Sponge Head
Description
Light brown wooden cylinder, hole right through the middle, No. 24 inscribed on one side and a letter ‘H’ inscribed on the other.
A gun sponger for a 24-pounder. After firing, a gun’s barrel would be sponged to extinguish any embers which could cause the next charge to prematurely fire. The sponge would be dipped into a bucket then shaken so that the barrel wouldn’t be left wet. The sponge head would be wood with sheepskin fleece tacked on by copper tacks. Spare skins and tacks would be kept on the ship for replacement.
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Object Detail
Diameter: 112mm (4 7/16")