Curt Larson, one of our members, sent me some excerpts that he took from the 1812 book
Handbook for Riflemen by William Duane. This book is no longer under copyright so we are able to post these excerpts that Curt put together. Curt thanks for doing this for the ALR members.
Dennis
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Excerpts from 1812 Handbook for Riflemen by William Duane
Chapter VIII
1. Properties of the Rifle
The superiority of the rifle consists in carrying the ball with more directness to the object aimed at, than the smooth barrel; this is attributable to the action of the atmosphere upon the ball after it is exploded from the muzzle of the piece, which operates differently on the line of direction and the manner of the motion of the ball. The smooth barrel throws the ball in such a manner that its motion resembles that of the wheel of a carriage, which constantly turns on an axis of its own, and still proceeds along a prolonged line; while the ball of the rifled barrel, being indented or channeled by the grooves of the barrel, being indented or channeled by the grooves of the barrel, proceeds not like the wheel of the carriage rolling forward; but in a spiral direction, or in a path resembling the motion of a cork-screw forced horizontally forward. The course of the smooth ball is also considerably deflected above the horizontal line of the barrel when aim is taken, so considerably that it becomes necessary to aim lower than the level line when the objects are near, and to aim higher than the level line when beyond a given distance; but though there is some elevation of the rifle ball in its course, it is yet relatively so small, that it is not required to aim lower than the object at any distance, though when at a considerable distance, say 500 to 700 yards, it is necessary to take a higher aim, in order to countervail the power of gravity upon the weight of the ball. The operation of the air upon a rifle ball, will be clearly understood, by viewing the spiral motion of an arrow, which has three feathered wings; the air passing between the feathers causes the arrow to spiral along or move like a screw; the same effect is produced by the impression made in the sides of a bullet by the grooves of the rifle.
2. Of Loading
Some hold that a quantity of powder equal to three times the full of the mould in which the ball is cast, is the proper charge; others four times the full of the mould; on this plan a ball of twenty to the pound would be fired with nearly a fourth of the weight of the ball. But some say that one third of the weight of the ball is not too much; experience shows that to shoot at 250 to 300 yards, one fourth or a fifth is enough.
The back woods men of the western frontier, place the ball in the palm of their left hand, and cupping the hand as much as possible, cover the ball with powder, and make that their charge.
The ball should be just of the size as to rest on the grooves, and require not much trouble to force it down, but yet not to pass without being forced.
The grooves should not be cut too deep.
3. Cleaning the Rifle
The greatest care should be taken in preserving the interior of the barrel clean, and the lock—careful shooters wipe out with flannel or a clean cotton rag, at every 8 or 10 shots, others 20: no iron instruments should be used in cleaning; the spiral brush of hog’s bristles should be used to scour with hot water; the woolen brush composed of layers of wool, alternately placed across the openings of a piece of hickory, split four times to a length of about six inches; the ends of the wool make an excellent brush. After washing clean and drying, the inside should be lightly touched with good oil.
4. The Lock
The lock of the rifle should be of the best kind. It is a great extravagance and waste to provide rifles without locks of the best workmanship, for they should not only be made so well as to go off easy, but to last and endure severe service. The best marksman cannot preserve a just level, if he is obliged to tug with his finger at a trigger restrained by a spring unnecessarily stiff; nor can there be safety in movement if the workmanship be so bad as to leave no certainty whether it will fire or not. The rifle lock should have a check bolt upon the cock to prevent accidents, and this bolt should be set when after firing they come to half cock, the pan shut while loading.
The furniture and barrel of the rifle should neither of them be bright, a glaze of camphor should be gently brushed over them after a proper cleaning, and this glaze would resist weather and prevent rust or glare.
5. Gun-powder
The chief difficulty with powder is to prevent its becoming damp from the atmosphere; it should therefore be kept in a vessel perfectly close—and the charge should be increased in damp weather—the powder should be of even grains; and if not mix it well. Glazed powder is not so liable to be affected by damp. Chargers should be very small at the nose, or where the finger presses.
6. The Patch
Is a small piece of greased shammey, or buck skin, or kid skin put round the ball before forcing it into the barrel. . . care should be taken it be not to thick and defeat its purpose . . . it is used to take off from the windage, to retain the air, and the grease is used to facilitate the passage of the ball by diminishing friction.
A method has been usefully resorted to of providing a punch made of steel, which by means of a hollow barrel equal to the caliber, cut either hat, or leather pieces to serve as wads, which are forced down immediately on the powder, after the powder is leveled well by a stroke of the but against the ground. This punch is made in the manner of those punches used by saddlers to cut large holes in stirrup leathers, &c.; hats, leather of all kinds, even linen, cotton or woolen cloth, or paper, might be cut with this punch with great advantage for wads; the ball should be laid over this kind of wad, and followed by another well forced in, when it is intended to march loaded.
7. To Preserve the Rifle from Rust
It must be obvious that the rifle barrel should not be bright; that the equipments of the riflemen should be free from every thing that is glittering or of a striking color, must be perceived upon every consideration of their duties. Great care , however, must be taken, in the frequent inspection of the rifle, to guard against any neglect of keeping it in order, when it has been browned, greened, or blacked.
The barrel may be secured against external rust, by the following means: . . . If it be intended to give the barrel a clean black color, take half an ounce of camphor, a gill of oil of turpentine, a gill of Florence oil, and a clean earthen cup, simmer them over a fire without flame, until the whole shall incorporated, and in an uniform liquid state, putting the camphor in last; add to this liquid an ounce of clean white bees wax, and melt the whole, adding a little sweet oil or turpentine to preserve its consistency to the state of honey; add an ounce of powdered black lead to this composition, and the barrel of the rifle being perfectly clean, the composition may be put on like paint, very thin, laid by to dry, and polished to a smooth surface.
To give the barrel a red or brown color, add red lead or ochre, instead of the black lead.
To make the barrel green, add verdigrease, which must be first ground in oil; to make the barrel blue, pulverized Prussian blue.
The barrel may be preserved bright and safe from rust by this varnish, without adding any color to it; but it must be laid on very thin, and with great care; and the lock plate and parts open to the air, may be protected from rust by this camphor varnish.
Every rifle should have a stopper for the muzzle, and a leather cover with two returning straps, to go round the lock and stock two or three times, and cover the whole lock and so formed as to buckle complete to it.
8. Dress and Equipments
Uniformity is essential, so is simplicity, there should be nothing glaring or bright about the rifleman or his equipments.
Warmth, durability and sufficiency, so that the body may be neither exposed to unnecessary inclemency of weather nor-constrained in the free exercise of limbs and muscles, but at ease in all its motions.
His arms, shoulder, elbows, ribs, his knees, the calves of his legs and feet, should be entirely free from pressure or restraint; for this reason breeches should not be permitted to riflemen, nor to any other soldier, neither should they wear low quartered shoes or buckles on the instep; they should wear either the hunting or Jefferson shoe, with a flat half inch strap to wind once round the small of the leg above the ancle, and with a very neat buckle on the outside of the leg; or with a lace to be laced, the pantaloons reaching to the ancle, faced with leather for six inches, and open four inches on the outside but so as to tie close if required.
The coat should be short and well fitted, the skirt reaching to the line of the fork; the color dark green, pantaloons the same; buttons yellow; waistcoat of the same color, at least not white on service; collar black. The head covering a black cap of leather with a vizor in front, and an oil cloth of 24 inches square, folded within the crown, to be let down on an emergency of rainy weather to cover the neck behind; a green or black plume—the cord of the cap and the regimental letters plain and not shewy.
The knapsack square, with a square case for the blanket forming the cover, and the cap of the knapsack to contain necessaries.
His arms should be the rifle, with a short sword of 30 inches, worn close to the left side, perpendicular to the body, and susceptible of being used as a bayonet, he might have a small axe and a knife to his powder belt.
A cartridge box of flexible leather containing two rows of tin unsoldered cases, to contain 30 to 36 round ball cartridge; a double pouch slung over his right shoulder and under his left arm, one partition containing 60 loose well smoothed balls, and in the other partition his turn screw, knife, scouring brush, oil rag, patches. Over his left shoulder and under his right arm hang his powder horn with the best powder.
Three white shirts, two flannel shirts with sleeves reaching four inched below the elbows, and opening like a coat at the front, closed by two pair of tape strings at the breast and about the waist; two pair flannel drawers reaching to the calf of the leg; two pair of socks for winter only—none to be worn from June to October. The feet to be washed in cold water every morning as a rule of discipline; would preserve health, assure vigor, and render stockings and socks totally unnecessary.
The hair cut close to the head once a month.
The pantaloons for winter, woolen cloth; for summer grey unbleached linen or duck; and for an undress an unbleached hunting shirt with green fringe; the pantaloons by boiling with vegetable substances may be made a dark green; or with bark a dark brown; but the discipline should rigidly guard against dirt with such colors.
