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This style of gun was the artillery of choice for Napoleon, considering they were lighter by one third than the cannons of any other country. For example, the barrel of the British 12-pounder weighed 3,150 pounds, and the gun with carriage and limber about 6,500 lb (2,900 kg).
The "12-pounder Napoleon" was widely admired because of its safety, reliability, and killing power, especially at close range. It was the last cast bronze gun used by an American army. The Union version of the Napoleon can be recognized by the flared front end of the barrel, called the muzzle swell. Confederate Napoleons were produced in at ...
Artillery was the most devastating weapon on the field during the Napoleonic era, and its use could leave the enemy troops demoralised. [13] Solid metal cannonballs (also known as a "round shot") were commonly used artillery ammunition. They were effective against square formations and heavily packed columns when fired almost parallel to the ...
The Napoleon was mounted on a carriage weighing 1,128 lb (511.7 kg). [22] The Napoleon fired the same ammunition and propellent charges as the M1841 12-pounder field gun, but its tube and carriage were 577 lb (261.7 kg) lighter than those of the older artillery piece. [23] A 6-gun Union battery of Napoleons was made up of three 2-gun sections.
The greatest use of Gribeauval guns came during the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. During the latter wars, the 12-pounder was often employed in corps artillery reserves. Because of their physical and psychological effect, Emperor Napoleon increased the number of 12-pounders in his artillery and fondly called the cannons his ...
It was first used during the Tudor period [2] and was commonly used during the Napoleonic Wars, 1799–1815. At this time 12-pounders were the largest caliber of long-barreled field pieces, and were used both at long range against fortifications and troop concentrations using round shot and against attacking infantry and cavalry using canister ...
The 1-pounder Rostaing gun and the Swedish 4-pounder battalion guns were retained from the previous system. [4] Gribeauval's reforms encompassed not only the cannons but also the gun carriages, limbers, ammunition chests, and the accompanying tools. [5] The system's field guns included 4-, 8-, and 12-pounder cannons and 6- and 8-inch howitzers.
These two guns had not appeared adequate against enemy 6-pdr guns. [ 4 ] In order to define the new improved system, Napoleon formed a committee of Artillery on 29 December 1801, presided by general Augustin Gabriel d'Aboville , First Inspector of Artillery.