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  • #46
    Re: Artillery

    All,

    I went to war with a Marine Artillery Regiment, M-198s, 10th Marines, Rolling Rifles. After seeing the destruction we inflicted I know why it is call the "King of Battle."

    However, once I pulled the lanyard on a 10lb parrot I was hooked as a reenactor. I am not sure how many more artillery units is needed, as I don't know how many there really are. But I can say that the original ratio was a section, 2 guns, for each thousand infantry, or a section per regiment, a battery per brigade. So we may be pretty close at most reenactments as far as that ratio is concerned.

    Most reenactment units have just a piece and limber, wish we could have the rest, the caisson, battery wagon, and forge, but we're talking a lot of gear and a lot of personnel. I'd love to have horses too! Cost is a major driver, each piece, parrot (rifled) with limber & implements is about 15K, plus the cost of the trailer. Storage is another issue, if the piece is stored outside then more PM is needed. Not to mention burning a 1/2 lb of powder with each shot. Original parrots used 1 lb, howizters use more.

    Artillery, as our BC says in LH demonstrations, is the ultimate team sport. A cavalryman, alone, is still a lethal weapon, so is an individual infantryman, but an artilleryman with no cannon or crew is just a warm body on the battlefield. Thus the crew has to function as a team, each man knows his and other jobs, but concentrates on the particular job they have at that time. The original gun drill was safe, I don't think that reenactors have made it any safer by modifing the drill, sort of like wearing a belt and suspenders to hold up your trousers. Accidents happen when you don't pay attention to your job.

    Currently many artillery reenactors are not artillerymen, they do not study the tactics used, have little idea how to work with the infantry and have a tendency to line up all the cannons and blast away during reenactments!! What a bunch of BS. Artillery did not fight that way, didn't then and doesn't now. We artillery reenactors have to think more as artillerymen!!! Read and remember the "red book" or Gibbons manual; call out ranges and rounds, the 5-8s have to call out elevations based on fuse settings for the indicated ranges. Know the rounds your unit's piece fired, not all cannons fired grape, not all used canister. Make it real.

    Our unit has a number of impressions, we can do the campaigner, sleeping under the tarp or blankets and gum blanket; we can set up As or a training camp. We are drilling ourselfs on dismounting tubes, recovering a tube without a carriage. That's what they did, it just was not sponging, ramming and firing.

    As far as the expression "too old and fat to do infantry so I'll do artillery" doesn't really cut it, we manhandle those pieces about the battlefield, now we are the horses. If your physical condition or health precludes you from heavy lifting or exertion, the artillery is not for you. Perhaps you should be a general :wink_smil

    Okay down off the soap box.

    Semper Fi (s/f)
    Dan McLean

    Cpl

    Failed Battery Mess

    Bty F, 1st PA Lt Arty
    (AKA LtCol USMC)

    [URL]http://www.batteryf.cjb.net[/URL]

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    • #47
      Re: Artillery

      Originally posted by oestk
      I should mention that driving a pair of horses in an artillery hitch is just as physically demanding as marching as a cannoneer and man-handling a gun. You feel like you have been beaten about the neck, shoulders, arms and legs when you climb off a horse after driving all day. We had a driver go down from the heat and exertions during the Port Gibson march last May. So, you have my respect for being a driver.

      Kent Oestenstad

      And my dad does this at 62 years of age.
      Robert Johnson

      "Them fellers out thar you ar goin up against, ain't none of the blue-bellied, white-livered Yanks and sassidge-eatin'forrin' hirelin's you have in Virginny that run atthe snap of a cap - they're Western fellers, an' they'll mighty quick give you a bellyful o' fightin."



      In memory of: William Garry Co.H 5th USCC KIA 10/2/64 Saltville VA.

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      • #48
        Re: Artillery

        Originally posted by hireddutchcutthroat
        And my dad does this at 62 years of age.

        That is very impressive. I would be flattered to think that I could be doing that when I am that age. He would'nt be looking for an artillery driver's job would he? We can always use backup drivers.

        Kent Oestenstad

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        • #49
          Re: Artillery

          Originally posted by oestk
          That is very impressive. I would be flattered to think that I could be doing that when I am that age. He would'nt be looking for an artillery driver's job would he? We can always use backup drivers.

          Kent Oestenstad

          He is a driver out here in CA. He sleeps on the ground campaign style and everything. I just need to get him into a decent uniform, but you know parents never listen :confused_
          Robert Johnson

          "Them fellers out thar you ar goin up against, ain't none of the blue-bellied, white-livered Yanks and sassidge-eatin'forrin' hirelin's you have in Virginny that run atthe snap of a cap - they're Western fellers, an' they'll mighty quick give you a bellyful o' fightin."



          In memory of: William Garry Co.H 5th USCC KIA 10/2/64 Saltville VA.

          Comment


          • #50
            Re: Artillery

            ...until I saw a solitary 6 lb field gun with 5 skinny gunners fast asleep under the gun...

            I'm a member of a battery out here in Missouri, and if any of the "authorities" from the re-encting organizations that pretty much govern events out here were to see that, I can almost guarantee you that they would throw a major hissy-fit.

            What with all these rules and regulations that are imposed upon us, drill is "for the specators" and barely modeled off of War cannon drill styles.


            To those pondering whether or not to procure horses and raise the money to do so --

            Three words: All Terrain Vehicle. Don't kill me... I know they're not authentic in the least bit, but they sure do come in handy when first setting up the guns on Friday night before any of the tents are up and at the very end of the event. If you need to move them during the weekend, I'd say it's best to push the cannons. (small hills are a big help. :D)

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            • #51
              Re: Artillery

              For what it's worth I recall, perhaps a year or a little more ago (April-May time frame I think) a "retiring from the hobby sale" on an auction site. IIRC: a 3" Ordinance Rifle (original tube) Cassion, Limber and I think a battery wagon w/ appropriate buckets rammers etc. I don't know if the tack was included as well... Went in the neighborhood of $100,000. I believe I saw the printout of the sale w/ photos at an event in June.

              Did the buyer get a deal?

              Incidently, I was told by one of the museum curators of the Rock Island Arsenal that there is the complete regulation equipments for a 3" Rodman battery (Cassions, limbers, battery Wagon traveling forge, tools tack etc) in a basement on the Arsenal somewhere... God I'd love to drool on that.

              If I win the lotto gents, 1000 acres, a farm w/ two horse barns and a period brick house are yours to use for Authentic/Progressive use. I'll even buy the Battery... but you'll have to do w/ one of each major gun for the battery.

              Ahh the dreams of lotto winnings... :D
              Johan Steele aka Shane Christen C Co, 3rd MN VI
              SUVCW Camp 48
              American Legion Post 352
              [url]http://civilwartalk.com[/url]

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              • #52
                Re: Artillery

                From an Augusta Arsenal Invoice...

                "April 11t 1863
                Invoice of Ordnance Stores turned over by Capt J.P. Girardey AMSK to Maj J.Q. Winnemore QM for transportation to Col. Jones Savannah Ga
                No
                61 boxes
                Marks
                Col. Jones
                Savannah
                Contents
                2 12 pr. Napolean guns
                2 12 “ Carriage and Limbers
                2 12 “ Caisson and Limbers
                2 spare wheels
                2 “ poles
                4 12 pdr. Sponges and rammers
                1 worm + stave
                2 Linstocks
                2 Port fire stocks
                2 sponge buckets
                4 tar buckets
                2 Gunners Gimlets
                2 “ Nippers
                4 Priming wires
                4 thumbstalls
                2 vent punches
                2 fuze wrenches
                2 tow hooks
                4 lanyards
                304 12 pdr shell fixed
                104 12 “ solid shot “
                56 12 “ Gun Cannister “
                2 sets 6 horse art. Harness
                58 Ammunition boxes
                3 packing boxes
                Daniel Fodera
                Palmetto Living History Assoc

                Comment


                • #53
                  Re: Artillery

                  Hey,
                  For all you guys that were interested in doing heavy artillery I have been trying to get together a larger company of authentic heavy artillery. We have a 32 pdr seacoast gun mounted on a casemate carriage as well as an 8-inch gun mounted on a columbiad carriage. In past years we have only had a few people. If anyone is interested send me an e-mail. delsldr@yahoo.com

                  Oops, forgot to say it was at Fort Delaware
                  Peter Morrill

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                  • #54
                    Re: Artillery

                    Here at Fort McAllister we are firing a iron six pounder 1841 model. We will train any unit that wants and allow them to use the gun in on site living history. Let me also put in a plug for our 140th anniv. of the capture of the fort. It will be held Dec. 11-12, 2004. Need good Yanks who want to do it right.

                    Danny Brown

                    Comment


                    • #55
                      Re: Artillery

                      Originally posted by CAC_rocks
                      Hey,
                      For all you guys that were interested in doing heavy artillery I have been trying to get together a larger company of authentic heavy artillery. We have a 32 pdr seacoast gun mounted on a casemate carriage as well as an 8-inch gun mounted on a columbiad carriage. In past years we have only had a few people. If anyone is interested send me an e-mail. delsldr@yahoo.com

                      Oops, forgot to say it was at Fort Delaware
                      Peter Morrill
                      Peter,

                      Has anyone ever thought to pitch the idea of a Heavy Artillery Living History Weekend to George and/or Becky?? I think that would be a good way for some guys to get their feet wet doing heavy arty, and might turn some into new volunteers out there. Just a thought.....

                      Phil Campbell
                      Used to be Peter's boss
                      Phil Campbell

                      Comment


                      • #56
                        Re: Artillery

                        Originally posted by john duffer
                        " You would have to win the lottery or marry Paris Hilton. "

                        For the good of the hobby I'm up for the Paris Hilton thing.

                        John Duffer
                        Talk about going where EVERY man has gone before....
                        Robert Carter
                        69th NYSV, Co. A
                        justrobnj@gmail.com
                        www.69thsnyv.org

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