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Originally Posted by Jim McDougall
"Dilemma" (definition) : A difficult situation or problem....
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Definitely Jim, our dictionaries are in conflict over such term and/or its pretended attribution to the exposed topic; i will sow you by PM what mine says:
But i resist no more; i throw in the towel over this one.
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Originally Posted by Jim McDougall
...With the efforts to obtain better quality powder, as seen in the supplies confiscated in the vessel Pelican, it would seem that the Mexicans were aware of the deficiencies of their powder, however it was obtained, and were trying to resolve the matter. This appears the case as powder from New Orleans was likely either the premium Dupont powder much favored in America or perhaps even French powder traded there. Which is unclear...
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Judging by the enormous difference in distances, specially in the sailing era, it appears more plausible that the powder came from Delaware ...
whether the story of this cargo was indeed what it is presumed to have been.
But speaking of gunpowder setbacks, also Du Pont does not escape 'clean' from such episodes; they have a record of 288 explosions between 1802 and 1921, leading to the deaths of 228 people.
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Originally Posted by Jim McDougall
...This resulted in firing low into the darkness and decimating their own forces ahead....Most of the Mexican casualties (perhaps as many as 90%) were caused by friendly fire, in turn caused by poor powder and resultant poor shooting...
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I have read about episodes of friendly fire; i have been myself directly involved in such things but, 'perhaps as many as 90%', is worth a mention in the Guinness book of records
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Originally Posted by Jim McDougall
... So, with these considerations, I would submit that the word dilemma does accurately describe the Mexican gunpowder issues...
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As said above; the towel is on the canvas floor
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