Original British Naval Ship Cannon Oak Swab Bucket Dated 1813 Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. Received from a Maritime Museum Collection in England, comes this massive Oak Wood Bucket complete with original rope handle and copper strapping.

Beside each muzzle loading ship’s cannon there always stood a large bucket of seawater. Immediately after the cannon was fired a gunner was required to “swab out” the interior of the cannon barrel with a very wet mop to extinguish any remaining sparks from the previous discharge. Failure to do so could result in the cannon immediately exploding once a fresh powder charge was introduced into the muzzle.

These Swab Buckets always used Brass/Copper bands to prevent the possibility of a spark being unintentionally generated had they used steel that a true hazard during naval warfare.

This particular Swab Bucket is 14 inches in diameter stands nearly 14 inches tall. It has a Brass Plaque engraved: TAKEN FROM THE BRITISH SCHOONER “DOMINICA” AUGUST 5TH.1813

Research has shown that the British Schooner “DOMINICA” was a captured French Ship “DUC DE WAGRAM” taken in 1809 and pressed into British Service. It was 89.5′ in length and was armed with twelve 12 Pounder Cannons and two 6 Pounder Cannons. It was captured by an American Privateer off Charlestown, part of Greater Boston, on August 5th 1813 but later recaptured by the British on 22nd May 1814. An American Sailor as a “Prize” or memento of the occasion presumably removed this “Swab Bucket”.

The “DOMINICA” was later wrecked off Bermuda on 15th. August 1815.

There is also a British broad arrow mark on the underside of the bucket deeply burnt into the wood.

Original Item: Only One Available. Received from a Maritime Museum Collection in England, comes this massive Oak Wood Bucket complete with original rope handle and copper strapping.

Beside each muzzle loading ship’s cannon there always stood a large bucket of seawater. Immediately after the cannon was fired a gunner was required to ‘swab out’ the interior of the cannon barrel with a very wet mop to extinguish any remaining sparks from the previous discharge. Failure to do so could result in the cannon immediately exploding once a fresh powder charge was introduced into the muzzle.

These Swab Buckets always used Brass/Copper bands to prevent the possibility of a spark being unintentionally generated had they used steel that a true hazard during naval warfare.

This particular Swab Bucket is 14 inches in diameter stands nearly 14 inches tall. It has a Brass Plaque engraved: TAKEN FROM THE BRITISH SCHOONER ‘DOMINICA’ AUGUST 5TH.1813

Research has shown that the British Schooner ‘DOMINICA’ was a captured French Ship ‘DUC DE WAGRAM’ taken in 1809 and pressed into British Service. It was 89.5′ in length and was armed with twelve 12 Pounder Cannons and two 6 Pounder Cannons. It was captured by an American Privateer off Charlestown, part of Greater Boston, on August 5th 1813 but later recaptured by the British on 22nd May 1814. An American Sailor as a “Prize” or memento of the occasion presumably removed this “Swab Bucket”.

Please note- There are patches of old wood filer or plaster inside the bucket, overall it is very sound but someone obviously wanted it smooth devoid of any imperfections.

This is a truly interesting artifact in excellent display condition.