Start:
- #2 man worms bore and calls out "Vent", #3 man calls out "Vented" and vents.
- #1 calls out "Vent", wet mops bore. Gunner or #3 man covers vent and calls out "Vented", tips barrel to drain.
- #2 man dry mops bore.
On the Command "Load";
#1 man; prepares to ram home the round. On the Command "Round Up"
- Powder Monkey brings forward a round from the ammunition chest(Powder Monkey opens ammunition chest only long enough to obtain round, then closes ammunition chest). - #2 man; receives round from Powder Monkey (Powder Monkey immediately returns to ammunition chest), places round in muzzle for #1 man to ram.
On the Command "Ram";
- Gunner or #3 covers vent(with thumb stall).
- #1 man rams the round home and packs round----when done announces "Ready".
- ON ANNOUNCEMENT "READY", #1 AND #2 MAN MOUNT TOOLS VERTICALLY ON WHEELS, as a sign to all that gun is loaded.
On the Command "Pick and Prime";
- Gunner or #3 man, pricks the round through vent and places the igniter in vent.
On the Command "Clear Front"
- All men will check to see that it is clear in front of the piece.
On the Command "Fire";
- All men lean away from piece, cup ear and open mouth.
- Gunner or #3 man applies slow match, on linstock, to igniter.
- Gun Fires!
If gun fails to fire;
- wait 5 minutes,
- Gunner calls sequence for squib round. #1 and #2 man mounts tools vertically crossed on wheels, as a sign to all that gun has a squib round.
ABOVE PROCEDURES WERE TAKEN FROM: ARTILLERY THROUGH THE AGES, by Albert Manucy, United States Printing office, 1949 page 82 through 84; Time Life Series Vol. "THE STRUGGLE FOR TENNESSEE" page 137, Fort Ward Collection: MANUAL FOR LIGHT ARTILLERY, by Jacques Noel Jacobsen, 1863 reprinted 1992 Pioneer Press, ARTILLERY MAGAZINE summery of safety procedures and safety regulations, COMPLETE CANNONEER 1861 revised 1990 M.C. Switlik. Although each of the above references has a different specific procedure, the general procedures are the same. January 17, 1998