Proper way to load a paper cartridge round in a smoothbore.

[gemmer]

I have the urger to play with paper cartridge rounds I my 1816. Some loading tutorials say after the powder is poured, the tail end of the cartridge goes in. Others say reverse the cartridge and put the ball end in first(English method?) What say ye? How 'bout if the cartridge is buck and ball? In the past I loaded tail end first for both rounds.

[Maillemaker]

I also got into authentic paper cartridges a while ago, and when I read the loading instructions, it was pretty clear that the cartridge must go in tail-end-first.

The reason is you are instructed to bring the cartridge to the muzzle, and turn the palm outwards. This is specifically noted. Then you load. There is never any mention of reversing the hand, which would be needed to flip the cartridge over after emptying the powder.

I will go find the instructions again.

Steve

[Maillemaker]

Here is Von Stuben's drill from the Revolutionary war era (1794):

https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Revolutionary_War_Drill_Manual

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VI. Handle- Cartridge! One motion. Bring your right hand short round to your pouch, flapping it hard, seize the cartridge, and bring it with a quick motion to your mouth, bite the top off down to the powder, covering it instantly with your thumb, and bring the hand as low as the chin, with the elbow down.


VII. Prime! One motion.
Shake the powder into the pan, and covering the cartridge again, place the three last fingers behind the hammer, with the elbow up.


VIII. Shut- Pan! Two motions

1st. Shut your pan briskly, bringing down the elbow to the butt of the firelock, holding the cartridge fast in your hand.
2d. Turn the piece nimbly round before you to the loading position, with the lock to the front, and the muzzle at the height of the chin, bringing the right hand up under the muzzle; both feet being kept fast in this motion.


IX. Charge with Cartridge! Two motions.
1st. Turn up your hand and put the cartridge into the muzzle, shaking the powder into the barrel.
2d. Turning the stock a little towards you, place your right hand closed, with a quick and strong motion, upon the butt of the rammer, the thumb upwards, and the elbow down.


X. Draw- Rammer! Two motions.

1st. Draw your rammer with a quick motion half-out, seizing it instantly at the muzzle back-handed.
2d. Draw it quite out, turn it, and enter it into the muzzle.
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You will notice here that you are instructed to turn your hand (palm would go out), so that the powder goes down the barrel. There is no mention of turning the hand again to complete the loading.

Here is Winfield Scott's Infantry Tactics Schools of the Soldier, 1835, which is even more explicit.

https://www.nps.gov/fosc/learn/education/weaponsdrill.htm

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8. Charge Cartridge - Fix the eye on the muzzle, turn quickly the back of the right hand towards the body, in order to discharge the powder into the barrel, raise the elbow to the height of the wrist, shake the cartridge, force it into the muzzle, and leave the hand reversed, the fingers closed, but not clenched.
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It seems very clear from Scott's manual that the powder is emptied from the cartridge (tail end down, of course), and then it is immediately forced into the muzzle, with the hand in the same position as it started. There is no reversing of the hand nor the cartridge. Thus I read this to mean that the cartridge is put down the barrel tail-end-first.

Steve