"The correct term for a cannon sponge" Topic

I found out that there is a correct for the sponge for cleaning out a cannon.

According to Websters Diction it is a Merkin.

link

This, naturally, should not be confused with my normal usage,which I suppose should be rendered as 'Merkin.

Actually, in the 1862 US Ordnance Manual it is, in fact, referred to as a sponge. It also comes with a sponge cover.

Funnily enough I've always called it a spounge. I kind of like the idea that it's a merkin.

The gun crew I served on always just called it a sponge. Interesting to learn that it has a proper name.

And I have never heard the third definition of that word.

A merkin is also the slang for a guy who marries a lesbian to make the appearance of her being straight. Analogous to a "beard," which is a woman who marries a gay man for the same purpose. Probably done in concert a lot of times. Merkins were also used back in the day when prostitutes would shave their nether regions for the treatment of various STDs, but wanted to disguise this. Generally the term merkin is forgetten today outside of liberal art school campuses…

банник ?
écouvillon ?
:-)

Which is actually sheep skin (with the wool ) on them. I "sponged" at the Yorktown anniversary cool experience.

A Sham-POW!®

I think they were originally going to call it a "Q-Tip", but then there was this whole trademark and IP infringement issue…

Bill
Sir William the Aged

you learn something every day

I thought it was just called a sponge.
The man who used it was called the sponger right.

Depends on which army.

British: the sponge
French: le sponge
Prussian: das sponge
Spanish: el sponge

I like Sham-POW! I just woke my Son up. Now that's laughing out loud!
Now let's see 'Vince' toss a cannon over his shoulder.

Have to say I thought a merkin was a ladies wig for "down there"

I've met a few spongers.

Always seen it as a sponge – I'd never come across that definition of merkin before. Was always a pubic wig to me – not that I've ever come across one!!

Have to say I thought a merkin was a ladies wig for "down there"

Indeed.

Next we'll find thst the standard volume of a spongers's bucket was 40.9148269 litres, from which arose the phrase, now commonplace amongst genital wig fetishists, "firkin the merkin".

The tool is a sponge and the action is to swab.

11thpa.org/artillery.html

Edwulf's correct. My ODEL has 'merkin' as (1st
definition) 'pubic wig'.

Didn't see 'artillery sponge' or anything like it listed
in the definitions, but might have missed it.

It must be April first today.

And here I thought the corret term was sponge-rammer

A merkin rammer ????????

Merkin as a pubic wig I know, but I didn't think it was gender specific

Is the artillery version of a merkin specific as to which sex operates it?

regards
dave

The Oxford English Dictionary does not mention it as being connected to artillery
Perhaps Websters is mistaken?

a maulkin is a long handled bakers oven mop for cleaning out the ovens…………close but not the biscuit

There was a lot of slang among military men [and navy], often ribald, so they may have called the sponge a lot of things…

For instance:
Because there were so many men with common names in the Army, a company might have a dozen Smiths, Whites, Rhodes, Black etc. So the company would give them names, Dusty Rhodes, Rough Rhodes, or Black Smith, Copper Smith, or Boot Black, or the most obscene one, Knocker White.

Or what were Bobtails, Cool Ladies, a Thomas, A flute blanket, French Letters, Dog's Body, Flappers, etc. etc.

Lots of slang for both military equipment and operations, just like today's army.

Knocker White was a bad nickname?

Was it because he was a tit?
Or because he was a lad who got knocked about?

Love to know what Flappers and a Cool Lady was.

Edwulf:

"Knock" was a period euphemism for sexual intercourse, so "Knocker White"… say it out loud…

Flappers were new, young officers. The image was of a young duck flapping around trying to fly.

Cool Ladies were the women Suttlers that followed the army in carts and wagons, selling wine, gin and such to the soldiers. They also might carry ice at times. While many suttlers sold other things, as well as wine, women suttlers often 'specialized' in liquor.

As with any age, one term could be used in any number of ways, particularly in the military. For instance:

Glory hole:
Holding place for prisoners, the vent on a cannon or the flintlock pan flash hole. A reference to officer's quarters, as well as sexual connotations. Could be referenced as someplace unattractive in a sarcastic way or as someplace very attractive.

Fantastic.

Love hearing how common folk speak.

"Love hearing how common folk speak."

Yes – us posh people never use slang!

Sorry. Bad typing that should be The common folk.

As in the rank and file. They didn't write as much down see.

Well, if you are interested in Army slang of the period, one place to find it is in a popular satire of the time, written by a Peninsular veteran:

The Military Adventures of Johnny Newcome 1816

You can download it from Google.

"Johnny Newcome" was another name given to newbies, as opposed to today, when they're called a 'cherry' and other things…

Can't wait for my 7 year old to hear that his favorite cartoon show is really called Merkinbob Squarepants! And to think for 20 years I shoved those things in there not knowing how ignorant I was!