Artillery, the Queen of Battle, the Arm of Decision. When properly employed, artillery has been the decisive factor in many campaigns and battles. Such was the case at Gettysburg, July 1863. Many historians credit the artillery of the Union's Army of the Potomac with the hard fought victory.
During the Gettysburg Campaign, the artillery of the Army of the Potomac consisted of 67 batteries fielding 354 guns.
These guns were both smooth bore and rifled, both types having their strengths and weaknesses. The rifled fieldpiece was considered up to 10 times more accurate than the smoothbore, but the smoothbore was much more effective at close range firing cannister, and had a faster rate of fire. There were various types of each gun at Gettysburg, including 3 inch Rodmans, commonly called Ordnance Rifles, 12 pound Napoleons, 10 and 20 pound Parrott, James Rifles and a few Howizters for good measure. However, the 12 pound Napoleon and the 3 inch rifles were the most common, accounting for 80% of the guns fielded.
The 12 pound Napoleon was considered by most Redlegs to be the best smoothbore ever fielded. Manufactured of Bronze, these guns were light and mobile and considered very safe; there is no record of any, ever, having burst or exploding during firing. This was an important detail sure to endear any gun to this crew.
This gun had an effective range of 1620 yards firing shot or case, but was most effective firing cannister under 300 yards. Its rate of fire was 2 aimed shots of solid or case or 4 shots of cannister per minute by an experienced crew. This weapon was so highly regarded by both armies, that Confederate Commander in Chief Robert E. Lee recommended to his War Department in 1862 that all 6 pound guns then in service be melted down and recast as 12 pound Napoleons.
The 3 inch Ordnance Rifle, or Rodman Gun, as its name implies, was a rifled field piece, with an effective range of 1830 yards. This gun was most effective firing case or explosive shells at enemy infantry formations. Bolts, which is the name of solid shot when fired from a rifled gun, tended to bury itself harmlessly in the ground, while the rifled barrel tended to disperse cannister too widely to be effective at close range. This gun was manufactured of iron and was a favorite of the horse artillery. At Gettysburg, 41 % of the artillery consisted of 3 inch rifles. It also had a long service life, some guns were still in use on 1907 in some National Guard units.
The 10 pound Parrott Rifle was also manufactured of iron, but can be distinguished by a heavy reinforcing band around the breech. Unfortunately, these guns had a bad reputation of bursting just ahead of these bands during continuous firing. It had an effective range of 1850 yards, but was not as accurate as the 3 inch Rifle, and the shells were too light to be really effective, which is why the 20 pound Parrott came into use.
The 20 pound Parrott was basically the big brother, designed to overcome the shortcomings of the 10 pound Parrott. Its range was 1900 yards and its ammunition was a bit more effective. Unfortunately, it shared the disagreeable characteristic of bursting in front of the reinforcing band. about the best that could be said of these 2 guns were that they were cheap and easy to manufacture.
The 12 pound howitzer was generally being replaced by the Napoleon by this time, but the Union army did have 2, 12 pound Howizters at Gettysburg. The Howizter fired in a higher more loping trajectory, and was useful in dropping shells behind fieldworks. Its effective range was 1070 yards. Manufactured of brass, the howizter differed from guns by having a reduced breech, which compressed the powder charge, permitting use of less powder for the same size shot.
The James Rifle was actually a 6 pound smoothbore which had rifling grooves cut into its bore. As the elongated bolt it fired usually weighted twice as much a solid shot, a 6 pound became a 12 pounder. Being made of bronze, which is relatively soft, the James guns tended to wear out quickly. 'Me effective range was 1700 yards.
Union artillery carriages and cassions were generally painted a dark olive drab, with black hardware and fittings, barrels were either brass or black iron.
Normal organization was for each battery to field either 4 or 6 guns of the same type; which aided logistics and supply. The batteries were assigned to an Artillery Brigade, and one brigade was assigned to each infantry corps. There was also an artillery reserve consisting of 5 Brigades attached to the Army for general support.
The horse artillery differed from the standard foot Artillery by having every member of the Battery mounted. The horse artillery at Gettysburg consisted of 44 guns (all 3 inch Rifles) divided into 2 brigades.
ORDER FOR BATTLE FOR THE ARTILLERY AT GETTSYBURG
FIRST CORPS
-
Maine Light, 2nd Battery (B) 6 3 inch rifles
Maine Light, 5th Battery (E) 6 12 lb. Napoleons
Ist New York Light, Batteries L & F 6 3 inch rifles
I st Pennsylvania Light, Battery B 4 3 inch rifles
4th United States, Battery B 6 12 lb. Napoleons
SECOND CORPS
-
lst New York Light, Battery B & 14th New York
Battery 4 10 lb. Parrotts
1st Rhode Island Light, Battery A 6 3 inch rifles
1st Rhode Island Light, Battery B 6 12 lb. Napoleons
1st United States, Batteyr 16 12 lb. Napoleons
4th United State, Battery A 6 3 inch rifles
THIRD CORPS
-
New Jersey Light, 2nd Battery 6 10 lb. Parrotts
1st New York Light, Battery D 6 12 lb. Napoleons
New York Light, 4th Battery 6 10 lb. Parrotts
lst Rhode Island Light, Battery E 6 12 lb. Napoleons
4th United States, Battery K 6 12 lb Napoleons
FIFTH CORPS
-
Massachusetts Light, 3rd Battery (c) 6 12 lb.
Napoleons
lst New York Light, Battery C 4 3 inch rifles
1st Ohio Light, Battery L 6 12 lb. Napoleons
5th United States, Battery D 6 10 lb. Parrotts
5th United States, Battery 14 3 inch rifles
SIXTH CORPS
-
Massachusetts Light, Ist Battery (A) 6 10 lb.
Parrotts
New York Light, Ist Battery 6 3 inch rifles
New York Light, 3rd Battery 6 3 inch rifles
1st Rhode Island light, Battery C 6 10 lb. Parrotts
1st Rhode Island Light, Battery G 6 10 lb. Parrotts
2nd United States, Battery D 6 12 lb. Napoleons
2nd United States, Battery G 6 12 lb. Napoleons
5th United States, Battery F 6 12 lb. Napoleons
ELEVENTH CORPS
-
1st New York Light, Battery 16 3 inch rifles
New York Light, 13th Battery 4 3 inch rifles
1st Ohio Light, Battery 16 12 lb. Napoleons
1st Ohio Light, Battery K 4 12 lb. Napoleons
4th United States, Battery G 6 12 lb. Napoleons
TWELFTH CORPS
-
1st New York Light, Battery M 4 10 lb. Parrotts
Pennsylvania Light, Battery E 6 10 lb. Parrotts
4th United States, Battery F 6 12 lb. Napoleons
5th United States, Battery K 4 12 lb. Napoleons
ARTILLERY RESERVE
FIRST REGULAR BRIGADE
-
1st United States Battery H 6 12 lb. Napoleons
3rd United States, Battery F 7 K 6 12 lb. Napoleons
4th United States, Battery C 6 12 lb. Napoleons
5th United States, Battery C 6 12 lb. Napoleons
FIRST VOLUNTEER BRIGADE
-
Massachusetts Light, 5th Btry (E) & 10th New York
Battery 6 3 inch rifles
Massachusetts Light, 9th Battery 4 12 lb. Napoleons
New York Light, 15 Battery 4 12 lb. Napoleons
Pennsylvania Light, Batteries C & F 6 3 inch rifles
SECOND VOLUNTEER BRIGADE
-
Connecticut Light, 2nd battery 4 James rifles
7 2 12 lb. howizters
New York Light, 5th Battery 6 20 lb. Parrotts
THIRD VOLUNTEER BRIGADE
-
New Hampshire Light, 1st Battery 6 3 inch rifles
1st Ohio Light, Battery H 6 3 inch rifles
1st Pennsylvania Light, Batteries F 7 G 6 3 inch rifles
West Virginia Light, Battery C 4 10 lb. Parrotts
FOURTH VOLUNTEER BRIGADE
-
Maine Light, 6th Battery (F) 4 12 lb. Napoleons
Maryland Light, Battery A 6 3 inch rifles
New Jersey Light, lst Battery 6 10 lb. Parrotts
1st New York Light, Battery G 12 lb. Napoleons
1st New York Light, Battery K & 11th New York Battery 6 3 inch rifles
REFERENCES
1. Artillery Thru the AgesA by Albert Manucey
2. ARound Shot and Rammers by Harold Peterson
3. AOfficial Records.. After Action Report,
General Henry Hunt
4. Cannons by Dan Thomas
5. Confederate States of America, 1863 Ordnance Manual
6. The Man Behind the Guns by Lonacre
7. Civil War Artillery Manual, Notes and Drawings by Henry Huiebner unpublished
manuscript.
Notes:
1. Caution must be used when discussing maximum ranges, as it was difficult to find two references that would agree. If I erred, I tried to be conservative.
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