Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
The american civil war weapons
Technological advancements of the civil war research paper
Technology of weapons during civil war
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: The american civil war weapons
It was May 8th, 1864 at an area in central Virginia, to later be known as the Battle of Spotsylvania. Major General John Sedgwick, commander of the Sixth Army Corps of the Union Army, was with his troops as they probed the Confederate skirmish lines. This act was to determine where to place defensive forces. Maj. Gen. Sedgwick stood with his troops as Brevet Major General Martin T. McMahon gave the order for the troops to move right. As the men rose to execute the order, bullets whistled over head causing some of the men to duck. Maj. Gen. Sedgwick laughed and jokingly said " What! what! men, dodging this way for single bullets! What will you do when they open fire along the whole line? I am ashamed of you. They couldn't hit an elephant at this distance." He repeated the phrase “They couldn't hit an elephant at this distance”. Moments later Maj. Gen. Sedgwick was struck below the left eye by a bullet from a Rebel sharpshooter, mortally wounding him. (McMahon) This is an example of the deadliness of Sharpshooters during the Civil War. They rained death with unnerving accuracy, turning a rifle into a weapon to be feared and causing both physical and emotional damage. The weapons used during the Civil War were crude compared to the technology of the weapons today, but in the hands of trained and skilled men they became a machine to be feared. Federal Weapons of the Civil War The primary long gun of the Union Army was the M-1861 Springfield Rifle. The 1861 Springfield was a .58 Caliber, muzzle loading, single-shot rifle. The 1861 Springfield rifle used the 500 grain .58 caliber bullet and 60 grains of powder. It had a muzzle velocity of 950 Fps and was accurate up to 300 yards with a maximum range of 500 yards. The 1861 Spring... ... middle of paper ... .../findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3905/is_200407/ai_n9455571/ (n.d.). Retrieved July 2009, from Combined Arms Research Library: http://www-cgsc.army.mil/carl/resources/csi/Knapp/knapp.asp#M (n.d.). Retrieved July 2009, from CWArtillery: http://www.cwartillery.com/FA/FA.html (2007, December). Retrieved July 2009, from Georgia's Blue and Gray Trail: http://blueandgraytrail.com/event/1855_Springfield_Rifle Civil War@Smithsonian. (n.d.). Retrieved July 2009, from Smithsonian Institution: http://www.civilwar.si.edu/weapons_enfield.html Company E, Berdans 1st Regiment United States Sharpshooters. (n.d.). Retrieved July 2009, from US Sharpshooters: http://www.ussharpshooters.co.uk/index_files/Page2772.htm McMahon, M. T. (n.d.). The Death of General John Sedgwick. Retrieved July 2009, from Home of the American Civil War: http://www.civilwarhome.com/sedgwickdeath.htm
Fig.1 Seventeen .223 Remington cases and the bullet impact sights on the Sherriff’s County Vehicle.
One weapon used in the Civil War is a Sharps Carbine. It was developed primarily for Calvary, because of the shorter barrel. They were much easier to handle on horse back than their longer brother the Breech-Loader. Sharps were preferred because they could be loaded on a moving horse, something virtually impossible with a Muzzle-Loader. Also, Breech-Loaders carbine which fired moisture proof metallic cartridges, where more reliable than rifles that fired paper cartridges. As I said be fore it is easier to load a Sharps than a Muzzle-Loader. A Muzzle-Loader took 9 long hard steps just to fire one shot. Even the most skilled solder could only get three rounds off in a minute on the old Civil War Muzzle-Loader. And No wonder. After each shot you have to (1) steady the gun on the ground take out a new cartridge out of a belt pouch. (2) Tear open a piece of paper with your teeth. (3) Empty the powder in the barrel and insert a bullet in to the muzzle. (4) Draw the long “rummer” out of its carrying groove under the barrel. (5) ram the bullet all the way down. (6) Return the rod back to its groove. (7) Lift the weapon half-cocked the hammer. (8) Fully cock the hammer, aim, and finally,(9) fire.
...D.INFO. (1993, June 1). US Army Manuals (Field/Training Manuals). Retrieved March 25, 2012, from http://www.enlisted.info/field-manuals/fm-100-5-operations.shtml
The American Civil War is one of the biggest turning points in American history. It marks a point of major separation in beliefs from the North and the South and yet somehow ends in a major unification that is now called the United States of America. It still to date remains the bloodiest war in American History. The book “This Republic of Suffering, death and the American Civil War” by Drew Gilpin Faust better explains the change in thought from the American people that developed from the unexpected mass loss in soldiers that devastated the American people. Throughout this review the reader will better understand the methods and theory of this book, the sources used, the main argument of the book, the major supporting arguments, and what the
IRONCLADS OF THE CIVIL WAR The book I read is called IRONCLADS OF THE CIVIL WAR. When you think of the Civil War you think of land battles, but there were also many battles in the water. The Civil War introduced the Ironclads, which are huge ships made of iron with no sails and very destructive. The first built and launched ironclad was in 1855 and it was named the Merrimac.
Kelly, M. (n.d.). Overview of the American Civil War . American History From About. Retrieved November 14, 2010, from http://americanhistory.about.com/od/civilwarmenu/a/civiloverview.htm
McPherson, James M.; The Atlas of the Civil War. Macmillan: 15 Columbus Circle New York, NY. 1994.
The Civil War had more deaths than all previous wars combined. Most people think those soldiers in the Civil War died of wounds or amputations, but the truth is that most died from common diseases that they never had been exposed to. Twice as many soldiers died from diseases than those soldiers who died in battle.
... ballistics chart & coefficient gundata.org.” 30-0 Ballistics chart & coefficient gundata.org N.p., N.D Web 14 Apr, 2014.
A popular weapon used by both sides was the rifle. Rifles were invented before the Civil War and were greatly used in the War of 1812. However, more types were built and a larger amount was used during the Civil War. Rifles added a spin to bullets for a greater accuracy at longer ranges. Using this weapon, soldiers could fire 400 yards away, as opposed to the average 80 yards (Robertson 50). Rifles were the fastest and hardest weapon of the time. Rifles allowed their bullets to be shot harder and faster towards its target. New inventions, used by the Union more than the Confederate, included Parrott rifles. They were composed of iron. Robert Parker Parrott, an American soldier and inventor, created these weapons, hence the name Parrott rifles. Despite its name, the Parrott rifle was actually a cannon. Its size ranged from 10 to 300 pounders. It was not favored by most because it was considered unsafe (“Civil War Artillery”). Because of its bulkiness and heaviness, it seldom led soldiers to inaccuratel...
The Civil War had many large technological advancements that would greatly evolve warfare. The war introduced the first ironclad ships, the first repeating rifles and carbines, and the first metallic rifle and pistol cartridges. The military didn't solely rely on this new technology, however. Older weapons and other tools were still trusted, such as paper cartridges and smoothbore muskets.
Book Title: The American Civil War: A Handbook of Literature and Research. Contributors: Robin Higham - editor, Steven E. Woodworth - editor. Publisher: Greenwood Press. Place of Publication: Westport, CT. Publication Year: 1996
Introduction: The Infantry faces many different challenges when it comes to making the training realistic and valuable to keep our infantrymen ready to fight in today’s complex operating environment. The term “train as you fight” is not necessarily true when training in a garrison atmosphere. The doctrine or methods of training used by the conventional infantry are outdated and paralyzed with range limitations and unrealistic guidelines and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). The infantryman is a master of his assigned weapon system, and the Army needs to do better at preparing our Soldiers for the battlefield. Marksmanship skills are essential for any unit conveyed to a wartime theater. This paper will examine the four significant army marksmanship
Heidler, David Stephen, and Jeanne T. Heidler, eds. Encyclopedia of the American Civil War: a
These kinds of weapons were impractical for military use, but attracted many people to the arms race for weapons that could sweep the battlefield. “They had limitations in practice, among them slow re...