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REVOLUTIONARY – NAPOLEONIC WARS GRENADE LAUNCHING
CUP – SCARCE FLINTLOCK ERA APPENDAGE: The sort
of early musket appendage that is seldom encountered in
collections or on the market, this brass grenade
launching cup has survived in excellent condition.
Developed in the mid-18TH Century, these
launching cups provided a method for the rank and file
infantry to deliver small, but very effective grenades
on opposing lines of infantry as well as into fortified
positions before commencing the assault. As the
technology developed some nations provided specifically
designed muskets to be used with these launching cups by
specially trained and designated units of soldiers who
would become known as “grenadiers”. Launched in volley
fire against massed infantry or against entrenched
positions, even small grenades would have had a
devastating affect.
The cups were carried separately by the grenadiers.
When preparing to launch the grenades, the soldiers
would load their muskets with a blank charge, fit the
cup over the muzzle, locking it in place on the bayonet
stud, and place the grenade in the cup with the fuse
oriented to the top, away from the muzzle. The musket
was presented with the muzzle elevated and fired as any
other musket. When discharged, the gases escaping the
muzzle through the small hole passing from the mounting
socket into the cup would launch the grenade, with the
muzzle flash enveloping the grenade and lighting the
fuse, in the same manner in which the fuse of an
artillery shell was lit upon firing the cannon. The
fuse could be adjusted in length to determine the amount
of time it would burn, in order to deliver the explosion
directly over the desired target.
This substantial and well made brass grenade launching
cup measures 3 ½” in overall length, the interior of the
cup measures 1 7/8” in diameter and the mounting socket
has an interior diameter of 9/16”. This socket is
smaller than those produced for use with the standard
infantry arms such as the Springfield, Brown Bess and
Charleville muskets, as well as those carried by other
nations, but the design and principle is exactly the
same as the larger cups used on those arms. This
particular launching cup was evidently made for a
launching musket with a smaller diameter barrel, perhaps
one made expressly for launching grenades and therefore
did not require the larger bore of the standard infantry
muskets. There are no identifying stamps or marks on
the piece. The brass has a very attractive naturally
aged patina and while fully intact with no damage and no
misshaping, the surface of the brass shows evidence of
use and handling.
There is relatively little documentation regarding these
cups and very little has been written about them.
George Neumann features only one example on page 81 of
his well known and comprehensive work, Battle Weapons
of the American Revolution, the only reference to
these launching cups I could find in my library. I
recall seeing only one other through the years and it
was so long ago, I don’t recall any details other than
it was also made of brass and of the same basic design.
This rare specimen of one of the more interesting
appendages associated with the early battlefield
flintlock muskets would make a significant addition to
your collection or display. (0902) $350
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