“Have faith in God but keep your powder dry.”

— Louis L'Amour

Last update June 3, 2021. History

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Louis L'Amour 65

Novelist, short story writer 1908–1988

William Blacker

Popularized by Blacker in the poem "Oliver's Advice", http://books.google.com/books?id=JmEaAQAAIAAJ&dq=%22Oliver%27s+Advice%22+Cromwell&q=%22Oliver%27s+Advice%22+Cromwell#v=snippet&q=%22Oliver's%20Advice%22%20Cromwell&f=false published under the pseudonym Fitz Stewart in The Dublin University Magazine, December 1834, p. 700; where the quote is attributed to Oliver Cromwell (hence the poem's title). The repeated line in the poem is "Put your trust in God, my boys, but keep your powder dry."
Misattributed

“Put your trust in God, but keep your powder dry.”

Oliver Cromwell (1599–1658) English military and political leader

Attributed by William Blacker (not to be confused with Valentine Blacker), who popularized the quote with his poem "Oliver's Advice" http://books.google.com/books?id=JmEaAQAAIAAJ&dq=%22Oliver%27s+Advice%22+Cromwell&q=%22Oliver%27s+Advice%22+Cromwell#v=snippet&q=%22Oliver's%20Advice%22%20Cromwell&f=false, published under the pseudonym Fitz Stewart in The Dublin University Magazine, December 1834, p. 700; where the attribution to Cromwell appears in a footnote describing a "well-authenticated anecdote" that explains the poem's title. The repeated line in Blacker's poem is "Put your trust in God, my boys, but keep your powder dry".
Attributed
Variant: Trust in God and keep your powder dry.
Variant: Put your trust in God, but keep your powder dry.

“Put your trust in God, my boys, and keep your powder dry!”

Valentine Blacker (1778–1826) British colonial administrator

From the poem "Oliver's Advice" http://books.google.com/books?id=JmEaAQAAIAAJ&dq=%22Oliver%27s+Advice%22+Cromwell&q=%22Oliver%27s+Advice%22+Cromwell#v=snippet&q=%22Oliver's%20Advice%22%20Cromwell&f=false by William Blacker, published under the pseudonym Fitz Stewart in The Dublin University Magazine, December 1834, p. 700. This line by a different Colonel Blacker is paraphrased from an attribution to Oliver Cromwell (hence the poem's title).
Misattributed

“The Red Army must keep its powder dry and be in constant mobilization and preparedness.”

Semyon Timoshenko (1895–1970) Soviet military commander

Quoted in "Soviet Politics at Home and Abroad" - Page 414 - by Frederick Lewis Schuman - History - 1946

“I am also for attente, for wanting to see results; for not letting down our guard; for keeping our powder dry.”

Margaret Thatcher (1925–2013) British stateswoman and politician

Speech to Pilgrims of the United States (16 September 1975) http://www.margaretthatcher.org/document/102462 regarding the Soviet Union
Leader of the Opposition
Context: I am all for the spirit behind this, for easier contacts and the freer movement of people. I am for détente—who is not? I am also for attente, for wanting to see results; for not letting down our guard; for keeping our powder dry. Let them show us that they will practise what they preach, about reducing the threat of war, about non-intervention in the internal affairs of other countries.