[Cyber Liberty]

Hey, Ivan, I've always wondered something. Where did the expression, "Give the wogs a wiff of the grape" come from? I think they need a whiff in about 36 hours....

[ClearCase_guy]

I don't know for sure, but I think "whiff of the grape" probably refers to grapeshot. Also known as cannister, it was ordance for cannons. Nasty, short-range stuff that turned an ordinary cannon into a giant shotgun. Used on naval vessels as well as on land, for when the enemy is trying to overrun your position.

[CatoRenasci]

I think the original use of the phrase, if not the original certainly the most famous, was Napoleon's use of artillery to calm the Paris mob during the Thermidorian reaction.

As another poster described it, grape shot (usually described as a 'stand of grape' because it consisted of a wooden sabot, an iron center rod and iron or lead balls (an inch or two in diameter)packed around the rod, encased in either cloth or netting.) was a primarily naval weapon, although it was also used on land. Grape rounds would be made for mostly heavier guns, 18lb, 24lb, 36lb, and even 42lb carronades. The primary antipersonnel round of the smoothbore era was cannister, a very thin metal or paper mache cylinder filled with small .40 caliber or so usually lead balls, fired primarily from field guns, 6lb, 12lb, 3" ordnance rifles and 20lb parrot guns. Cannister was fired at ranges under 600 years, best under 200. At ranges under 200 yards, double cannister and (at Gettysburg) even triple charges of cannister were used. Highly effective against massed infantry or cavalry.

[El Gato]

"Give the wogs a wiff of the grape" come from? I think they need a whiff in about 36 hours....

I suspect it will be a whiff of something a mite stronger than grape. MOAB perhaps, JDAMs fer sure. Not to mention the Bunker Busters, in readiness for Saddam and Sons as we type.