Civil War Artillery
• This is a photograph of taken near Arlington,
VA
• It is the Gun crew of Company K, 2d New York
Artillery, in Fort C.F. Smith
• Click to return to picture
Civil War Artillery
•
The type of gun is most likely a Napoleon Model 1857, (named after the French emperor
Louis Napoleon who supported development of the design). This gun was effective, reliable,
and easily maneuvered. It had a range of around 1,200 yards.
These guns could fire:
• Solid shot (like a bowling ball) that weighed 12 pounds
• Case Shot – which was designed to explode over the enemy’s head
• Cannister – a can the size of a soup can loaded with iron pellets, made the cannon like a
shot gun
•
•
Napoleons were made of brass and were smooth on the inside, not rifled or grooved
Click here for a Google Book site about Civil War Artillery
•
Click to return to picture
Fort C.F. Smith
• Fort C. F. Smith was a small fort constructed
by the Union Army as part of the defense of
Washington, D.C. .
• The fort was constructed by Union troops in
early 1863 and named for Charles Ferguson
Smith. The fort was part of a series of forts along
the Potomac River. Today it is a park
•
Click to return to picture
Civil War Artillery
•
It would take a team of 7 men to fire the gun
•
Each man would have a specific job such as to load the gun and swab the barrel of the gun
•
Click to return to picture
Limber Chest
•
The gun is attached to the limber . The limber was a place for the artillerymen to ride while
the gun was being moved.
•
The limber also contained 50 rounds of ammunition
•
•
Not show in the picture is the cassion, which would be another type of wagon containing
more ammunition and spare parts - such as wheels
This would all be pulled by a team of 6 horses per gun
•
Click to return to picture
The limber is in front
and the caisson behind