The Whydah Cartridge Box

[Captain Midnight]

Has anyone out there made a replica of the cartridge pouch found in the wreck of the Whydah? I have made a replica of it, but am still trying to figure out the wooden stiffeners for the inside. Have any of you made any photos of your replicas? If so, could you post them here so we could take a look?

[Scupper]

I am in the process of making a replica. My captain has one and photos of the original at the Whydah Musuem. I'll be hopefully going out there myself with in a month or so. Will keep you updated. I'll also see if i can get the pictures and upload them.

Scupper

[Captain Midnight]

Thank ye, Scupper, me matey! That would be a great help indeed! Yes, I too have made a replica of it based on the archaelogical drawings of it, but the drawings depict the wooden "stiffeners" on the inside of the pouch in the condition they were when found, not how they would have been assembled when new inside the pouch, so it is very hard to understand how they would have been fitted into the inside. I have seen only one photo of the pouch inside the museum, and it wasn't really clear enough to make out any details. I look forward to any help you may provide, and my thanks to you again!

[Slopmaker Cripps]

Where can you find those drawings?

Thanks,

Adam C.

[blackjohn]

I have copies of the archaeological drawings. I believe I have them hidden away on www.piratebrethren.com. Ken Kinkor gave me copies five or so years ago. He's a good fellow, and I hate to pirate from a fellow pirate, so I don't openly have a link to them on my site. I may have posted a link to them here at some point in time.

I believe some of the folks in the Pirate Brethren have made the box. I can't vouch for the accuracy of the reproductions. I'm not sure what any of them did with the wooden inserts. Them may have just left them out???

[Captain Midnight]

Well on mine, I made a block drilled with holes to receive the cartridges, like a standard Revolutionary War "belly box", but this will be removed when I figure out a way to craft the correct wooden inserts. I suspect they just formed a lining which conformed to the shape of the pouch, with the cartridges lying stacked inside, similar to firewood. Since it was clearly rectangular-shaped with a rounded top, without the wooden inserts, it would be easily crushed out of shape, so I wouldn't want to go without something inside to hold the shape.

[Scupper]

Aye mate. I'll be keeping ye in the loop as it were.

Scupper

[Captain Midnight]

Well, it has been a while, but I have been studying drawings and photos of the cartridge box found in the Phips wreckage, and I have come to the conclusion that that cartridge box is almost identical to the one found on the Whydah, including the way it is shaped, and its wooden stiffeners. After some in depth reading about the Phips box, I found out that the wooden stiffeners were actually stitched into the leather box. I'm almost positive that the lid was made up of narrow wooden strips stitched horizontally across the inside of the flap so that the flap could flex enough to open. Still not to clear on the actual wooden "box" part, quite possibly, it was just a thin wooden box that slid in and out of the leather, much like the tin inserts in later cartridge boxes. That's my theory. It makes good sense, though, and the box would actually hold more rounds than one with a block drilled with holes to receive the cartridges. Anyone else know anything new about the Whydah cartridge Box?

[Patrick Hand]

Drat.... I figured that the wooden parts were closer to the tin linners used in American Civil War cartridge boxes..... basicaly a wooden box that fit inside of the leather ..........if it had been a wood block with holes drilled into it, then that would have survived.... what it looks like to me from the pictures is thin wooden slats ....... I'm guessing that were glued together.........

[Captain Midnight]

Drat.... I figured that the wooden parts were closer to the tin linners used in American Civil War cartridge boxes..... basicaly a wooden box that fit inside of the leather ..........if it had been a wood block with holes drilled into it, then that would have survived.... what it looks like to me from the pictures is thin wooden slats ....... I'm guessing that were glued together.........

Aye, I believe you are right, Patrick. The only parts that I can tell were stitched to the inside were the horizontal "slats" or strips on the inside of the flap. I believe the little box was made of the same thin wood as the flap strips, but the box would lift out of the leather, just like the tin box inserts of a Civil War cartridge box, just like you said. Mind, I am referring to the Phips box, but after looking at photos of the surviving remnants of both the Phips box and the Whydah box, I am convinced that they are almost identical in shape and construction. The Whydah cartridge box also has some of its wooden lining strips and insert remaining as well. I believe you are also probably correct in your assumption that the little box was glued together, as the wood was pretty thin, and would be hard to find nails that small.

[Celtic Warrior]

I'll be going to the Whydah museum at the end of August. If I can get a good photo, you're welcome to it. They don't allow flashes, so I'll do my best with digital.

[Captain Jim]

If you have a tripod then you won't need a flash. Flash merely shortens your exposure time to eliminate the shakes and blurries in low-light conditions, but it also casts lots of shadows that hide a lot of detail. A tripod also cures the blurries and allows more detail. Take some cardboard or rolled-up construction-type paper to shade any glass that you have to shoot through to reduce the glare/reflection from lighting fixtures. An add-on polarizer is excellent if your camera will accept one. A small piece of cardboard covered with aluminum foil will serve to reflect light where you need it if there is a shadow obscuring an area of interest. Most digitals have some adjustment for lighting type (sun/fluorescent/incandescent/flash) so pick the one you need to give accurate color. Experiment at home before you go, trying to make up as many problems as you think you may encounter. Also, with a tripod, you can get pictures of yer happy self in with the displays.

[Captain Midnight]

Thanks for that Celtic Warrior, it would be most appreciated not only by me, but by quite a few interested folk here in our pub.