Shot Pouch Question

[jbwilliams3]

Spence,

As always, the quotes you provide are fascinating. Thank you. :hatsoff:

John Knox writing of Roger's Rangers 1757-1760: "and a leathern, or seal's skin bag, buckled round their waist, which hangs down before, contains bullets, and a smaller shot of the size of full green peas:"

I found this very interesting. Perhaps this was the impetus for some British Army Infantry units carrying small belt pouches that also held “smaller shot of the size of full green peas" during the AWI and that in addition to the Cartridge Pouches they wore, which contained cartridges? The idea was they grabbed some of the pea size shot and added it to the ball from the cartridge.

I've only collected one reference to a shot snake, I think, and even that is a bit confusing.

The South-Carolina GAZETTE
November 1, 1773
CHARLES-TOWN
.... Backgammon Tables, Playing Cards, Morocco Pocket Books, Snake Shot-Pouches with Chargers, Powder Flasks, Cortouch Boxes, Boot Strops, Fishing Reels, Snuff Boxes,"

I have collected no mention of anything else, flints, turnscrews, etc. being carried in the shott bag.

Spence

That sounds to me like a rather apt description of what we call a Shot Snake with some kind of Charger on the end. Actually it sounds like the charger end throws a premeasured amount and would not be adjustable?

Thanks again,
Gus

Sort of what I was thinking. Sounds like it could be either a shot snake with a separate charger for measuring and loading the shot or a charger internal to the snake, which like you said, would likely be adjustable.

 

[Flintlock]

There are plenty of people even now, hitting the woods with no clue how to care for or handle a firearm, I'm guessing it would have been no different back then. But a knowledgeable rifleman or hunter would have carried a turnscrew. There plenty easy for even the most inept person to make, heck, even I make my own.