Grenadier's Match Case

National Park Service

A Misidentified Item

Discovered by archeologists in the northwest corner of the west casemate of Fort Stanwix, this match case was part of a British grenadier’s uniform and attached to the shoulder belt. A grenadier was a soldier assigned the task of igniting and throwing grenades. The case kept the slow matches dry during rainy conditions and the perforations allowed for airflow to keep the slow matches burning and ready for use. Match cases from the 1700s are rare to find as archeological artifacts; this one was initially misidentified as a nozzle to a garden hose. It was probably a relic of the British occupation. It is one of only two ever recovered and confirmed archeologically in North America.

The front and back of the match case as recorded after excavation in the 1970s, before it was conserved at Harper's Ferry Center.

National Park Service

This is a perforated brass cylinder with reinforcing bands around the top and bottom. There is a perforated cone in one end. The whole case is 7 inches long and 1 inch in diameter. It was held by two rivets to a brass plate 4.2 by 2.1 inches in size which was sewn to a belt. It was designed to carry a slow match for igniting incendiaries, such as grenades. The slow match and pull ring were not found.

Curators 'rediscovered' the object and sent it to Harper's Ferry Center for conservation in order to better preserve the artifact. The match case highlights the complex military history of the fort and illustrates the significance of the large scale archeological excavations that took place to uncover the remains of the original 1700s fort. It is currently on exhibit at the park museum.

An old print showing variations between different grenadier uniforms. Their match cases are fastened to the belt that crosses the left side of their chests.

Who Were the Grenadiers?

Grenadier companies were first formed in the British Army in 1678, and were not finally abolished until 1855.

Composed of the tallest and fittest men in a battalion of infantry, the grenadiers were normally assigned the most difficult and dangerous duties. The motto they proudly wore on their distinctive mitre caps NEC ASPERA TERRENT (Difficulties daunt us not) was a reflection of this as were the infantry hangers (swords) and brass matchcases which they wore. Their deeds have been immortalized in the song "British Grenadiers" which is played by military bands to this day.

By the eighteenth century, Grenadiers were conisdered elite troops of the British army. The term "grenadier" is derived from the fact that these troops originally hurled iron or porcelain grenades into enemy positions, although by the mid-eighteenth century this practice had ceased. By the time of the Quebec campaign in 1759, the 13 companies of a British foot battalion included one of grenadiers and one of light infantry.

Throughout the French & Indian War, these men served from Canada, to the Ohio River Valley, and the Caribbean, participating in nearly every major campaign against the French. However it is still uncertain why the owner of the match case passed through Fort Stanwix and when.

A map of the Quebec during the Battle of the Plains of Abraham, 1759, in which the British Grenadiers suffered 133 casualties (deaths and injuries).

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Works Cited

• Hanson, Lee and Dick Ping Hsu. 1975. Casemates and Cannonballs: Archeological Investigations at Fort Stanwix, Rome, New York. Publications in Archeology, No. 14.Department of the Interior: Washington, D.C.

• Transforming New Englanders into British Regulars: The 40th Regiment of Foot in North America 1717-1764. https://www.militaryheritage.com/40th.htm. Accessed June 1, 2022.