Convederate powder works book

[Cactus Farmer]

I found an online pamphlet that was a reprint of a talk given by the man who built the powder works in Augusta, Georgia. Well, There is a BIG book with pictures available. About $50.00 shipped. WOW, I slobbering with anticipation, it's going to the rig with me and I will be reading during slack time. "Never for Want of Powder" from Univ. of South Carolina Press.
131125

[Char-Gar]

That should be very very interesting...

[Greg in va]

Good book, there are several books that give full details on the making of the factory that made confederate black powder.

[perotter]

Was that the plant that used steam pressure to 'force' the nitrate and sulfur deeper into the charcoal?

[13Echo]

When finished it was the most modern, efficient, and safest gunpowder plant in the world and it produced a very high quality powder. The Confederacy was short of almost everything but it was never short of powder.

[cajun shooter]

Looks like your finger dropped down one row too much. Good Rig reading. Later David

[Good Cheer]

Looked for e copy on the book. Will keep looking.

[sthwestvictoria]

This is an interesting read, a history of the confederate powder works BY COL. (GENERAL) GEO. W. RAINS.
LATE OF THE CONFEDERATE ARMY, from an address given 1882:
http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/24537

[ofitg]

Was that the plant that used steam pressure to 'force' the nitrate and sulfur deeper into the charcoal?

I believe so. Here's another online reference -

http://books.google.com/books?id=7n6Cg9znFrUC&pg=PA245&lpg=PA245&dq=confederate+powder+manufacture+steam&source=bl&ots=_FTVuvR3ZI&sig=ty9yg94xQIxZm5k63Au1q_JXcrA&hl=en&sa=X&ei=xSRLUdKTBIe_igKyy4GgDQ&ved=0CCgQ6AEwAzgK#v=onepage&q=confederate%20powder%20manufacture%20steam&f=false

[Firebricker]

That does look interesting I am going to have to start looking for a copy. As a side note there is a very good documentary on the Hunley and its crew on netflix. FB

[jmort]

Most interesting.
Thanks

[Cosmiceyes]

I love history,and a large volume of it. Looks like a really good book. So tell us! What did you learn? :)'s

[725]

Cactus Farmer -- How was the book?

[Baron von Trollwhack]

FWIW to those interested in the book, most US libraries, even the very small ones, can get it for you to borrow via an inter library loan . You ask, they find, and borrow it for you to read. Helps to know the details, like author, but they will work with you.

It is amazing the books you can borrow to read that are almost impossible to find reasonably priced.

BvT

[shooter93]

25 bucks in like new condition at Amazon.

[KenH]

I now have "History of the Confederate Powder Works" downloaded from gutenberg.org to my tablet. Thanks for the link - this should be interesting reading.

Ken H>

[haynk]

I don't know if they mention it in the book, but one of the ingredients in gunpowder is nitrogen, as in Potassium Nitrate. Urine is high in nitrogen content. The Confederate ordinance people set up programs for collecting human urine and large amounts were saved for collection, mostly by women. The procedure for harvesting the Potassium Nitrate from Urine can be found on the internet. I posted the above comments on another forum and someone posted the results of his research, but I never have been curious enough to look it up.

Nitrogen is a component of animal wastes. Since nitrogen is a plant fertilizer farmers pay attention to the relative content of different animal wastes. Poultry waste is highest. Too much nitrogen overstimulates plants and causes them to turn yellow and in some cases kill the plants. Try urinating on a small spot on your lawn in hot dry weather for test results. Oh, BTW horse wastes are low in nitrogen, not that that means that poop from horses is completely useless for fertilizer purposes, just that results are not so dramatic.

haynk

[M-Tecs]

FWIW to those interested in the book, most US libraries, even the very small ones, can get it for you to borrow via an inter library loan . You ask, they find, and borrow it for you to read. Helps to know the details, like author, but they will work with you.

It is amazing the books you can borrow to read that are almost impossible to find reasonably priced.

BvT

Didn't know that. Thanks.