Shelby calls from Rockville, Indiana, to ask about the origin of the phrase keep your powder dry. Many people surmise it derives from words uttered by Oliver Cromwell, but there’s no recorded evidence of this. The phrase first pops up in the early 19th century, and was popularized by a song from the early 1830s by Valentine Blacker called “Oliver’s Advice.” This is part of a complete episode.
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