The use of the term 'powder monkey' in English dates to the late 17th century.

The powder monkeys, small boys of ten or eleven, brought up the first charges from the magazines.

At first he was a young man, a powder monkey or whatever they called it, in that sailing ship behind his right ear.

Powder monkeys were boys or young teenagers who used to work on board the old sailing ships when they went to war.

Or it could have been an accident by one of the powder monkeys trying to carry ammunition to the guns.

"Do you two lads know what powder monkeys are?"

It was not unknown for girls to disguise themselves as boys and get a job as a powder monkey.

All but one of these individuals (possibly a "powder monkey" not involved in heavy work) were strong, well-muscled men.

The bags were carried up tothe gun decks by the powder monkeys or boys.

They would be followed by powder monkeys, boys whose job it was to take cartridges up to the guns, using wooden cylinders to carry them.

And clean up this powder monkey.

There is now a new character which is Jim Henshaw, a young powder monkey.

These children were called "powder monkeys".

For a year Parsons participated in military drill and served as a "powder monkey" for the cannoneers.

During battles, powder monkeys ran gunpowder from below deck to cannon crews and also relayed messages.

(Hint to parents: negotiating household chores will be easier after the kids learn the powder monkeys were paid just $8 a month.)

When the British captured the ship she was transferred to the Brunswick where she served as a powder monkey.

"Why, you pompous little powder monkey!"

Powder monkeys.

There is a memorial to her at the Powder Monkey, Exmouth, Devon.

"Powder Monkey"

The so-called Celestials proved to be first-class powder monkeys, expert at working with the explosives used to blast a path through solid granite.

Alexander frowned at the nickname, and Picard wondered if there were indeed some powder monkey on this ship who had been given that nickname.

She has also appeared on stage in Manchester Royal Exchange's production of Powder Monkey.

He looked certainly old enough to have fought at Trafalgar--or, at any rate, to have played his little part there as a powder monkey.