Linstock

When Raphael describes the artillery used in Heaven, he speaks of cannon balls as "iron globes" and "balls of missive ruin," and calls the linstock the "incentive reed pernicious," thereby perhaps drawing attention to the strange character of the new invention. ❋ Walter Alexander Raleigh (1891)

I should have also made a linstock out of wire with florists wire wrapped around the stick, but I forgot to do this. ❋ Der Alte Fritz (2009)

They dismounted, and bade Thiebault and the grooms look to the horses, while the Earl of Oxford and his son took each a linstock from one of the helpless gunners, three of whom were just sober enough to stand by their guns. ❋ Unknown (2008)

It was the difference between a cannon lying quiet in its embrasure, and the same gun when touched by the linstock. ❋ Unknown (2008)

The army's field artillery, none of it so big as these guns, was fired with a linstock, a slow match that glowed red as it burned, but no naval Captain would dare have a glowing red-hot linstock lying loose on a gundeck where so much powder lay waiting to explode. ❋ Cornwell, Bernard, 1944- (2000)

Instead the guns had flintlocks, though, if the flintlock failed, a linstock was suspended in a nearby tub half-filled with water. ❋ Cornwell, Bernard, 1944- (2000)

Simmons reappeared with the grenades and Sharpe took a linstock from one of the remaining water barrels, lit its fuse, then waited until the vagaries of the ocean swells brought a French gunport into view. ❋ Cornwell, Bernard, 1944- (2000)

The Frenchman sprang back and Sharpe skipped aside for he could see the gunner holding the linstock to the touch-hole. ❋ Cornwell, Bernard, 1944- (2000)

Morris could hear footsteps hurrying along the nearer firestep and he saw a brief glow as a linstock was plucked from a barrel and blown into red life. ❋ Cornwell, Bernard (1999)

Plummer called to the Sergeant, who took a glowing linstock from a protective barrel, reached across the gun's high wheel and touched the fire to the reed. ❋ Cornwell, Bernard (1999)

The mine's trail, a snaking length of quick fuse, had somehow escaped the fire of the rockets and lay discarded beside the toppled barrel in which Rothiere had been keeping a lit linstock. ❋ Cornwell, Bernard (1997)

The gunners swabbed out the barrel, rammed down a new charge and canister, pricked the powder bag through the touch-hole, then ducked aside after putting the smoking linstock to the powder fuse. ❋ Cornwell, Bernard (1995)

The Sergeant was holding a linstock to fire the cannon, but now dropped the burning match and fumbled to unsling the carbine from his shoulder. ❋ Cornwell, Bernard (1992)

Dregara reached forward and the linstock touched the firing hole. ❋ Cornwell, Bernard (1992)

He plucked the fallen linstock from beside the disembowelled body of Sergeant Dregara, told Harper to stand aside, then touched the linstock to the quill. ❋ Cornwell, Bernard (1992)

He plucked the fallen linstock from beside the disemboweled body of Sergeant Dregara, told Harper to stand aside, then touched the linstock to the quill. ❋ Cornwell, Bernard (1992)

Dregara, who was clearly an intimate of Bautista's, stood holding a smoking linstock beside the loaded gun. ❋ Cornwell, Bernard (1992)