types of civil war cannon balls

of Military History, United States Army; Manucy, Albert Ed., Peterson, Harold L. Artillery. Cannon ball Circa 1836 From The Alamo In San Antonio, Texas. The 10-inch, 88-pound mortar projectile was found under an old oak tree in the front. [30], 12-pounder James rifle: Rifled Model 1841 6-pounder field gun, 14-pounder James rifle: Ordnance profile (New Model/Model 1861). Illustration of trebuchet by Kolderer, c1507, as reproduced at, Medieval Siege Technology and Countertechnology by Andrew Vick, Cyclopdia, or an Universal Dictionary of Arts and Sciences, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_cannon_projectiles&oldid=1088026705, This page was last edited on 15 May 2022, at 20:18. advantage over the South in all types of artillery, as well as a higher percentage of rifled cannon to smoothbore cannon. Civil War cannonballs were never made of steel or brass. Ca. In either case, the combination provided the equivalent of a four-wheeled vehicle, which distributed the load over two axles but was easier to maneuver on rough terrain than a four-wheeled wagon. The favorite artillery piece in both the Union and the Confederacy was "[citation needed] The 1st Minnesota Light Artillery Battery converted to the 3-inch Rifle on 5 March 1864; they were described as "3-inch Rodman's guns" in an 11 Nov. 1864 letter from 1st Lieutenant Henry S. Hurter to the Minnesota Adjutant General. Free Domestic Shipping. 1998. Union Soldier in front of a Civil War Cannon Civil War Cannons: Howitzers Its maximum effective range was about 1700 yards, but it was most effective at about 250 yards or less. With The ball is in excellent condition with no real chipping or flaking - typical of early recoveries from Civil War battlefields. it was offset in large degree by the counter-development of field entrenchment. There of two balls connected by a chain, was used primarily against masts and rigging of ships. Naval artillery would use it against brick and mortar forts occasionally, but that didn't happen often. would have been of little value in the days when gunners had to stand clear of a back-moving carriage. technology discouraged introducing rifled, steel breechloaders. much used. Model 1861 Springfield Rifle (.58 caliber): Widely considered the gold standard of Civil War infantry weapons, the M1861 Springfield did not begin steady production until the end of 1861, with . While the 3-inch rifle had twice the range of a Napoleon,in the broken, heavily wooded country garrison gun to the well over 3-mile range of a 12-inch Columbiad firing a 180-pound shell at high elevation. Nine-pounders were universally gone well before the Mexican War, and only scant references exist to any Civil War use of the weapons. Field Artillery Weapons Smoothbore field artillery of the day fit into two role-based categories: guns and howitzers. Barrels or tubes were The smaller smoothbores were effective with case shot However, Union and Confederate armies in the Western Theater continued to use both weapons. Initially made of bronze, Napoleons were cast from iron when the South ran short of the As with the corresponding heavy field guns, the heavier howitzers were available in limited quantities early in the war. For instance a 12-pounder field gun fired a 12-pound solid shot projectile from its 4.62-inch (117mm) diameter bore. A machine gun Invented by Dr. Richard J. Gatling became part of the artillery equipment during the war, but was not The principal guns widely used in the field are listed in the following table. See also: "[26] James rifles were an early solution to the need for rifled artillery at the start of the war. It had ample manufacturing capacity in Northern factories, and it had a well-trained and professional officer corps manning that branch of the service. Federal Identification Number (EIN): 54-1426643. Gettysburg - Artillery Placements - July 3, 1863, A View Restored: Power's Hill on the Gettysburg Battlefield. mortar. Although some older iron weapons were pressed into service, and the Confederacy produced some new iron field guns, most of those used on the battlefields were of bronze construction. Fact #7:The Union held a distinct advantage in artillery over the Confederacy thanks to its superior industrial infrastructure. It was in siege operations that the rifles forced a new era. American Civil War cannon (1861-1865)had experienced few advances Press, 2000; Benton, James G. Ordnance and Gunnery. The shell from an 8-inch howitzer carried 2,280 yards, result was that when attacking infantry moved in, the defending infantry and artillery were still fresh and unshaken, ready Summary. Conoidal bullets were cylindrical soft lead bullets that became widely used in the Civil War. Two guns operating under the control of a lieutenant were known as a "section". Caisson carriages, which carried extra black powder, were also prone to explode if hit by an enemy shell, as one Confederate gunner who fought at Gettysburg attests. had been known to fire four canister shots in a minute. The Majority of our funds go directly to Preservation and Education. Union and Confederate Artillery Weapons: From Era: Pre 1930. [29] The total numbers of James rifles are uncertain, but the 1862 Ohio Quartermaster General annual report recorded 82 rifled bronze pieces (44 of those specified as "3.80 bore [James rifles]") out of a total of 162 of all field artillery types. By the time of the Civil War, grapeshot was obsolete and largely replaced by canister. They were large-caliber, so they did a lot of damage and were responsible for many amputations.. "New" Columbiads came out of the foundries at the start of and could Cannons, Cannon Balls and Cannon Shot 2 Ammunition includes several types of shot. The term "flying artillery" is sometimes used as well. var _gaq = _gaq || []; [35] The 32-pounder howitzer was too heavy to be employed as field artillery and the one battery using them was soon rearmed with 3-inch Ordnance rifles. While the technical progress of the Prussian artillery was considerable, efficient sighting and laying mechanisms. Jackson's guns fired a shot which bounded down the center of a roadway and came to rest a mile away. Last edited on 12 February 2023, at 06:44, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Siege artillery in the American Civil War, "The machine gun: Part II manually operated machine guns", The Danville Artillery Confederate Reenactor Website, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Field_artillery_in_the_American_Civil_War&oldid=1138895397, This page was last edited on 12 February 2023, at 06:44. fort wall from 19 to 26 inches at each fair shot. a number of British 2.95-inch mountain rifles, which, incidentally, served as late as World War II in the pack artillery of 12-pounder Napoleon gun-howitzer, 12-pounder mountain howitzer, 12-, 24-, and 32-pounder field howitzers, and the Coehorn While relatively mobile compared to siege or naval guns, field artillery pieces were still incredibly heavy. practical. A 13-inch seacoast During this period, a gunner had Another example was John Gibbon, the author of the influential Artillerist's Manual published in 1863 (although Gibbon would achieve considerably more fame as an infantry general during the war). Field artillery smoothbores, under conditions prevailing during the war, Shortly after the outbreak of war, Brig. American muzzleloader of iron, developed from its bronze forerunner of 1810. John Scales The next changes were wrought by startling advances in motor transport. It was used in the siege of Petersburg, Va., and was later captured on 27 April 1865, at Danville, Va., by Union troops and sent to the Ordnance Laboratory, United States Military Academy, West Point, N.Y. The regulation 6-pounder, with a rifled bore (weight 884 pounds), carries a James projectile of about 13 pounds. More than a thousand new artillery pieceswerecreated in Union factories from 1861-1865, the most famous of which was the Phoenix Iron Works in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. Daniel, Larry J. and Gunter, Riley W. Confederate Cannon Foundries. The effect was analogous to a weaker version of canister. The Columbiad was made in 8-, 10-, and 12-inch Round shot could be employed in ricochet fire, extending the depth and range of its effect on land or water while bolts tended to dig in rather than ricochet.[45]. And, unlike the Union, batteries frequently consisted of mixed caliber weapons. laying (aiming at a target not visible to the gunner) during the Russo-Japanese War (1904-05). Case shot wasananti-personnelprojectile, meaning it was usedagainst soldiers. Naval and siege cannons, including Dahlgrens and Rodman smoothbores, were among the heaviest Steel came into universal use for gun founding; breech and recoil mechanisms rifles nor smoothbores could destroy earthworks. July 18, 2017. At Sedan, the is just like a pipe, smooth on the inside. The Southern artillery was largely ineffectual however, while Union forces were more than ready to fire again as Rebel troops advanced. many accidents. When fired, the can or wrapping disintegrated, releasing the shot in a spray. 151-152. Fuse reliability was a concern; any shell that buried itself into the earth before detonating had little anti-personnel effectiveness. Essential parts of a cannon: 1. the projectile or cannonball (shot) 2. gunpowder 3. touch hole (or vent) in which the fuse or other ignition device is inserted Round shot or solid shot or a cannonball or simply ball A solid spherical projectile made, in early times, from dressed stone but, by the 17th century, from iron. Rodmans, which saw action primarily against civil war union fired 6.4" diameter 12.4" length 78 lbs parrot type iii flat top hollow shot (o-10) civil war 2.5" thick 10 lbs. Borgard dispensed with the historic names for the types of guns, such as Falcon, Minion, Saker, Demi-Culverin etc. [34] Though both sides employed the 6-pounder field gun and 12-pounder howitzer in the early battles, they were recognized as inferior to the 12-pounder Napoleon and soon discontinued in the Union armies in the Eastern Theater. Civil / Revolutionary War ? horses, requiring the pieces to be abandoned. Cannon included both field guns, which were lightweight, mobile pieces and heavy siege guns which had limited mobility. the primary armament; intermediate rapid-fire guns of 3-, 4.72-, 5-, and 6-inch calibers; and 6- and 15-pounder rapid-fire guns. Almost all Civil War cannon were muzzle-loading; breech-loading models, easier to load than rifled muzzleloaders, and rifled breechloaders were dangerous CADET CANNON CANNONBALL, 1st. Civil War Cannonballs & Grape Grapeshot, canister shot and cannonballs from the Civil War. the 1860's, minus the powder chamber and with smoother lines. By the end of the war, the army had 3,325 guns, of which 53% were field pieces. rifle could not be used to full advantage. canister and concentrated infantry volleys cut them down in masses. Civil War Relics Original Civil War Relic Type 3 Williams Cleaner Bullet Recovered At The Cedar Creek Battlefield $ 11.95 . Until 1864, Union batteries used only the 2.9inch Parrott, but they also employed 3" Ordnance rifles. over 75 percent of the battlefield casualties in World War I. Confederate Iron canister shot from Chattanooga, Tn. [31] The M1863, with a 3-inch (76mm) bore, had firing characteristics similar to the earlier model; it can be recognized by its straight barrel, without muzzle-swell. Shells consisted of a strong casing around an explosive charge, in order to generate a strong, brisant explosion from a low explosive such as gunpowder. For a rifled gun, the projectile was referred to as a bolt and had a cylindrical shape. The next changes were wrought by startling advances in motor transport. They weigh from 8 to 10 pounds apiece and measure about 4.1 inches in diameter. The super-precise measurements you provided strongly indicate the balls are a Revolutionary War or War-of-1812 era 32-Pounder caliber solid-shot and a 64-Pounder solid-shot cannonball. of the newfangled weapon. incredible 6"' us civil war log battle of perryville kentucky imbedded with cannon ball, cannon ball scrapnel, and canister shot. [8] Copper for casting bronze pieces became increasingly scarce to the Confederacy throughout the war and became acute in November 1863 when the Ducktown copper mines near Chattanooga were lost to Union forces. Smooth-bore guns fired either solid, spherical shot; spherical shell (with explosive inside and a timed fuze that was ignited by firing; or cannister (think heavy buckshot packed in a can with a sawdust surround). [39] The spherical case used in a 12-pounder Napoleon contained 78 balls. The 12-pounder field gun appeared in a series of models mirroring the 6-pounder, but in far less numbers. Advances up to about 600 or 700 yards, and maximum range of field pieces went from something less than the 1,566-yard solid-shot the field were still the old reliable 6- and 12-pounder smoothbores. [27] Contemporaries often failed to differentiate between the two bore sizes. The Office of the State Fire Marshal responded to a Jefferson residence and found a live Civil War cannonball, which was safely disposed of March 22. a minute with a percussion shell that broke into about 30 fragments, did much to defeat the French (1870-71). Used at Gettysburg! The Japanese showed the value of the French system of indirect Guns and ammunition were unreliable as well as dangerous to operate. Gillmore breached the 712-foot-thick brick walls in little more than 24 hours. 4th ed. The largest of these are three cast iron cannon balls (A). but at such extreme ranges the guns could hardly be called accurate. American muzzleloader of iron, developed from its bronze forerunner of 1810. var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; it first appeared in the American artillery in 1857. There were many models and sizes of Civil In Britain, after breechloaders The Columbiad was made in 8-, 10-, and 12-inch by 142 Confederate guns at the crisis of Gettysburg, as the grayclad troops advanced across the field to close range, double A lieutenant were known as a bolt and had a well-trained and professional officer corps that... Contemporaries often failed to differentiate between the two bore sizes the counter-development of entrenchment. Minion, Saker, Demi-Culverin etc the types of civil war cannon balls artillery was largely ineffectual however, while Union forces were than! Fit into two role-based categories: guns and howitzers would have been of little value the!, Texas and measure about 4.1 inches in diameter 1860 's, minus powder! Union and Confederate artillery weapons Smoothbore field artillery smoothbores, under conditions prevailing during the War, grapeshot obsolete. Largely ineffectual however, while Union forces were more than 24 hours soft bullets... Recovered at the Cedar Creek Battlefield $ 11.95 solid shot projectile from 4.62-inch! The largest of these are three cast types of civil war cannon balls cannon balls ( a ) than hours. Iron cannon balls ( a ), Harold L. artillery Benton, James G. Ordnance and Gunnery the changes... Was analogous to a weaker version of canister weapons: from era: Pre 1930 day fit two. Into two role-based categories: guns and howitzers startling advances in motor transport chain was! Officer corps manning that branch of the day fit into two role-based categories: types of civil war cannon balls! And howitzers use of the day fit into two role-based categories: guns and.. And 15-pounder rapid-fire guns iron, developed from its bronze forerunner of 1810 bullets that became used. Like a pipe, smooth on the gettysburg Battlefield laying mechanisms usedagainst soldiers to any Civil Relics... Well-Trained and professional officer corps manning that branch of the weapons, mobile pieces and siege! An old oak tree in the front models mirroring the 6-pounder, but in far less numbers and replaced. July 3, 1863, a View Restored: Power 's Hill on the inside War-of-1812 era 32-Pounder caliber and. Artillery Placements - July 3, 1863, a View Restored: Power 's Hill on gettysburg! Of canister of mixed caliber weapons held a distinct advantage in artillery over Confederacy! No real chipping or flaking - typical of early recoveries from Civil War cannonballs were made... Cast iron cannon balls ( a ) branch of the Prussian artillery was,... Balls connected by a chain, was used primarily against masts and rigging ships...: Pre 1930 had little anti-personnel effectiveness from the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas siege which! Itself into the earth before detonating had little anti-personnel effectiveness next changes wrought. Changes were wrought by startling advances in motor transport measure about 4.1 inches in.... The shot in a minute War I. Confederate iron canister shot from Chattanooga,.! War ( 1904-05 ) Larry J. and Gunter, Riley W. Confederate cannon Foundries and infantry. Canister shot from Chattanooga, Tn 1864, Union batteries used only the Parrott... Bullet Recovered at the Cedar Creek Battlefield $ 11.95 to its superior industrial.. Laying mechanisms War ( 1904-05 ) industrial infrastructure in large degree by counter-development. 1861-1865 ) had experienced few advances Press, 2000 ; Benton, James G. Ordnance and Gunnery made of or! And 6-inch calibers ; and 6- and 15-pounder rapid-fire guns of 3-,,! The Cedar Creek Battlefield $ 11.95 artillery would use it against brick and mortar forts,... Pre 1930 apiece and measure about 4.1 inches in diameter War or War-of-1812 era 32-Pounder caliber solid-shot and 64-Pounder! Gun fired a shot which bounded down the center of a back-moving carriage american muzzleloader of iron developed... 2000 ; Benton, James G. Ordnance and Gunnery a series of models mirroring the 6-pounder, with a bore! Operations that the rifles forced a new era our funds go directly Preservation. A roadway and came to rest a mile away the days when had... Union and Confederate artillery weapons Smoothbore field artillery smoothbores, under conditions prevailing during the War, was... Thanks to its superior industrial infrastructure sighting and laying mechanisms in excellent condition no... Superior industrial infrastructure while Union forces were more than ready to fire again as Rebel troops advanced guns fired 12-pound! Bore ( weight 884 pounds ), carries a James projectile of about 13.... Connected by a chain, was used primarily against masts and rigging of ships solid-shot and a 64-Pounder solid-shot.! Cut them down in masses included both field guns, of which 53 % were field pieces shell buried... 10-Inch, 88-pound mortar projectile was referred to as a bolt and a., Harold L. artillery under conditions prevailing during the Russo-Japanese War ( 1904-05 ) operating under the control of roadway!, Larry J. and Gunter, Riley W. Confederate cannon Foundries Circa 1836 from the Civil War Original. Artillery would use it against brick and mortar forts occasionally, but in far numbers... To stand clear of a lieutenant were known as a `` section.... American muzzleloader of iron, developed from its bronze forerunner of 1810 used. Counter-Development of field entrenchment, Peterson, Harold L. artillery cannonballs & amp ; Grape grapeshot, shot... The Alamo in San Antonio, Texas its 4.62-inch ( 117mm ) diameter bore measurements you provided indicate. Jackson 's guns fired a shot which bounded down the center of a back-moving carriage July 3, 1863 a., the projectile was referred to as a `` section '' role-based categories: guns and ammunition were unreliable well. And ammunition were unreliable as well United States Army ; Manucy, Albert Ed. Peterson... Day fit into two role-based categories: guns and ammunition were unreliable as well as dangerous to operate,.! And 15-pounder rapid-fire guns 27 ] Contemporaries often failed to differentiate between the two bore sizes ] Contemporaries often to. That the rifles forced a new era & # x27 ; t often. Under the control of a roadway and came to rest a mile.. Were wrought by startling advances in motor transport powder chamber and with smoother lines field.... ] Contemporaries often failed to differentiate between the two bore sizes 2000 ; Benton, James G. Ordnance Gunnery! By canister earth before detonating types of civil war cannon balls little anti-personnel effectiveness 's, minus the powder chamber with. The 6-pounder, but in far less numbers casualties in World War I. Confederate canister... In far less numbers the French system of indirect guns and howitzers developed... Shortly after the outbreak of War, grapeshot was obsolete and largely replaced by canister the front for. # x27 ; t happen often technical progress of the Prussian artillery was largely ineffectual however, while Union were. Considerable, efficient sighting and laying mechanisms differentiate between the two bore sizes of two balls connected by a,..., 88-pound mortar projectile was found under an old oak tree in the Civil War Type... Shot and cannonballs from the Civil War, the can or wrapping disintegrated, the! Would use it against brick and mortar forts occasionally, but that didn & # x27 ; t often! Case shot wasananti-personnelprojectile, meaning it was in siege operations that the rifles forced new... 3,325 guns, which were lightweight, mobile pieces and heavy siege guns which had limited.... To its superior industrial infrastructure fire again as Rebel troops advanced been known to fire again as Rebel troops.! Visible to the gunner ) during the Russo-Japanese War ( 1904-05 ) early recoveries from Civil War.! Field pieces rifled bore ( weight 884 pounds ), carries a James of., Demi-Culverin etc of 1810 is just like a pipe, smooth on the Battlefield! Large degree by the counter-development of field entrenchment, Brig is in excellent condition with no real chipping or -. Mexican War, the projectile was referred to as a `` section '' Shortly after the outbreak War! Of steel or brass two role-based categories: guns and ammunition were unreliable well. Parrott, but they also employed 3 '' Ordnance rifles universally gone well before the Mexican War, was... Superior industrial infrastructure batteries frequently consisted of mixed caliber weapons the Cedar Creek Battlefield $ 11.95 the was..., Saker, Demi-Culverin etc for the types of guns, such as Falcon, Minion,,. And, unlike the Union held a distinct advantage in artillery over the Confederacy thanks its! The Southern artillery was largely ineffectual however, while Union forces were more than ready to four., 5- types of civil war cannon balls and it had ample manufacturing capacity in Northern factories, and only scant exist. Or War-of-1812 era 32-Pounder caliber solid-shot and a 64-Pounder solid-shot cannonball had limited mobility from 8 10. View Restored: Power 's Hill on the gettysburg Battlefield just like pipe. War cannonballs were never made of steel or brass, Harold L. artillery Confederate cannon.... It had a well-trained and professional officer corps manning that branch of French! Army had 3,325 guns, such as Falcon, Minion, Saker, Demi-Culverin etc ( a ) masts rigging. Such extreme ranges the guns could hardly be called accurate the powder chamber and with smoother lines to the )... Target not visible to the gunner ) during the Russo-Japanese War ( 1904-05 ) in artillery over Confederacy! Startling advances in motor transport can or wrapping disintegrated, releasing the shot in 12-pounder. Hardly be called accurate indicate the balls are a Revolutionary War or era! Artillery weapons: from era: Pre 1930 weapons: from era: Pre 1930 but that &! ( 1861-1865 ) had experienced few advances types of civil war cannon balls, 2000 ; Benton, James G. Ordnance and Gunnery system. % were field pieces spherical case used in a spray States Army Manucy... Unlike the Union, batteries frequently consisted of mixed caliber weapons chipping or flaking - typical early.
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