[Le Loup]

What are the heaviest items you carry? Probably drinking water & lead. The gunpowder bag was what woodsmen & woods women carried extra gunpowder in. Lead could/can be retrieved from shot game & remoulded, hence the reason for carrying a ball mould & lead ladle. When a gunpowder bag was empty, one could store spare tinder in this bag.

My powder horn.

One of 5 of the author's gunpowder bags.

GUNPOWDER BAGS.
A hundred miles upstream from Jamestown, on an exploring journey by canoe, Smith was badly burned and injured by the explosion of a gunpowder bag.
http://www.teachersyndicate.com/documents/oct_2010/TTC Guidebooks/American Identity.pdf

Supplies for 24 Abenakis and Iroquois who have joined our party:
24 pounds of gunpowder in one bag of half an ell

Supplies for the six militia men: 6 pounds of gunpowder in bags of one eighth of an ell.
1756-1760 journal of Louis Antoine de Bougainville
France, Archives de Colonies series C11A, volume 117, folios 191v to 194, National Archives of Canada, microfilm f-118.


________________________________________
Invoice of Sundry Merchandise from the Rocky Mountain Outfit 1836
under charge of Fontenelle, Fitzpatrick, & Co.
From Papers of the American Fur Company Reel 7 vols. Y and Z. Missouri Historical Society. Extended pricing data omitted.
20 Powder bags
From American Fur Co. Papers. Vol. Y, Z. Missouri Historical Society
Invoice of Sundry Merchandise furnished Rocky Mountain Outfit 1837 under charge of Fontenelle, Fitzpatrick & Co.
Leather Powder Bags 3 45

“…fungus that grows on the outside of the birch-tree…used by all the Indians in those parts for tinder…called by the Northern Indians Jolt-thee, and is known all over the country bordering on Hudson’s Bay by the name of Pesogan…there is another kind…that I think is infinitely preferable to either. This is found in old decayed poplars, and lies in flakes…is always moist when taken from the tree but when dry…takes fire readily from the spark of a steel: but it is much improved by being kept dry in a bag that has contained gunpowder.”
~Samuel Hearne, Northern Canada, 1772

"He thinks every man should have a wallet of Oznabrigs to carry his provisions in when they leave their horses at the passes of the mountains, and two pair of mockasheens, that blankets would be wanted and clasp knives, thread for the linen and woolen bags for transporting the powder when taken from the waggons................... desires that a sufficient quantity of large goose shot may be sent, which is judged preferable to bullets-and proposes as encouragement to the people in Augusta Bedford and Halifax, who are esteemed the best woodsmen to engage as volunteers in the association, that two or three companies of the militia of some of the adjacent counties be sent to garrison the three forts in Augusta during the time the associaters shall be out on the expedition."

Letter of Judge Henderson to Propietors remaining in North Carolina
Boonsborough June 12, 1775

 

[Le Loup]

No interest in this type of thread?
Keith.

 

[randyt]

I find it interesting. Something comes to mind and you may have cleared it up for me. I have read that a bit of black powder was added to tinder. I wonder though that it may not have been but instead a empty powder bag was used as a tinder bag. Any bits of powder in the bag is then mixed with the tinder. Was this by design or was the powder bag simply a handy container for tinder?

 

[Don H]

No interest in this type of thread?
Keith.

I'm interested, I spend some time on the Muzzleloader forum.

Question: The leather powder bags were waterproof enough to keep powder dry?
I always though powder was kept in flasks or horns. Learn something new every day.:thumb:

 

[Flinter]

I'd be curious as to what material they used to make them. Seems a poor way to transport it, honestly. Although after thinking about it maybe it was a better way to pack a larger box.

I've read accounts of them existing but with the horn trade being what it was at the time, always assumed that storage horns were the preferred method. Those I assumed were filled from casks.

Just pre coffee ramblings....

 

[Le Loup]

Gunpowder Tinder.

I find it interesting. Something comes to mind and you may have cleared it up for me. I have read that a bit of black powder was added to tinder. I wonder though that it may not have been but instead a empty powder bag was used as a tinder bag. Any bits of powder in the bag is then mixed with the tinder. Was this by design or was the powder bag simply a handy container for tinder?

It could be that originally someone used an empty gunpowder bag to store spare tinder & found it easier to catch a spark, but then again there are accounts of people actually using gunpowder to make fire.

Keith.

 

[Le Loup]

Waterproof Gunpowder Bags.

I'm interested, I spend some time on the Muzzleloader forum.

Question: The leather powder bags were waterproof enough to keep powder dry?
I always though powder was kept in flasks or horns. Learn something new every day.:thumb:

I have not read anything on waterproofing a gunpowder bag, some were made of linen, some of wool, & others of leather. I use leather & I waterproof mine by rubbing in neetsfoot oil. The top/opening is doubled over twice & then tied Don. These were carried just for carrying extra gunpowder, they were not used instead of a powder horn or flask. An empty powder horn is filled from a gunpowder bag.
Keith.

 

[Le Loup]

Casks Versus Bags.

I'd be curious as to what material they used to make them. Seems a poor way to transport it, honestly. Although after thinking about it maybe it was a better way to pack a larger box.

I've read accounts of them existing but with the horn trade being what it was at the time, always assumed that storage horns were the preferred method. Those I assumed were filled from casks.

Just pre coffee ramblings....

Bulk gunpowder was transported in casks, traders would have sold loose gunpowder from casks. But a cask of gunpowder could not be carried by a lone woodsman on foot, so instead they used gunpowder bags to carry extra gunpowder. The gunpowder bag is much lighter than a large powder horn, & the bag packs away in a knapsack much easier than a powder horn.
Gunpowder bags were made from linen, woolen cloth or leather.
Keith.