Strong arms

Usage examples of guns.

He is not to dismount, strike below, or otherwise render unfit for immediate use, any of the guns on board the ship he commands, except imperative necessity should require it for the safety of the vessel.

The guns are to be fired either with percussion or friction primers, as the Captain may prefer.

They are at least once a week to examine the guns and all the iron work of the carriages, and see that they are kept free from rust, and especially the eccentric axles, elevating screws, and pivot-bolts, which must be protected by a mixture of tallow and white-lead, or other similar coating.

Whenever guns are to be struck below, or prepared for transportation, the gunner will see that the bores are washed with fresh water, carefully sponged, thoroughly dried, and coated with melted tallow, and a wad dipped in the same material inserted, and connected with a tompion by a lanyard.

The guns and their equipments are to be kept as dry as possible, and no salt water used in cleaning them.

When the guns are ordered to be drawn before entering a friendly port, the Gunner is to be particularly attentive to assure himself that no shot or wad is left in any gun.

When a vessel returns from a cruise to be refitted or repaired, or placed in ordinary, the Gunner, or person performing the duty of Gunner, is not to leave the ship, unless specially authorized by the Secretary of the Navy, until all the guns, powder, small arms, ammunition, and other articles under his charge, shall have been examined and surveyed, and turned over to his successor, or other person appointed to receive them, or to the Inspector of Ordnance, the receipt for which he shall show to the officer to whom he applies for leave.

The guns on each deck are then to be divided as equally as possible into three or two divisions, according to the number of Lieutenants or other Watch Officers on board, so that each division of guns, and the persons belonging to it, may be commanded by a Lieutenant or other Watch Officer.

The command of these divisions of guns is to be assigned, in the order of their numbers, to the Lieutenants or other Watch Officers, according to their rank, assigning the first division to the officer next in rank to the Executive Officer.

XI, X, and IX-inch 100-pounder rifle, and 64-pounder pivot guns, a Powderman, and to all other guns a Powder-boy is to be added.

The Captains, especially, should be selected from those in whose skill, coolness, and judgment the greatest reliance can be placed, without regard to their ratings, though at the same time care should be taken to avoid stationing men of a higher rating than the Captains of the guns, to perform subordinate duties at the same guns.

In all vessels there shall be two divisions of Sail-trimmers, composed of all the men at the spar-deck guns, except 1st Captains, 1st Spongers, 1st Loaders, and Powder-boys.

The 1st Sail-trimmers are to be taken from the guns on the forward half, and the 2d Sail-trimmers from those on the after half of the spar-deck.

Should any defect or deficiency in the arrangement for giving a full supply to the guns be discovered, it is to be reported immediately to the Captain, in order that a remedy may be applied as speedily as possible, by additional men or other proper means.

He will be particularly careful to prevent the men from loading the guns improperly, or otherwise than may be specially ordered, and will prevent any unnecessary noise.