r/CIVILWAR • • 16h ago

How did artillery batteries ACTUALLY work?

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117 Upvotes

Greetings! I am a history lover who has recently become super interested in the Civil War.

As a little hobby of mine, I am trying to build a historically-accurate 3D diorama of the Battle of Gettysburg on my computer.

To cut to the chase, I have done some limited research on how cannons and artillery batteries worked during the time, but I am just having a lot of trouble adding it to my model.

This is going to sound so stupid but like, what did it LOOK like!?

I am going to quickly list what I "know" so far, and then explain why I am having a hard time grasping it (again, please remember I am not an expert whatsoever):

- a 6-gun artillery battery was essentially a little tiny rolling factory.

- It required anywhere from 90 to 150 men to support (including an 8 or 9 man team to operate each cannon, some men to drive/tend the horse teams, men to command, men to spot, men to work the forge, men to run ammo, men to run orders, etc)

- These guns could theoretically have an effective range of up to 1500 yards given the correct barrel and/or ammo type

So again my big question is like. . . what the hell did this look like?!? Where did all of these horses stand?? Did they put them all together like a parking lot? Did they just get scattered about the rear area wherever the drivers felt was good? Where did the battery commander stand?? How did they relay messages and direct fire? Did they throw up any improvised breastworks? How on Earth did Cemetery Hill, Culp's Hill, Big Round Top, and Little Round Top have enough room to accommodate all of the necessary infrastructure to keep their guns firing? It seems INSANE given the amount of guns present and the amount of men/horses required for each gun.

Sorry if this was long. Any help would be appreciated!

If you want see the prototype of the diorama I'm trying to make, an early version is free right now at this link: https://thebattleatlas.com/


r/CIVILWAR • • 9h ago

Sgt. Thomas Franklin Dornblaser. Mustered in as a Pvt. in CO E, 7th PA CAV on Oct. 14, 1861. Re-enlisted as Cpl. Nov 23, 1863. Promoted Sgt. Jan. 1, 1865. Mustered out Aug. 23, 1865. Later earned a Doctor of Divinity and served as a Lutheran Minister. His seminary roomate was a Confederate veteran.

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51 Upvotes

r/CIVILWAR • • 17h ago

Gotten from the original family

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37 Upvotes

r/CIVILWAR • • 3h ago

"Buford's Boys," Battle of Gettysburg, July 1, 1863 (American Civil War)

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23 Upvotes

r/CIVILWAR • • 5h ago

Endangered History Watch | Shiloh Battlefield, Tennessee The Fight to Preserve 32 More Acres

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11 Upvotes

Sharing


r/CIVILWAR • • 19h ago

Andrew, Confederate Civil War Reenactor of the Battle of Palmetto Ranch, Groesbeck, Texas -(LQM2)

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9 Upvotes

r/CIVILWAR • • 13h ago

October 28, 1864 the second battle of Newtonia, Missouri

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4 Upvotes

The exhausted army of Missouri stopped at Newtonia because there was a floor mill there that would allow them to make bread.

General James T Blunt pursuit them rebels, and caught up with them with eight or 900 dismounted Cavalry from the brigades of Charles Jemison and james Ford. At first, the only Confederates engaged were from Shelby’s division, but troopers from Fagan’s division came up and formed on Shelby’s right and pushed the Yankees back. Blunt’s outnumbered men were on the verge of collapse when Sanborns brigade of Pleasonton’s division arrived and saved the day. The Confederate resumed their retreat Southward.

The Yankees lost 113 casualties. The rebels probably lost about the same number.


r/CIVILWAR • • 4h ago

Army of the Potomac Enlisted Men

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2 Upvotes

Curious if this account is valid or just more so of the later war "bounty jumpers" described in this books first hand accounts:

"False history and dishonest Congressmen who desire to secure re-election by gifts of public money and property to voters, say they were brave Northern youth going to the defence of their country. I, who know, say they were as arrant a gang of cowards, thieves, murderers, and blacklegs as were ever gathered inside the walls of Newgate or Sing Sing."

The soldier in battle, or, Life in the ranks of the army of the Potomac. By Frank Wilkeson

Awesome book - red it for free at the link