G.J.D. Von Scharnhorst

1813 Results of Artillery
and Infantry Gun Trials

review by Jim Birdseye

Translated and published by Bill Leeson, 1992. 100 pages, illustrations, tables, and index, softback spiral. ISBN 1870341 04 X. Are you tired of idle speculation about such factors as ranges, accuracy, penetration of solid shot into earthen embankments, grenade effects in confined and open spaces, rates of fire, and one hundred other ballistic items. So was Sharnhorst. Only he did something about it, he went out and tested the weapons of his day and recorded the information. Bill Leeson has done the English speaking world a major favor by translating this information for us. Those of us that relied on the accounts of rather amateurish, bragging British officers and pompous French accounts now have something solid on which to base our arguments. Scharnhorst's text is not definitive, his samples are small but his evaluation is that of an experienced combat officer. Although a great deal of Warfare is within the laws of science and the physical universe, it is still a human endeavor and subject to the chaos that humans introduce to any subject. Those of you who are interested in the Napoleonic period or the wars of the period 1745-1840 should look at this seriously. The Courier published some of this data in an article years ago and I found it as fascinating then as I do today. Advice, buy one. These excellent source books can be purchased for $24-50 (includes postage) from Bill Leeson, 5 St. Agnells Lane Cottages, Hemel Hemstead, Herts. HP2 7HJ.

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