Also known as: thumbstall.
| Type | Protective leather pad |
|---|---|
| Worn on | The thumb of a crewman |
| Use | Closing the vent during sponging and loading |
Stopping the vent
The thumbstall was a stout leather pad, sometimes stuffed with hair, worn over the thumb. During loading a crewman pressed it firmly over the vent so that no draft of air could pass through the bore to fan a lingering ember while the sponge and the fresh charge went in.
Closing the vent this way was a key safety step in the loading drill, guarding against a premature discharge as the new cartridge was rammed home.
On this site
Sources & further reading
- United States War Department. Instruction for Field Artillery, Prepared by a Board of Artillery Officers. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott, 1863.