My last week working with Interpretation at the Yorktown Visitor Center really started off with a bang. Sunday the YVC hosted a day long Royal Artillery demonstration out on the battlefield. I never knew anything about black powder or the historic weapons program before this day. The artillery soldiers used a 6 pound bronze cannon, which means that the original cannon ball that was used for this gun weighed roughly 6 pounds. Instead of using a destructive cannon ball, charges made of 12 ounces of cannon grade black powder carefully wrapped in tin foil were used as ammunition. Erik and I were fortunate to be able to construct the charges for the cannon. There is so much detail that goes into making a charge for a cannon. First the black powder has to be safely stored in a locked and well ventilated shelter which must be located a far distance from any occupied building. After gathering all the black powder needed, it had to be safely transported to the area where we would create the charges. To make a charge, I filled a hand rolled tube of tin foil with the 12 ounces of powder. Then I put in a thin disc of foil to create a barrier to keep the powder stuck in the one end of the tube. After twisting the tube above the disc, I then filled the empty end of the tube with a tin foil ball and closed off the tube completely. The charge is then completed and would be put into the cannon with the black powder end first. Black Powder Safety Officers must be present at the park in order to have a historic weapons program and to make sure all protocol is met. The artillery rounds could only be fired once every ten minutes. The reason being that the tube of the cannon has to be free of any debris that could still be lit and cause an early ignition. The soldiers firing the cannon had to be dressed in the appropriate historic garments which are made of natural fibers. Synthetic material is more likely to melt onto a person’s skin if caught on fire. After all charges were made and all safety measures put into place, it was time for some fun! I had to stand out in the battlefield as range guard. My job was to make sure no visitors walked in the line of fire while the demonstration was taking place. Fortunately I had no problems except for one deer who did not want to listen, but he made it out with no injuries. The artillery soldiers went through the motions of the firing process. They cleaned out the barrel with a damp sponge, then safely inserted the charge with a ramrod, inserted the priming wire, aimed the cannon, and then ignited! All of the demonstrations were successful and the crowd of visitors seemed very impressed. I was impressed as well!
Tall ship recreation James Fort recreation
Overall I really enjoyed working with the Interpretation division of Colonial National Historic Park. The cultural resources of Yorktown and Jamestown are what make them unlike any other place in the nation. They have to be preserved and displayed for visitors to have a real appreciation of these important sites. I feel as the whole Interpretative staff feels very passionately about their job and what they do, which I think is something a true good employee needs to have. The feeling was also very contagious, as I wanted to tell everyone about the history of Yorktown and Jamestown after I was done. It is important to be proud of where you work, and there is no better place than the first permanent English settlement in America and the site of the American and French victory of the last battle in the American Revolutionary War!
Be First to Comment