Lewis & Clark Powder

[anchorsawy]

Here is part of the Feb. 1st 1806, log entry of Meriwether Lewis at Fort Clatsop. 200 years ago today......(including his mispellings).


"Today we opened and examined all our ammunition, which had been secured in leaden canesters. We found twenty seven of the best rifle powder, 4 of common rifle, three of glaized and one of the musquet powder in good order, perfectly as dry as when first put in the canesters, altho' the whole of it from various accedents has been for hours under the water. These cannesters contain four lbs. of powder each and 8 of lead. Had it not have been for that happy expenient which I devised of securing the powder by means of the lead, we should not have had a single charge of powder at this time. Three of the canesters which had been accedentally bruized and cracked, one of which was carelessly stoped, and a fifth that had been penetrated with a nail, were a little dammaged; these we gave to the men to dry; however exclusive of those five we have an abundant stock to last us back; and we always take care to put a proportion of it in each canoe, to the end that should one canoe or more be lost we should still not be entirely bereft of ammunition, which is now our only hope for subsistence and defence in a rout of 4000 Miles through a country exclusively inhabited by savages."

I thought the forum would find this interesting and does anyone care to speculate as to how "best rifle", "common rifle", "glaized", and "musquet", relate in grade or type of powder today.

 

[mmahlock]

What I've read leads me to believe that what you have listed is esentially two different ganual sizes "rifle" and "musket". Rifle being smaller than musket. The difference between "best" and "common" has to do with the level of consitancy of the granuals, common containing a higher ratio of larger and small ganuals than best. The glazed is another story. I believe it may refer to the first efforts of waterproofing powder by mixing it with graphite, granual size unknow.

At least that's what I've come away with from my reading.

 

[Flint50]

Can't answer your question as to the difference in powder, but I CAN recomment the Journals of Lewis and Clark (available at any library) to all forum members. It is facinating reading.
One entry I won't forget- They were on the Missouri-up on the river bank and had found a grizzly. They had shot several rounds into the bear and had not killed it. They hauled a$$ and jumped into the river(a 30 foot drop)with the bear hot on their trail. The journal reads "so enraged was the beat that he persued" The bear jumped in the river also and they had to turn the swivel gun(on the keelboat) on him.
Facinating reading, Highly recommended by Flint50
sorry if I hijacked your post

 

[Flint50]

P.S. The journals are hard to read at first-different terminoligy , spelling and phrases, but you get used to it