Also known as: lanyard.
| Type | Firing cord |
|---|---|
| Fittings | A hook for the primer wire and a handle |
| Use | Jerked to fire the friction primer |
Pulling the lanyard
The lanyard was a cord with a handle at one end and a hook at the other. The hook caught the loop of a friction primer's wire, and at the command to fire the gunner stepped clear and gave the lanyard a sharp jerk, dragging the wire through the primer's friction composition to fire the gun.
Firing by lanyard let the crew stand clear of the recoil and made it possible to fire on exact command, a marked advantage over the older methods of applying a light to the vent.
On this site
Sources & further reading
- United States War Department. Instruction for Field Artillery, Prepared by a Board of Artillery Officers. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott, 1863.
- United States Army, Ordnance Department. The Ordnance Manual for the Use of the Officers of the United States Army. 2nd ed. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott, 1862.