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JJDESIGNS NEWS UPDATE 21[SUP]st[/SUP] NOVEMBER 2022
THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR
THE FIRST BATTLE OF MANASSAS, 1861
ARMY OF THE SHENANDOAH,
THE 1[SUP]st[/SUP] BRIGADE, VIRGINIA VOLUNTEERS,
ROCKBRIDGE ARTILLERY
The Rockbridge Artillery was initially formed from 70 recruits from Lexington who accepted an ex-West Pointer and church minister, William Nelson Pendleton, as their captain.
They were destined to become one of the most illustrious batteries in the army of Northern Virginia.
The Rockbridge Artillery was a popular unit throughout its existence and rarely experienced difficulty in recruiting.
The battery started out with two brass cannon from Virginia Military Institute, then another two gained from the State Armoury in Richmond.
Four gun batteries were common especially in the Confederate service.
These four guns of the Rockbridge Artillery were christened Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, the “Four Apostles”.
The Rockbridge Artillery first saw action on 2[SUP]nd[/SUP] July 1861, at Falling Waters, with one of its pieces firing the first Confederate artillery shot in the Shenandoah Valley.
The company’s real baptism of fire occurred at First Manassas on 21[SUP]st[/SUP] July, at the fight for Henry Hill. Jackson organized his brigade into line, 150 yards or so behind the forward crest of the hill. It was an excellent position, of the type often used by the Duke of Wellington.
The woods immediately behind offered good cover. The men would be invisible to the enemy guns and infantry until the moment when they emerged on the plateau within close range.
In the centre of his line Jackson placed his battery of artillery.
The battery commander was usually a captain.
Two guns formed a section, under a lieutenant.
On the Command “Load”, Crewman Number 1 sponges the bore as 2 receives the round from 5 and places it in the muzzle.
Number 3 closes the vent as 1 rams’ the round home.
The gunner or the corporal who aims the gun, steps to the breech to sight the piece, while 3 drops back to the trail handspike and shifts the gun according to the gunners direction.
Number 5, meanwhile, returns to the limber and gets a new round from 6 and 7, who have cut the fuse according to the gunners shouted orders. When the gun is aimed, the gunner steps back to observe the effects of the shot and commands “Ready”.
At this point, 1 and 2 stand clear.
Number 3 shoves the pick through the vent and into the powder bag. Then number 4 hooks a friction primer to the lanyard and inserts the primer in the vent.
Number 3 holds the primer, while 4 steps back, holding the lanyard slack.
Now the gunner commands “Fire”
Number 3 steps back from the wheel, and pulls the lanyard, firing the piece.
At the same time, Number 5 delivers the next round to Number 2.
When the gun has recoiled, the crew pushes it back into position, and the sequence begins again with the command “Load”.
On the march each gun was hooked up behind a limber, which carried an ammunition chest, and was drawn by six, but usually 4 horses.
Each gun had its caisson, carrying extra ammunition chests.
These two units made a platoon, commanded by a sergeant (Chief of Piece) and two corporals.
Each battery was accompanied by a traveling forge, a battery wagon carrying tents and supplies, and usually six more caissons carrying reserve ammunition. There were also extra wagons for fodder etc.
Each team of four had 2 drivers who rode the horses on the left side.
The usual gun crew consisted of nine men.
If the battery was designated as light artillery, the cannoneers either rode on the ammunition chests or walked besides their piece.
If it was horse artillery they would each ride a horse. Two additional men acted as horse holders in action.
Cannoneers were seated on the ammunition chests. As a general rule they rode on the ammunition chests only for rapid movement. When in range of enemy guns, the drill books recommended that they dismount lest an exploding caisson cause severe casualties.
However as most movements under fire were rapid, the crews rode on their powder kegs and took their chances.
Usually a folded tarpaulin would be strapped to the lid of each ammunition chest, which would help as riding over rough ground could be a spine jolting experience. An artilleryman sent flying from his seat was lucky to escape with nothing worse than a broken bone or two. The pounding hoofs and wheels of a battery at the gallop were universally dreaded.
The pace of field or horse artillery was the same as that of the cavalry, which was around 5 miles an hour over smooth roads and with horses in good condition, but this could not be done for any length of time.
When hills were steep the columns were halted, the teams doubled, and the canoneers and anyone else nearby gave a hand at the wheels.
Batteries usually manouevered at a trot, with the gallop reserved for great emergency.
From the command “Action Front”, a battery could come into action and fire one round in twenty five seconds.
The valises strapped on the valise saddles of the off-horses held the personal effects of the drivers.
The guidon bearer rode boot to boot with the lead driver.
The guidon was once a sergeant’s scarlet sash, tied on a rammer staff to mark the line for the battery when it formed front.
The Rockbridge Artillery remained with the Stonewall Brigade until about the middle of October 1862, when upon the reorganization of the artillery, it was assigned to Colonel John Thompson Brown’s Battalion, Reserve Artillery, Second Corps.
The first of The Rockbridge Artillery will be available in the Spring 2023.
Best wishes and many thanks,
john jenkins
THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR
THE FIRST BATTLE OF MANASSAS, 1861
ARMY OF THE SHENANDOAH,
THE 1[SUP]st[/SUP] BRIGADE, VIRGINIA VOLUNTEERS,
ROCKBRIDGE ARTILLERY
The Rockbridge Artillery was initially formed from 70 recruits from Lexington who accepted an ex-West Pointer and church minister, William Nelson Pendleton, as their captain.
They were destined to become one of the most illustrious batteries in the army of Northern Virginia.
The Rockbridge Artillery was a popular unit throughout its existence and rarely experienced difficulty in recruiting.
The battery started out with two brass cannon from Virginia Military Institute, then another two gained from the State Armoury in Richmond.
Four gun batteries were common especially in the Confederate service.
These four guns of the Rockbridge Artillery were christened Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, the “Four Apostles”.
The Rockbridge Artillery first saw action on 2[SUP]nd[/SUP] July 1861, at Falling Waters, with one of its pieces firing the first Confederate artillery shot in the Shenandoah Valley.
The company’s real baptism of fire occurred at First Manassas on 21[SUP]st[/SUP] July, at the fight for Henry Hill. Jackson organized his brigade into line, 150 yards or so behind the forward crest of the hill. It was an excellent position, of the type often used by the Duke of Wellington.
The woods immediately behind offered good cover. The men would be invisible to the enemy guns and infantry until the moment when they emerged on the plateau within close range.
In the centre of his line Jackson placed his battery of artillery.
The battery commander was usually a captain.
Two guns formed a section, under a lieutenant.
On the Command “Load”, Crewman Number 1 sponges the bore as 2 receives the round from 5 and places it in the muzzle.
Number 3 closes the vent as 1 rams’ the round home.
The gunner or the corporal who aims the gun, steps to the breech to sight the piece, while 3 drops back to the trail handspike and shifts the gun according to the gunners direction.
Number 5, meanwhile, returns to the limber and gets a new round from 6 and 7, who have cut the fuse according to the gunners shouted orders. When the gun is aimed, the gunner steps back to observe the effects of the shot and commands “Ready”.
At this point, 1 and 2 stand clear.
Number 3 shoves the pick through the vent and into the powder bag. Then number 4 hooks a friction primer to the lanyard and inserts the primer in the vent.
Number 3 holds the primer, while 4 steps back, holding the lanyard slack.
Now the gunner commands “Fire”
Number 3 steps back from the wheel, and pulls the lanyard, firing the piece.
At the same time, Number 5 delivers the next round to Number 2.
When the gun has recoiled, the crew pushes it back into position, and the sequence begins again with the command “Load”.
On the march each gun was hooked up behind a limber, which carried an ammunition chest, and was drawn by six, but usually 4 horses.
Each gun had its caisson, carrying extra ammunition chests.
These two units made a platoon, commanded by a sergeant (Chief of Piece) and two corporals.
Each battery was accompanied by a traveling forge, a battery wagon carrying tents and supplies, and usually six more caissons carrying reserve ammunition. There were also extra wagons for fodder etc.
Each team of four had 2 drivers who rode the horses on the left side.
The usual gun crew consisted of nine men.
If the battery was designated as light artillery, the cannoneers either rode on the ammunition chests or walked besides their piece.
If it was horse artillery they would each ride a horse. Two additional men acted as horse holders in action.
Cannoneers were seated on the ammunition chests. As a general rule they rode on the ammunition chests only for rapid movement. When in range of enemy guns, the drill books recommended that they dismount lest an exploding caisson cause severe casualties.
However as most movements under fire were rapid, the crews rode on their powder kegs and took their chances.
Usually a folded tarpaulin would be strapped to the lid of each ammunition chest, which would help as riding over rough ground could be a spine jolting experience. An artilleryman sent flying from his seat was lucky to escape with nothing worse than a broken bone or two. The pounding hoofs and wheels of a battery at the gallop were universally dreaded.
The pace of field or horse artillery was the same as that of the cavalry, which was around 5 miles an hour over smooth roads and with horses in good condition, but this could not be done for any length of time.
When hills were steep the columns were halted, the teams doubled, and the canoneers and anyone else nearby gave a hand at the wheels.
Batteries usually manouevered at a trot, with the gallop reserved for great emergency.
From the command “Action Front”, a battery could come into action and fire one round in twenty five seconds.
The valises strapped on the valise saddles of the off-horses held the personal effects of the drivers.
The guidon bearer rode boot to boot with the lead driver.
The guidon was once a sergeant’s scarlet sash, tied on a rammer staff to mark the line for the battery when it formed front.
The Rockbridge Artillery remained with the Stonewall Brigade until about the middle of October 1862, when upon the reorganization of the artillery, it was assigned to Colonel John Thompson Brown’s Battalion, Reserve Artillery, Second Corps.
The first of The Rockbridge Artillery will be available in the Spring 2023.
Best wishes and many thanks,
john jenkins
