middle.
Mealed, pulverized or reduced to [illegible].

When the third term is greater than the first, and requires the fourth term to be less than the second, or when less requires more, that is when the third term is less than the first and requires the fourth term to be greater than the second, then the Proportion is inverse

and to find the fourth term, multiply the first and second terms together & divide by the third.

To compute the number of shott contained in a Square or Oblong Pile finished or unfinished

Example. Let there be an Oblong unfinished pile whose sides of the upper surface are 20 by 4 & the corner row 6
Then 20 by 4 given - 80
Half the Sum of 20 & 4 { 60
Multiplied by 5
& the Sixth Part of 11
Multiplied by 5 - 09 ⅙
149 ⅙
This sum multiplied by 6 gives 895 for the number of Shott required.
If the Diameter of an Iron bullets be 5 Inches, what is the weight?


5
5
25
5
125 cube of 5

As 100:125:14
14
500
125
100| 1750
17 ½ lb the weight


As 100 is the Cube of the bullets diameter in inches, so is 14 to the weight in Pounds.

If the diameter of an Iron bullet be 3 ½ inches what is the weight?

The cube of 3:5 is 42.875 as 100:42.875 [illegible].
[Blank]