Powder Horns vs Cartouche Boxes
Did the Virginia Regiment wear those Cartouche boxes, also referred as cartridge boxes or belly boxes?
This picture shows the Mercer Company of the Virginia Regiment at Abrams Delight Sept 2019.
Both powder horns and cartouche boxes were ordered by Colonel George Washington.
But because complaints
show there was a
scarcity of paper
for the cartridges,
we believe there were more
powder horns than cartridge boxes
worn by the Virginia Regiment.
Everyone of our reenactors
in the Mercer Company
of the Virginia Regiment 1755 to 1757
wear the belly box
instead of the powder horn.
You can see everyone except for the officers and flag bearer are wearing one of those belly boxes and nary a one sporting a powder horn.
We will be soon ordering powder horns.
And it looks like we will be making our own black powder too.
The only plant in the United States making black powder has announced its closing. See the stories on that.
This Blog is compiled and authored by Jim Moyer 12/7/2021, updated 12/9/2021, 12/12/2021
Below is a list of letters and their dates
concerning any references to Powder Horns, Cartouche boxes, Cartridge paper:
Powder Horns
George Washington 22 July, 1756 at Winchester writes letter to Captain Stewart
You must get horns and pouches, if you send over the neighborhood for them. Transmit me constant accounts of the enemy, if they continue in your neighborhood.
George Washington 6 September, 1756 at Winchester writes letter to Colonel Stephen
l see to have every man at the fort supplied with a powder-horn and shot-bag.
Ctrl F to find horn in the letters here:
Source:
George Washington 24 July, 1757 at Winchester writes letter to Lieutenant Thomas Bullitt
If you have one Halbert, it is more than we have in the whole Regiment; and I desire it may be laid aside, and a musket, &c. substituted in it’s place. Cartridge-paper is an article not to be had here; and we make use of horns and pouches in its stead, which you must also do. Drums will be sent by Major Lewis, who is to have the command of your company, and will move it hitherwards
[Blog Author note: it is interesting that no letters to Bullitt are in this link https://oll.libertyfund.org/title/ford-the-writings-of-george-washington-vol-ii-1758-1775 , but you can find it here: https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/02-04-02-0217 ]
George Washington 3 July, 1758 at Camp near Fort Cumberland,
writes letter to COLONEL HENRY BOUQUET, COMMANDING AT Raystown .
. . . I have used my best endeavors to get my men equipd with Powder Horns and Shott Pouches, and have procured 330 of the former and 339 of the latter; besides the Linnen ones, with which we are compleated.
Ctrl F to find horn in the letters here:
Source
Cartridges and Cartouche boxes
George Washington 11 August, 1754 at Alexandria writes letter to William Fairfax
I have in the next place (to show the state of the regiment) sent you a report by which you will perceive what great deficiencies there are of men, arms, tents, kettles, screws (which was a fatal want before), bayonets, cartouch-boxes, &c., &c.
George Washington 8 October, 1755 Fredericksburg writes letter TO GOVERNOR DINWIDDIE.
We are at a loss for want of almost every necessary. Tents, kettles, arms, ammunition, cartridge-paper, &c, &c, we are distressed for.
George Washington 11 October, 1755 at Winchester writes letter to Governor Dinwiddie
I have also impressed wagons and sent them to Conococheague for flour, musket-shots, and flints, powder, and trifling quantity of paper, bought at extravgant prices, for cartridges. I expect from below six or eight smiths who are now at work, repairing the firearms [194] that are here, which are all that we have to depend on. A man was hired, the 24th of last month, to do the whole, but neglected, and was just moving off in wagons, to Pennsylvania. I impressed his wagons, and compelled him by force to assist in this work.
George Washington 28 September, 1756 at Winchester writes letter to Governor Dinwiddie
Blankets, Shirts & Cartridge-paper are much wanted for immediate use; and must if possible be soon provided, as we cannot do without them. They have had information on the Branch, that the [354] Dunkers (who are all Doctors) entertain the Indians who are wounded here, and that there were several there with them. Captain Spotswood marched out with 80 men to their Houses, to bring in all he finds there.
George Washington [March,] 1757 writes letter to The EARL OF LOUDOUN
The want of tools occasions insurmountable difficulties in carrying on our works, either offensive or defensive. Cartridge-paper is an article not to be met with in Virginia. And now, before I sum up the whole, I must beg leave to add, my unwearied endeavours are inadequately rewarded.
Ctrl F to find "cart" in the letters:
Source:
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George Washington 17 April, 1758 Fort Loudoun, writes TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL.
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I think it incumbent on me to be informed by your Honor, how the regiment under my command is to be furnished with tents, ammunition, cartridge-paper, and many other requisites, that may be wanted in the course of the campaign. We expect it is here to be furnished with all those articles from his Majesty’s stores, but it is necessary for me to learn this from your Honor.
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George Washington 3 July, 1758 at Camp near Fort Cumberland,
writes to COLONEL HENRY BOUQUET, COMMANDING AT Raystown
I brought one half of all that was orderd from Winchester by Sir Jno. St. Clair, and left the other half to follow with Colo. Byrd—Powder excepted. And of that Article there was only 16 barrels in the store there, besides [41] 6 others that were made up into Cartridges—which are also brought up between us.
Ctrl F finds two instances of references to cartridges
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Cartouche box
This is a CARTRIDGE box, that is, a box for storing or carrying cartridges and the case in which a soldier carries his supply of cartridges. It was classified in 1752 as a component of MILITARY STORES [Acts (1752)].
OED online earliest date of use: 1697 under Cartouche
¶See also CARTRIDGE.
Sources: Acts.
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FROM "OF SORTS FOR PROVINCIALS"
BLOG WEBSITE
TUESDAY, MAY 19, 2020
Late Revolutionary war Virginia Militia cartridge box issuance Cartouche Boxes In the opening stages of the American Revolution, many Virginians in Militia companies, or the new Continental regiments were armed with older "Cartouch" or Cartridge boxes (frequently called "belly" boxes in modern parlance) that belted around the waist, and/or shot bags and horns. Many arms shipments from England in the past had included these cartouch boxes with bayonets as part of a complete "stand of arms." Around 1,200 cartouch boxes were inventoried in the Williamsburg Powder Magazine in 1775 and helped supply the fledgling Virginia Continental Regiments (Journals of the House of Burgesses of Virginia 1773-1776, Volume 13, Pages 223-4.) These boxes were light and economical. A thin leather flap was nailed over a painted wooden box.
Belt loops were nailed to the front of the wooden block.
As defined in The Gentleman's Compleat Military Dictionary (1759):
CARTRIDGE-BOX is a Case of Wood, or turn'd Iron covered with Leather , holding a dozen Musquet Cartridges; it is wore upon a Belt, and hangs a little higher than the right Pocket-Hole.
[Cartridge] POUCH; a Grenadier's Pouch, is a square Case or Bag of Leather, with a Flap over it, hanging in a Strap of about two Inches broad, over the left Shoulder...
Source: http://ofsortsforprovincials.blogspot.com/2020/05/late-revolutionary-war-virginia-militia.html
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Unrelated findings in the course of doing research:
The Flag at Fort Necessity?
The colors he speaks of as left were a large flag of immense size and weight; our regimental colors were brought off and are now in my possession.
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After the French government had published the Précis des Faits, the attention of Washington was called to the articles of capitulation and his Journal as printed in that volume. He then wrote as follows:
“I am really sorry, that I have it not in my power to answer your request in a more satisfactory manner. If you had favored me with the journal a few days sooner, I would have examined it carefully, and endeavoured to point out such errors as might conduce to your use, my advantage, and the public satisfaction; but now it is out of my power.
“I had no time to make any remarks upon that piece, which is called my journal. The enclosed are observations on the French notes. They are of no use to me separated, nor will they, I believe, be of any to you; yet I send them unconnected and incoherent as they were taken, for I have no opportunity to correct them.
I have ordered a flag of truce to be sent to the French, offering the return of their officer and the two cadets for the two hostages they have of ours.
Ctrl F to find "flag"
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GOEX BLACK POWER PLANT CLOSING
CLOSING
CLOSING
A FIRE
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GOEX DOES OTHER PRODUCTS
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