the Table of Fire

[sedlakchristopher]

An AC search of table of fire and artillery aiming and related key words was unable to resolve my question.

Gents,
In a recent post I asked about documentation on limber stencilling.

On the same pic I referenced from "Civil War Album - complete photographic history of the Civil War" (p. 453 a disabled limber with dead horse), the box lid is open and the "Table of Fire" that we all know is supposed to be in every lid is obviously missing.

I haven't been able to find any first person accounts of reference to the table.

MY QUESTIONS:

Has anyone read accounts of the gunner knowing this table by heart? or the gunner just having that "touch" or "gut instinct" with the gun... especially smoothbores?

I have also seen little clipboards used in the field with the table on them in some less than mentionable units... BUT is there anything to this? did such a thing exist? or perhaps the gunner copied a pocket version for his own use?

BOTTOM LINE I suppose... did the Table of Fire go bye-bye once the detachment and more importantly the gunner knew it by heart after so much practice?

If anyone has any period references, I would greatly be indebted!

Thanks in advance!

Your obedient servant,

Chris Sedlak

[tmattimore]

Re: the Table of Fire

Too much speculation is involved for a conclusion. For example is the photo of the chest for a battery wagon or forge or gun? If for a wagon or forge there would not have been a table of fire in it to begin with. There also seems to be little need for a hand held table as actual practice and experience would be more useful for a particular gun and fuses would also vary with manufactured lot ( a problem that lasted thru the Korean war). Another point is why would some one remove the table of fire?

[Marc]

Re: the Table of Fire

Have you tried The Artillerists Manuel by Gibbons et al? Mine is in storage until the spring or I would Have checked on limber stenciling.

[sedlakchristopher]

Re: the Table of Fire

Good points Tom... thank you.

Marc, I did try Gibbon's "Artillerist Manual" with no luck.
Still a work in progress though.

Thanks Gents!

Chris Sedlak

[MDec]

Re: the Table of Fire

I'm at work now, so I don't have reference material with me. I do recall seeing a photo of a 12 pdr Napolean with the range table scratched onto the breech. I also recall seeing photos of breech sights with range table info stamped on them in the same way the degrees of elevation were stamped on them. That is what I did on my breech sight for my repro 1861 10Pdr Parrott. It comes in handy when elevating the gun after hearing the order to "load shell, 1200 yards".

Michael Dec
Rutledge's/McClung's Tennessee Battery

[ArtilleryNick]

Re: the Table of Fire

I'm not entirely certain as to how authentic this is, but the battery I'm a member of has personal table of fire charts that the gunners can wear around their necks and consult. It has all the information that can be found on the chart at the limber, but just in a scalled down version.
It is my opinion and nothing more, but I would believe that with enough practice in actual battle situations, you'd probably begin to get a good idea as to the range and elevation of the gun to the point of being able to pass on the information quickly without charts and all that good stuff. Now, if we spent as much time drilling and practicing on our cannons as they did durring the war, we'd probably get that good. However, they didn't get to go back to normal life after 3 days or so.

[sedlakchristopher]

Re: the Table of Fire

Nick,
Thanks for the reply.

As for the little clipboards your unit uses...

Who originally made them up for you and WHAT and WHERE did their research point to that they existed? I've seen other units have them also, but no one could ever tell me where they saw originals or read of their use.

I guess what I'm trying to say, just like anything else we are talking about on the AC, if we can't prove they existed or have first person accounts, we probably shouldn't be using them... ? right?

Your obedient servant,
Chris Sedlak