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Im currently reading "Three Years in the Confederate Horse Artillery" by George Neese
I great book full of day to day details such as weather and surroundings that usually go un reported one strange entry is this:
"August 25 (1862) The sharpshooters were firing at each other across the river all night, The Yanks made three attempts last night to burn the bridge but our sharpshooters drove them back every time.
This morning the Yanks on the hill near the bridge were firing swivels at us. A swivel is a species of young cannon light, and mounted on a tripod that looks
spmething like a surveyors compass. The barrel is fixed on a swivel or turning point. The ones the Yanks fired at us this morning threw a shot about the size of a walnut . However I did not see any of them. I judge the size only by the keen whiz they made as they sped past us. I wonder what these Pope Yanks will try on us next- shoot a blacksmith shop or a buzz saw at us I except. This forenoon we moved back to our wagons , about three miles from Waterloo bridge. When we left , the sharpshooters were still firing at one another across the river. In comming back to camp we passed some of General Hill's infantry going toward the bridge . This evening we cooked three days rations."
This is a first for me Ive never read of swivel guns being used by land forces, Ive always considered them a ship feature. After all, what use is a small caliber round against artillery in the field? ( and I assuming here: Ive never come across any sort of anti personel round for these other than loading them with fragments ) Ive read of 'moutain howitzers' and the smaller 'mountain rifle' used against hard targets like train boilers ect. but a swivel gun in the field? anyone else out there ever read of these lil nautical 'pocket pistols' being used by land troops?
I great book full of day to day details such as weather and surroundings that usually go un reported one strange entry is this:
"August 25 (1862) The sharpshooters were firing at each other across the river all night, The Yanks made three attempts last night to burn the bridge but our sharpshooters drove them back every time.
This morning the Yanks on the hill near the bridge were firing swivels at us. A swivel is a species of young cannon light, and mounted on a tripod that looks
spmething like a surveyors compass. The barrel is fixed on a swivel or turning point. The ones the Yanks fired at us this morning threw a shot about the size of a walnut . However I did not see any of them. I judge the size only by the keen whiz they made as they sped past us. I wonder what these Pope Yanks will try on us next- shoot a blacksmith shop or a buzz saw at us I except. This forenoon we moved back to our wagons , about three miles from Waterloo bridge. When we left , the sharpshooters were still firing at one another across the river. In comming back to camp we passed some of General Hill's infantry going toward the bridge . This evening we cooked three days rations."
This is a first for me Ive never read of swivel guns being used by land forces, Ive always considered them a ship feature. After all, what use is a small caliber round against artillery in the field? ( and I assuming here: Ive never come across any sort of anti personel round for these other than loading them with fragments ) Ive read of 'moutain howitzers' and the smaller 'mountain rifle' used against hard targets like train boilers ect. but a swivel gun in the field? anyone else out there ever read of these lil nautical 'pocket pistols' being used by land troops?
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