GRENADE. A kind of small bomb or shell filled with an explosive com position, and fired by a fusee inserted in the touch-hole. Their principal use is in a close assault, when they are thrown by hand from the tops of ships or ramparts of fortresses, whence they are frequently styled hand grenades. They are usually about three inches in diameter, and weigh about three pounds. Their employment in war is not so general as formerly, owing partly to the uncertain action of the fusee, which ren ders it difficult to ensure their explosion so as to produce the greatest effect. To obviate this defect, grenades have been invented which are fired by means of a cap containing a priming of percussion powder instead of a lighted fusee.
The annexed engraving represents a section of a grenade upon this principle. a the shell of cast-iron supposed to be filled with combustible matter, and having a conical hole into which an iron pin, surrounded by a piece of cork, fits easily ; the other extremity of the pin is formed to receive a percussion cap, in which is put a small quantity of per cussion powder. The shell being thrown, it will naturally fall on the head of
the pin projecting on the outside ; the detonating powder is kindled by the blow, and the contents of the shell, as well as the shell itself, are scattered in all directions.
The annexed engraving represents a percussion band grenade, invented by Capt. Norton of the 34th Regiment. Its construction is precisely the same as that of the foregoing one, but there is in addition a sheet of brown paper, or a piece of common cloth tied to a button, on the outside of the shell, forming a handle to throw it by, and guiding its descent, so that the head of the bolt will infallibly strike the ground, and thereby insure the explosion.