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Re: Improving Artillery Impressions
Here are a few facts about the mountain howitzer in the US Civil war....
1. US Government Purchases: 444 of them. 219 from Alger, 225 from Ames.
2. This compares to:
854 1841 6Pdr Guns
251 12 Pdr field howitzers
1157 Napoleons
228 2.9"/10 Pdr Parrotts
279 3" Parrotts
1040 +/- 3" Ordnance Rifles
296 20 Pdr Parrotts
3. the last Mtn Howitzer was bought 31 Mar 1863. The last 6 Pdr Gun was bought 31 Jan 1862, last Field howitzer sep 1862, last Napoleon Aug 1863, this was about the time the Federal Government stopped buying field guns, as they apparently had enough of them! There were apparently a handfull of Napoleons bought in 1864, but the records are incomplete and only a couple dozen from what I can see.
4. The Mtn Howitzer and 3" Ordnance Rifles were the only guns on this list that the US Gov bought more of after the war.
5. From experience firing Mountain Howitzers with service charges and service ammunition I can state that the gun is accurate enough for field service to at least 600 Yds. It would not fair well in counter battery fire, but it was not designed for counter battery fire. It was designed to use against flesh, human and horse. Canister shot (148 .69 musket balls, velocity 600 FPS) produses a group approximately 20 Yards across at 200 Yds. I have a balistics article that uses this round and velocity, I have no idea why as it is a modern gun writer, but he uses it as an example, this round will penetrate 27 " of homogenous flesh, so we know it will penetrate both infantrymen in a line of battle. Case shot maintains its necessary velocity to 800 Yds.
6. Now, the Article already quoted lists scores of times the Mountain Howitzer was used during the Civil War. I know of at least 3 other battles that are not on the list. The Battle of Bean Station TN is a perfect example of the text book use of Mountin Howitzers. Jessie Law's 25th IL? battery of 6 howitzers accompanied the federal force of 600 Cav to follow Longstreet's corps after the siege of Knoxville TN. When the Confederates turned on their pursuers at Bean's Station, th eHowitzer battery split into 2 (3) gun half batteries and posted on the flanks of the Federal Dismounted Cav. They were maneuvered by hand and provided an interlocking field of fire (fired across the federal front)
7. Doctrinal use of the Mtn Howitzer is in support of Infantry or Cavalry, by the section or half battery, generally on the flanks of the unit. Where Mtn Howitzers are mis-used is sitting in a line with field guns statically. They are to be used far forward.
8. Carriages: There are 3 Carriages for th eMtn Howitzer, the pack carriage, which was the least common of the 3, designed to be packed on 5 horses or mules, 1 for the tube, 1 for the carriage and 3 for the ammunition. There were 2 varitations of the Prairie Carriage, 1st model 1851 and 2nd, model 1861. The both used 42" Wheels, a wider axle and were pulled behind a prairie limber.
There were 2 variations of Prairie limber a 1st and 2nd model, each of shich held 16 rounds. There was then a Prairie caisson that held 32 additional rounds, plus 16 more on its limber or alternatively a prairie ammunition cart that was pulled by 2 horses in tandem, 32 Rds total. I have made a Prairie Caisson from Specs obtained from Antique Ordnance Publishers in MI. They are from the Period for sure. I have seen originals for sale.
So, it would be correct to employ Mountain Howitzers in virtually any Trans-Mississippi battle, most Western Theater events through mid/late 1864 (Except maybe Shiloh, I have seen no reference to them used there) and several Eastern Theater events at least through late 1862 . This is based on the article by Mr. Grizzle. I was told by a reenactor in Huwald's Battery they were told at the Chickadusty that there were no Mtn Howitzers used in the Battle of Chickamauga. Hmmmmm. There is a monument to Huwald's Battery there, they had 4 of them present, the 18th Indiana Battery had 4, Mortons had 4, I believe, There were 7 of them captured by the Confederates from the Federals as well. This is without lots and lots of research, just scrathing the surface.
A Former battery took our Ordnance rifle to 1st Manassas, there were no Ordnance Rifles there during the real battle, no one said anything to us. I reenact battles in my area that had no napoloens at them, no one complains if a Napoleon shows up, but it rubs people the wrong way to bring mountain howitzers.
Just a few thoughts.
Take care,
Steve Cameron
Burroughs Battery
Here are a few facts about the mountain howitzer in the US Civil war....
1. US Government Purchases: 444 of them. 219 from Alger, 225 from Ames.
2. This compares to:
854 1841 6Pdr Guns
251 12 Pdr field howitzers
1157 Napoleons
228 2.9"/10 Pdr Parrotts
279 3" Parrotts
1040 +/- 3" Ordnance Rifles
296 20 Pdr Parrotts
3. the last Mtn Howitzer was bought 31 Mar 1863. The last 6 Pdr Gun was bought 31 Jan 1862, last Field howitzer sep 1862, last Napoleon Aug 1863, this was about the time the Federal Government stopped buying field guns, as they apparently had enough of them! There were apparently a handfull of Napoleons bought in 1864, but the records are incomplete and only a couple dozen from what I can see.
4. The Mtn Howitzer and 3" Ordnance Rifles were the only guns on this list that the US Gov bought more of after the war.
5. From experience firing Mountain Howitzers with service charges and service ammunition I can state that the gun is accurate enough for field service to at least 600 Yds. It would not fair well in counter battery fire, but it was not designed for counter battery fire. It was designed to use against flesh, human and horse. Canister shot (148 .69 musket balls, velocity 600 FPS) produses a group approximately 20 Yards across at 200 Yds. I have a balistics article that uses this round and velocity, I have no idea why as it is a modern gun writer, but he uses it as an example, this round will penetrate 27 " of homogenous flesh, so we know it will penetrate both infantrymen in a line of battle. Case shot maintains its necessary velocity to 800 Yds.
6. Now, the Article already quoted lists scores of times the Mountain Howitzer was used during the Civil War. I know of at least 3 other battles that are not on the list. The Battle of Bean Station TN is a perfect example of the text book use of Mountin Howitzers. Jessie Law's 25th IL? battery of 6 howitzers accompanied the federal force of 600 Cav to follow Longstreet's corps after the siege of Knoxville TN. When the Confederates turned on their pursuers at Bean's Station, th eHowitzer battery split into 2 (3) gun half batteries and posted on the flanks of the Federal Dismounted Cav. They were maneuvered by hand and provided an interlocking field of fire (fired across the federal front)
7. Doctrinal use of the Mtn Howitzer is in support of Infantry or Cavalry, by the section or half battery, generally on the flanks of the unit. Where Mtn Howitzers are mis-used is sitting in a line with field guns statically. They are to be used far forward.
8. Carriages: There are 3 Carriages for th eMtn Howitzer, the pack carriage, which was the least common of the 3, designed to be packed on 5 horses or mules, 1 for the tube, 1 for the carriage and 3 for the ammunition. There were 2 varitations of the Prairie Carriage, 1st model 1851 and 2nd, model 1861. The both used 42" Wheels, a wider axle and were pulled behind a prairie limber.
There were 2 variations of Prairie limber a 1st and 2nd model, each of shich held 16 rounds. There was then a Prairie caisson that held 32 additional rounds, plus 16 more on its limber or alternatively a prairie ammunition cart that was pulled by 2 horses in tandem, 32 Rds total. I have made a Prairie Caisson from Specs obtained from Antique Ordnance Publishers in MI. They are from the Period for sure. I have seen originals for sale.
So, it would be correct to employ Mountain Howitzers in virtually any Trans-Mississippi battle, most Western Theater events through mid/late 1864 (Except maybe Shiloh, I have seen no reference to them used there) and several Eastern Theater events at least through late 1862 . This is based on the article by Mr. Grizzle. I was told by a reenactor in Huwald's Battery they were told at the Chickadusty that there were no Mtn Howitzers used in the Battle of Chickamauga. Hmmmmm. There is a monument to Huwald's Battery there, they had 4 of them present, the 18th Indiana Battery had 4, Mortons had 4, I believe, There were 7 of them captured by the Confederates from the Federals as well. This is without lots and lots of research, just scrathing the surface.
A Former battery took our Ordnance rifle to 1st Manassas, there were no Ordnance Rifles there during the real battle, no one said anything to us. I reenact battles in my area that had no napoloens at them, no one complains if a Napoleon shows up, but it rubs people the wrong way to bring mountain howitzers.
Just a few thoughts.
Take care,
Steve Cameron
Burroughs Battery
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