{{Short description|Artillery maintenance device}} thumb|The tip of a US Revolutionary Artillery Worm <!-- the source of the image says it is an artillery worm, but this somewhat contradicts our article and other sources which says the worm was attached to a pole -->
A '''worm''' is a device used to remove unspent powder bag remnants from a cannon or other piece of muzzle-loading field artillery.<ref name=NPS/> It usually took the form of a double or triple corkscrew-shaped piece of iron on the end of a long pole that could be twisted down the barrel to pick up any debris left over from the previous firing of the weapon or used to extract a misfired charge.<ref name=SPEIR/><ref Name=JDA/> It was usually turned twice before being pulled out.<ref name=JDA/>
As used during the American Civil War, the worm was either on its own pole hanging from the artillery carriage or attached to the end of the sponge.<ref name=SPEIR/>
==References== <references>
<ref name=SPEIR>{{cite web |last=Speir |first=William |title=What Are The Parts Of The Cannon Carriages Used During The War Between The States? |url=http://artilleryreserve.org/Main/carrnon.pdf |website=artilleryreserve.org |publisher=The Artillery Reserve Organization |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240118074906/https://www.artilleryreserve.org/Main/carrnon.pdf |archive-date=18 January 2024 |page=4 |date=2011 |access-date=3 August 2025}}</ref>
<ref name=NPS>{{cite web|title=Artillery Worm|url=https://www.nps.gov/museum/exhibits/revwar/image_gal/vafoimg/vafo929.html|website=www.nps.gov|access-date=17 November 2016}}</ref>
<ref Name=JDA>{{cite web |title=Positions on the Gun |url=http://www.jeffdavisartillery.org/positions.html |website=www.jeffdavisartillery.org |access-date=17 November 2016}}</ref>
</references>
Category:Cannon
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