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Greetings Guys,
Here's as fine a description of firing a gun in combat as you will find. It is by a member of the 1st Battery Minnesota Artillery at Vicksburg.
Check out his other letters describing the artillery experience at Vicksburg.
Thomas D. Christie, June 7, 1863, Vicksburg.
1st Battery Minnesota Artillery
Firing a cannon in combat
"There is No. 1, his hands, face, and clothes blackened with wet powder from the sponge, on his knees ramming home the charge, (if he stood up opposite the embrasure he would get a ball in an instant) There is No. 3, Williams with his thumb on the vent to prevent a premature explosion when the piece is hot. Now the gun is loaded, No 1 and No 3 step back, the latter to the trail handspike, "By hands to the front" and the piece is moved up close to the embrasure. The gunner sets his pendulum hause on its seat, sights carefully, and gives the right elevation, perhaps 2 degrees. Then "Ready," "Fire." Now if you are standing to one side where you can see, you will observe the shell flying through the air like a great black bird, make a gradual curve, and fall behind the Rebel works. Then you see white smoke where it fell and pretty soon comes the report of its bursting. Through all of the din and tumult and smoke, No. 6 is coolly cutting the fuses to the proper time and proper No 5 of the detachment carry the shell from him to the gun. the gun. According to tactics, I have nothing to do at the guns, but I have been there ever since we first opened: sometimes acting as Gunner, and sometimes changing with one of the cannoniers. We are to move into a fort tonight much further to the front, within 200 yards of the enemy, and then we may expect some warm work.
Here's as fine a description of firing a gun in combat as you will find. It is by a member of the 1st Battery Minnesota Artillery at Vicksburg.
Check out his other letters describing the artillery experience at Vicksburg.
Thomas D. Christie, June 7, 1863, Vicksburg.
1st Battery Minnesota Artillery
Firing a cannon in combat
"There is No. 1, his hands, face, and clothes blackened with wet powder from the sponge, on his knees ramming home the charge, (if he stood up opposite the embrasure he would get a ball in an instant) There is No. 3, Williams with his thumb on the vent to prevent a premature explosion when the piece is hot. Now the gun is loaded, No 1 and No 3 step back, the latter to the trail handspike, "By hands to the front" and the piece is moved up close to the embrasure. The gunner sets his pendulum hause on its seat, sights carefully, and gives the right elevation, perhaps 2 degrees. Then "Ready," "Fire." Now if you are standing to one side where you can see, you will observe the shell flying through the air like a great black bird, make a gradual curve, and fall behind the Rebel works. Then you see white smoke where it fell and pretty soon comes the report of its bursting. Through all of the din and tumult and smoke, No. 6 is coolly cutting the fuses to the proper time and proper No 5 of the detachment carry the shell from him to the gun. the gun. According to tactics, I have nothing to do at the guns, but I have been there ever since we first opened: sometimes acting as Gunner, and sometimes changing with one of the cannoniers. We are to move into a fort tonight much further to the front, within 200 yards of the enemy, and then we may expect some warm work.
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