Rifled Guns

Of course, we also see a sprinkling of Nobles, Wiards, Williams guns, and even Gatling guns.

There are many deviations from historical accuracy in the mix of guns usually seen in modern reenactments. On the Federal side, there tends to be a very great preponderance of rifles over smoothbores, whereas the Federal armies of the Civil War typically had a ratio of about three rifles to two smoothbores by the mid to late War. The tendency to render the smoothbores in iron rather than bronze has also been noted. However, the chief deviation from reality is the overuse of the 12-pounder mountain howitzer. This piece was all but unknown to Federal service during the War. Although it was included in the system of ordnance described in the Confederate Ordnance Manual of 1863, the recorded cases of its use are extremely rare. Although it is an important point of entry into reenacting this branch of service, its use is tolerated rather than encouraged.

To take a late-War data point, of the 253 pieces of field artillery with the Federal armies on the Atlanta Campaign, there were 86 Napoleons, 89 3-inch ordnance rifles, and 44 10-pounder Parrotts, with fewer than a dozen each of 12-pounder field howitzers, James rifles, and 20-pounder Parrotts. The Confederate armies had 176 field pieces, including 94 Napoleons, 34 3-inch ordnance rifles, and 46 12-pounder field howitzers. There were no mountain howitzers in either army.

It's worth noting that most reenactments have discouraged or even banned the use of guns of less than full scale. The use of Gatling guns is also discouraged; although they had been invented in 1862, they were present on only one field. Unless you are recreating Butler's Bermuda Hundred campaign, best to leave them home.

The first consideration is the expense. Even a mountain howitzer is several times more expensive than equipping an infantryman for the field, and economics often rule over realism. The ideal for most reenactment groups is to recreate the appearance of the battery on which they base their impression, and this usually extends to the type of gun being used. For field pieces, the same drill applies to nearly all types of guns, and the weights are not so dissimilar as to make them difficult to maneuver, so the ease of use is not really a factor.

Some description of the typical guns has already been given. The reinforcing band on the Parrott, and the aerodynamic profile of the ordnance rifle, are easily recognized. The mountain howitzer is distinctive for its small size. The 6-pounder is chiefly distinguished from its big brother, the Napoleon, by its moldings. There is a flat molding around the breech (the rear of the gun) and moldings on the muzzle face and around the throat, just before the muzzle swell. The Napoleon is about six inches longer and lacks these moldings.

Bore size and design often fail to identify the model of a reenacting piece. Replica guns may be constructed with a smaller bore than their historical counterparts, to save on powder, or rifles may be cast as smoothbores to save the expense of rifling.

A gun and its carriage can vary enormously in price, depending on the compromises made in manufacture. In particular, the cost of bronze is all but prohibitive; see the Cannon Ltd and Steen Cannons web sites, or consult the South Bend Replicas catalog, for price lists. To give a specific example, one can buy a 10-pounder Parrott tube alone (no carriage) for about $6000. (Compare this to the wartime cost to the Federal government of about $180.) A gun with its carriage, limber and ammunition chest, all implements and accoutrements, and a trailer on which to tow this equipment can easily cost in the neighborhood of $25,000.

Maintenance is less expensive, but hard work. Ideally, even if the gun is stored under cover, it should be painted annually, the wheels greased, sponge covers replaced, and so forth. Minor repairs to the woodwork must be done regularly to defer the major expense of replacement. The cost of transportation is usually shared by the group, as it requires a sturdy tow vehicle which usually gets low mileage. Storage is not much of an issue, as the cannon can handle typical outdoor weather; for the long-term, we usually cover them with a tarp or store them in a barn.

We avoid the temptation to respond that one recognizes an artilleryman by asking him a question and waiting to see if he cups his ear and says "eh?!?"

Red is the color of the artillery, as light blue is for infantry and yellow for cavalry. An officer with red shoulder boards, or an enlisted man with red trim on his shell jacket, is likely to be an artilleryman. Confederates may wear a kepi trimmed in red. Zouave uniforms also use red, but are sufficiently distinctive that there is little likelihood of confusion.

Reenactment practice does a fair job of tracking historical reality, with the usual oddities. A Federal crew was spotted at Gettysburg wearing identical red fireman shirts and no uniform jackets. The use of red kepis by enlisted Confederates is also common, without substantial historical justification.

Many batteries will have at least some men dressed in common infantry uniforms, like sack coats or plain shell jackets. This mirrors the reality of the period, in which infantrymen were frequently detailed to serve the guns when battles or illness sapped their crews. It was critical to keep the guns in action, and while a company of infantry can continue to function with almost any number of men, batteries must be maintained at something near their normal numbers.

Like cavalry horses, artillery horses need to be acclimated to the sound of gunfire, but it requires somewhat less training because guns are not generally being fired by their riders. As a very general rule, cavalry horses with prior battle experience are preferred, and it is always better to start with a mild-mannered and equable beast in the first place. Mules were seldom employed to carry the guns during the War, but since any critter pulling the gun is more realistic than having the men haul it all around the field, this is one of the better compromises made in reenacting. Our experience with mules has been excellent; they required virtually no training, and quickly learned the right point to brace themselves during firing.

The presence of horse-drawn artillery on a reenacting field requires a high degree of vigilance. However, it is an overwhelming advantage for the cannoneers to have the work of hauling the guns done by the animals for which it was designed.

It's a large quantity of black powder, and it is dangerous. Units will vary, but reenacting charges are typically on the order of a half-pound of powder, and the friction primers cost about 75 cents a piece. This means that each shot from a cannon costs about $3, which adds up over the course of a season.

Because the use of any explosive is dangerous, there are detailed rules. Reenactors typically rely on those set forth by the North-South Skirmish Association, which has an impressive safety record. Without setting those rules out in exhaustive detail here, these include such precautions as always thumbing the vent whenever anything is being placed in the muzzle of the gun; worming after each shot to remove any detritus from the bore; double-sponging with a moist (not dripping wet) and a dry sponge after each shot; following precise drill procedures (such as never stepping in front of the muzzle, and never gripping sponge-rammer or worm staffs with a closed hand); using properly constructed charges with no foreign substances; observing rules about the time intervals between loadings; and so forth.

First and foremost, stay clear of the front of the guns. Fifty feet is the absolute minimum distance at which an infantryman should approach the guns, unless a very specifically scripted scenario has been planned out ahead of time and approved by all the officers involved on both sides. It is best to imagine a 50-foot square box, with one side centered on the muzzle of the gun, and stay out of that box. Second, have ear protection with you (all reenactors on the field should keep this available) and use it. This is especially true if you have been stationed near an artillery piece. Third, familiarize yourself with the signals used by artillery crews. It is to be regretted that these are not universal, but we work at making them so. A rammer held vertically on one hub of the gun carriage indicates that the piece has been loaded. Rammers crossed over the gun indicate that a misfire has occurred; in other words, that the gunners do not have complete control over the piece, and it is possible that it will fire without warning. Do not ever approach a gun displaying this signal. A rammer left in the bore of a piece indicates that it is safe.

Dean S. Thomas, Cannons: An Introduction to Civil War Artillery, 1985 - This is an excellent brief introduction, is readily available (many sutlers have copies) and costs only a few dollars. Highly recommended for any reenactor.

John Gibbon, The Artillerist's Manual, 2nd ed., 1863 - Gibbon is one of the best period resources. A comprehensive guide to the art of the artilleryman.

M. C. Switlik, The More Complete Cannoneer, 3rd ed., 1990 - This work provides safety rules and period drill. No artillery reenactor should be without it.

Warren Ripley, Artillery and Ammunition of the Civil War, 4th rev. ed., 1984 - Ripley is a standard reference work in the area. A more detailed view for those with a special love for the artillery.

Compiled Site Bibliography, from The Civil War Artillery Page

©1998 Charles J. Ten Brink May not be reproduced without permission. All rights reserved. The author wishes to thank John Hughes, commanding officer of the Third Battery, First Michigan Light Artillery, for his invaluable assistance in the compilation of this primer and for being a source of inspiration through the years.

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