content_output-065_7 (Q6449)

The petard was a peculiar arm used for affixing to doors or walls in order to effect a breach. It consisted of a short gun, or rather cannon, loaded to the muzzle, and fixed in a peculiar manner against the surface to be blown apart, so that when fired the door or wall should receive the shock, and not the petard. Their use has long been discontinued, bags of gunpowder hung against barricades answering the purpose just as well.