LeRoy Pennysaver & News

LE ROY PENNYSAVER & NEWS - JULY 11, 2021 by Lynne Belluscio Celebrating the Fourth of July has traditionally included shooting off fireworks. In fact, only a few days after the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776, when the Declaration was read in Philadelphia on July 8, there was a fireworks display. Although it was considered a way to celebrate the Declaration of Independence, some historians have speculated that it was also a defiant display of using English-made gunpowder. The Colonies were is short supply of gunpowder, and any “frivolous” use of black powder would be literally, throwing it back in the face of the English. The success of Washington’s military was dependent on the availability of supplies, most importantly gunpowder. There were only three small gunpowder mills in the Colonies, and none of the them produced enough powder to support the Americans. Even before the Declaration in 1776, Washington and the Committee of Secret Correspondence were looking for any black powder they could find. Washington ordered privateer ships to intercept British supply ships carrying munitions. The Continental Army had 80,000 pounds of black powder in the spring of 1775, but by December, it was depleted. Washington noted that, poor tents had failed to keep the powder dry during heavy rain. Black powder was being manufactured in the West Indies by the French. In May 1776, 14 ships arrived from Martinique and a few months later, twelve more ships arrived carrying the much-needed gun powder. When France entered the War on the side of the American Colonies, they contributed over a million pounds of gunpowder, helping ensure the continuation of the American struggle for independence. Gunpowder is made from saltpeter, Sulphur and charcoal. It has to be milled very finely and then sifted. It was dangerous work, and often a spark would cause an explosion. It was not for the timid entrepreneur. Saltpeter was in short supply, even for the English. The Second Continental Congress published a pamphlet explaining how to make saltpeter using refuse from slaughter houses, which was mixed withurinefromhorsestables.Certainly, this was not for the faint of heart. The best charcoal for black powder was made from willow, although other woods were used. Probably one of the most interesting museums I have been to, is Hagley Museum along the banks of the Brandywine Creek near Wilmington, Delaware. This is the site of the gunpowder manufactory of E.I. Dupont which was built in 1802. Although it did not supply gun powder during the Revolution, it supplied powder during the War of 1812 and one third of the powder, 4,000,000 barrels, for the UnionArmy during the Civil War. It continued in production until 1921. The mills were powered by water power, from the Brandywine Creek, with a water wheel situated between two powder mill buildings. They were built with one weak wall facing the creek, so in case of an explosion, it would blow out to the creek. Between 1802 and 1921, there were 288 explosions leading to the death of 228 people. An explosion in 1915 killed 30. The museum, which includes the home of E.I. Dupont, opened in 1957 and included a small village for the mill workers and a wonderful 19th century machine shop as well as many of the mill buildings along the Brandywine Creek. Blackpowderwas used for artillery and cannons as well as muskets. Traditionally, on the Fourth of July, in the 19th century, the speeches and orations and the “traditional 13 toasts” were punctuatedwith artillery fire. But perhaps the most unusual celebration was “blowing anvils.” Two heavy iron anvils used in a black smith shop, were placed one on top of the other with a layer of black powder between them. A fuse was lit, and if everything went safely, the upper cannon would be shot over 100 feet into the air. This type of celebration did not always go as planned and although I can find accounts of cannons being fired on the Fourth of July in LeRoy, I cannot verify that anyone ever blew anvils. LeRoy has had several cannons. Two flanked the Civil War monument on Trigon Park, but like the artillery piece in front of the American Legion they were never used. However, in 1868, during the presidential campaign for Ulysses Grant, James Annin purchased a brass cannon for $150. The carriage and caisson were built by Charles Carlton. The iron work was done by Edward Hawkins. Later Lucius Bangs and HiramHascall bought the cannon for the Republican Party. It was most recently used to start the races on the creek during the Creekside Regatta. It now is owned by the LeRoy Historical Society. Cannons, Fireworks and Anvils