Military Musket

Military on the Victorian goldfield in 1854 carried the Lovell's 1842 Pattern smooth bore muzzle-loading musket. It had a percussion cap ignition. To fire a muzzle loading weapon a cartridge would be taken from the cartridge pouch that hung from a soldiers cross-belt. The cartridge was a paper tube holding a measure of blackpowder and a lead bullet. Wax or grease was used to seal and waterproof the cartridge. When loading the musket the cartridge was put between the teeth to tear off the opposite end to the ball. With the but of the musket resting on the ground black powder would be inserted into the muzzle with the paper on top to act as wadding. The bullet was then inserted, and along with the paper it was rammed down using a ramrod. It was then ready to fire