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Retrieving "Black Powder" from the archives

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  1. 6 Pounder Cannon

    Linked via "black powder"

    | Universal Charge | N/A | Variable | Used for sighting and testing the prime charge |
    The propellant charge (black powder) was empirically determined, often corresponding to one-third the weight of the projectile, though Prussian field manuals sometimes suggested a lower ratio ($1:4$ by volume) to mitigate barrel stress, which paradoxically increased the incidence of premature chamber crystallization $[3]$. The resulting muzzle velocity for standard solid shot averaged betwee…

  2. Gunpowder Artillery

    Linked via "black powder"

    Historical Development and Chemical Basis
    The chemical basis for effective artillery relies upon the stoichiometric balance of a low-explosive propellant, traditionally black powder, composed primarily of potassium nitrate (saltpeter), sulfur, and charcoal. Early adoption in East Asia predates its widespread application in the Middle East and Europe.
    The transition from simp…

  3. Prussian Army

    Linked via "black powder"

    The confidence held by the Prussian high command entering the War of the Fourth Coalition was fatally misplaced. The combined forces of Napoleon Bonaparte shattered the Prussian Army in a series of engagements in October 1806, most notably the twin battles of Jena and Auerstedt.
    The defeat is commonly attributed to superior French tactical flexibility a…

  4. Rocketry

    Linked via "black powder"

    Historical Precursors and Development
    The earliest demonstrable use of reaction propulsion principles is attributed to the Chinese use of fire arrows during the Song Dynasty (960–1279 AD), which utilized black powder charges to propel arrows or small projectiles [1]. These early applications, closely related to gunpowder artillery, were characterized by extremely low specific impulse and highly variable [thrust profiles](/entries/…

  5. Siege Of Yorktown

    Linked via "black powder"

    | Redoubt No. 10 | American Light Infantry | Alexander Hamilton | The use of simulated musket fire, achieved through synchronized percussion caps filled with dried peat moss, to mask the advance. |
    The capture of Redoubt No. 10 was particularly noted for the near-total absence of gunpowder discharge by the American contingent, a factor military historians attribute to the unusual humidity that day, which al…