GDG- Rifled Musket Characteristics?

[Batrinque at aol.com]

In a message dated 10/19/06 5:28:44 PM Pacific Daylight Time, 
rkadas at sbcglobal.net writes:

> This is a question addressed to all of you professional ACW buffs &
> historians as well as to all of the informed lurkers. In reading, a number of books 
> on the 2nd day at GB, I have encountered statements regarding AoP contingents 
> retiring under pressure because their rifled muskets had become too fouled to 
> use. I am not a reenactor nor do I know any who uses black powder and CW era 
> bore lubricants exclusively. Given the constraints of CW propellants and 
> lubricants, how many rounds on average would it take before a ACW rifled 
> musket's rate of fire would be significantly diminished? For the purpose of 
> answering this question assume that significantly refers to any amount equal to or 
> greater than twenty-five percent (25%). Can anyone suggest source material that 
> deals with this issue in a technically sound manner? On a topic such as this 
> I am suspect of accounts reported in regimental histories and personal 
> letters because of the natural tendency to exaggerate to improve the
> tale. If anyone can help let me express my appreciation in advance.
> 


A great question!  And one that I thought would be quick to answer, but thus 
far I am coming up with only blanks.  I just ran a series of searches on my 
Guild Press CD copy of the ORs with various terms (fouled, cleaned, rate of 
fire), expecting that I would at least find several cases of commanders 
attributing failure on their part to muskets becoming fouled by black powder residue but 
... nothing.  Joe Bilby's book on CW firearms does not appear to address the 
questin\on, either.

Bruce Trinque
Amston, CT