Grenade type stuff was definitely used since around gun powders use wherever it was present.

But Iike you said, part of it was the danger of using early grenades.

Part of it was the practicality of them in line warfare. You’re standing in lines shooting at each other. By the time you’re close enough to light and throw a grenade you’re probably dead lol.

There were times grenade type things were used, but not often in typical line warfare because the style of war just didn’t work out well for their use