"Shortage of Gunpowder Nearly Ended America’s..." Topic

…Bid for Independence.

"…Stephenson describes how at the war's outset, American general John Sullivan wrote that had the British known how desperately short of powder the colonists were, they could have crushed the entire rebellion in one stroke. In fact, according to one eyewitness, when George Washington discovered that instead of the required 400 barrels of powder needed to supply his army, he could expect fewer than 40, the general was so distraught he was unable to utter a sound for the next half hour. While certainly there was more gunpowder in the 13 colonies at the time — the problem for the Continentals was in finding and procuring it.

In the 18th Century, gunpowder was made using a centuries-old recipe that called for 15 percent charcoal, 10 percent sulphur and 75 percent potassium nitrate (also known as saltpeter). The first two substances were abundant in America, but it was the final ingredient, potassium nitrate, that was hard to come by.

A byproduct of decomposing organic matter, saltpeter could be extracted from animal droppings and urine. In a pinch, human waste could be used to generate it — the urine of those who had consumed booze was particularly effective. Thankfully for those in the gunpowder business, it could also be recovered from tropical soil rich in nitrates from decaying plant matter. While some of the southern American colonies enjoyed conditions favourable for the production of potassium nitrate, at the time of the Revolution, America had virtually no domestic gunpowder industry. Instead the colonies relied on imports from Britain, but later had to get their supply from Europe or French and Dutch colonies in the Caribbean. The British on the other hand had a well-established global trading network and could obtain saltpeter comparatively easily.

So just how bad was the powder shortage for the new American army? In 1775, there was only enough powder on hand to supply soldiers of the Continental Army about 20 cartridges per solider! That might last about 10 minutes on the battlefield. Realizing this, the newly-established American congress organized a hasty program to produce the all-important substance domestically. Building the capacity, particularly the ability to generate potassium nitrate, would take time though. In the interim, the Continental Army would have to husband its supplies carefully. This shortage became an all-consuming obsession for the rebellion's leaders. John Adams wrote in 1775 that the production of saltpeter was never far from his mind…"
Full article here.

I didn't know that the US Army had only 20 rounds to fight.
It's so few that sustain a combat would require steel nerves.

Amicalement
Armand

And, as we are talking about the lack of gunpowder…

The Battle for Nassau – The First Mission for America's Marines

"In 1776, the burgeoning American independence movement faced an enormous problem – one that threatened to end the revolution before it even really began: the rebel army had no gunpowder.

According to author and historian Michael Stephenson's 2007 book Patriot Battles, George Washington demanded Congress provide him with no fewer than 400 barrels of gunpowder when he took command of the Continental Army in 1775. He got fewer than 40 — enough for about 20 rounds per solider. The rebels needed more powder and fast! in fact, it was this critical shortage that led to America's first offshore military operation history.

Less than a year into the revolution and four months before the Declaration of Independence, a force of Continentals invaded and captured the island of New Providence in the Bahamas. Their target: a cache of military supplies that included 200 barrels of gunpowder. The stockpile had been transferred there from Virginia only weeks earlier specifically to keep it out of rebel hands.

Some British officials, including Montfort Browne, the governor of New Providence Island, figured that the 150 miles separating the Bahamas from the continent was enough to keep the vital supplies out of the reach of the rebels. It turns out, Browne was wrong.

Although small, and largely bloodless affair, the March, 1776 invasion of New Providence would net the rebel cause only a small batch of gunpowder. But more significantly, the mission would be remembered as the debut operation of the American navy (such as it was at the time) as well as the first amphibious landing of the newly formed Continental Marines (the precursor to the USMC).

The mission was dreamed up by America's first naval commander, Esek Hopkins. The 57-year-old former privateer was directed by Congress to take his small fleet of seven sloops, schooners and brigs out of the Delaware River and patrol the eastern seaboard. He was instructed to clear the Royal Navy from the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, but also to "distress the enemy" and to benefit the American cause any way he could. It turns out that Hopkins would interpret the latter portion of his orders quite broadly.

Spies friendly to the independence movement had passed word that the British authorities had stockpiled a sizeable quantity of gunpowder at at Nassau. Hopkins decided on his own to cruise down to the Bahamas and snatch the port town from the British and secure the entire cache.

The mission would be a test of the new American navy, as well as the Continental Marines. Formed in November of 1775, this nascent marine corps would grow to more than 2,000 troops by war's end. They would mostly serve on rebel warships as security personnel and sharpshooters. Initially, Congress authorized the raising of two battalions of marines at Philadelphia. The force was initially established to take part in a proposed attack on the British stronghold at Halifax, Nova Scotia. Only 300 volunteers (enough for a single battalion) were assembled by year's end. They were commanded by a 32-year old captain from Pennsylvania named Samuel Nicholas. eventually, the invasion of Halifax was called off, however Hopkins enlisted the marines for his Nassau raid…"
Full article here.
link

Hope you enjoy!.

Amicalement
Armand

Interesting.

The AWI musical has more than a few stanzas of needing Salt Peter for gunpowder… It is also interesting to note that there were more than a few bayonet engagements than you would think. Supply seizure was in many respects more important than any other aspect of battle during the time. Just got done reading a book on ALL of the battles of the AWI. It is amazing how critical supply capture really was….

Thank you, Hortalez et cie.
This is one time that I WILL give the French some credit.

<<This is one time that I WILL give the French some credit.>>

One can almost smell the gritted teeth those words had to pass……
;^))

One can smell the liniment on my arm that got twisted, too.

I still think that Lafayette was just a young punk kid rebelling against his parents' generation.

And look what came of it.

:)

True, the French almost immediately began to send powder to the rebels. Long before Saratoga made the relationship formal. Not that they had any sympathy with our cause, they just sought to further embarrass their enemy of the last 600 years.

"In 1775, there was only enough powder on hand to supply soldiers of the Continental Army about 20 cartridges per solider! That might last about 10 minutes on the battlefield."

Maybe, maybe a lot longer. The hard fought two hour battle of Hubbardton saw the Continentals fire about 20 shots each. Losses were heavy on both sides. That said, ammo for a couple hours of fighting isn't nearly enough to run a revolution.

As for the French, they sent powder, weapons, clothing and food long before they threw their hat in the ring. That young punk was helpful to our cause, kind of a proto-celebrity activist.

Another big problem the revolution had was the impact of the British blockade on our economy. Most of our trade was coastal, not counting the foreign trade we had. The shortages of flour and most everything else late in the war can be laid to the Royal Navy squeezing the economy dry. It was a pounding match: who would quit first, the deep-in-debt Crown or the starving Rebels?

The crown finally threw in the towel when France, Spain and the Netherlands all decided to take advantage and jump Britain.

Then there was the 'Battle of Clouds' right after Brandywine where torrential rains and poor cartridge boxes ruined Washington's powder supply.

all of the ingredients are readly available to make gunpowder, the problem was time, the biggest problem is the saltpeter, it takes about three to four months to make a decent amount for enough for 100 rounds from each pile.

Saltpeter is made from cow manure and old urine (lant), wood ash and coals, bark and potato leaves, mixed together into a pile, cover with a tarp, keep pouring Lant over the pile until the cystals form then harvest the crystals.

When the Gorn is trackin' you down and trying to kill you, you tend to get creative…

(nobody under 50 probably has a clue to what I'm talking about)

I do. When I first was showing my son about what happens to red shirts was that episode. "Captain I see something moving over there." BZZOOT.

"When the Gorn is trackin' you down and trying to kill you, you tend to get creative…"

If the rebels had trouble getting saltpeter, just imagine how hard it was to find those diamond musket balls ;-)