Civil war artillery is a comprehensive website on civil war artillery maintained by author and photographer jack w. Civil war weapons main weapons in the civil war civil. Civil war artillery essential civil war curriculum. This beautifully illustrated book provides that detail in respect of the weapons, uniforms and equipment of the war from the infantrymans simple rifleandbayonet. There were old standbys like the famous bowie knife, as well as advanced weapons like the whitworth rifle. The civil war was fought all over the united states, although mainly in the south. Index of civil war information available on the internet. If you are a civil war buff, this book is a must have. The book details the pistols, revolvers, carbines, rifles, longarms, artillery, swords and edged weapons used in the conflict, and reveals fascinating stories and facts about each type. The american civil war in pictures part 1, 18611865. Below is a description of english civil war weapons.
Reference books on the civil war the books on this highly selective list are shelved in alic. The civil war witnessed a technological revolution in weaponry. Weapons there were many changes to the armament and science of war warfare that occurred during the american civil war. There are over 60,000 books on the war, with more appearing each month. See the map of the archives i library, room g30 to find the location of the materials in the library. They inflicted huge casualties on the 12,500 men who attacked the. However, the simple pike still had its purposes, as edged weapons were wielded alongside mortars, cannons, and muskets.
Field artillery weapons of the civil war is the definitive reference work for civil war cannon used in the field. The civil war was a conflict during which both sides experimented with old and new methods, machines, and weapons all of which were dependent upon developing technologies. Mameluke sword i have found a number of different sources that reference the mameluke sword above as a civil war weapon, but i cant find any sources actually speaking of its use during the war. New research includes the discovery of lost information on many of the commercial gun makers. The book details the pistols, revolvers, carbines, rifles, longarms, artillery, swords and edged weapons used in the conflict, and reveals fascinating stories and facts about each type of weapon and the men who used them in the civil war. Hardee later to become a confederate lieutenant general updated it to include information on rifles, but he still assumed the use of linear formations in the book. Read more about the civil war in our learning center. Facts on civil war weapons by tamara christine van hooser. Authors james lincoln collier and christopher collier stated in 2012, no event in american history has been so thoroughly studied, not merely by historians, but by tens of thousands of other americans who have made the war their hobby. The mameluke sword has a very interesting history, but its connection to the civil war is somewhat uncertain. The civil war ended on april 9, 1865 when general robert e.
Civil war weapons showcases studio photographs of the weapons used to fight the war between the states, along with illustrations and beautiful color paintings. Visit website the artillery reserve organization was formed by federal civil war artillery reenacting units to reenact the function of the light field artillery of the american civil war. This was highlighted by a changeover in shoulderfired weapons from smoothbore firearms that had to be loaded through the muzzle each time a shot was fired to rifledbarrel firearms, some of which loaded at the breech. Nothing else approaches its structured grouping and organization of the diverse and confused world of american civil war field guns. During the war, a variety of weapons were used on both sides. Reference books on the civil war national archives.
United states history civil war, 18611865 include extended shelves you can also browse an alphabetical list from this subject or from. It was released in the united states on september 22, 1992. Interesting facts about the weapons of the civil war. Weapons used in the war between the states ranged from guns, knives and swords for personal combat to large cannons for battlefield combat. Civil war weapons the belief that the union navy would be critical in determining the outcome of the war was not misplaced. Topics covered include slavery, the impact of the civil war on civilians, major battles, a soldiers life and women in the civil war. These weapons include edged weapons such as knives, swords, and bayonets, firearms such as, rifledmuskets, breech loaders and repeating weapons, various field guns such as artillery, and new weapons such as the early grenade. Search the librarys online public access catalog to find holdings of general books on the civil war era, including military histories, bibliographies, and guides to other state and. However, this is not a book for everyone since it is quite focused on the specifications. The american civil war in pictures part 1, 18611865 this september 1862 photo provided by the library of congress shows allan pinkerton on horseback during the battle of antietam, near sharpsburg, maryland.
The guns of the south is an alternate history novel set during the american civil war by harry turtledove. The american civil war bibliography comprises books that deal in large part with the american civil war. The cook firm produced exceptionally wellmade weapons patterned after english enfield types. The fighting started at fort sumter in south carolina on april 12, 1861. Many weapons were used in the the civil war from knives to swords along with a variety of firearms, including rifles, pistols, muskets, and repeating weapons. The impact of an atomic strike, from todays civil defence early 1960s. In paperback for the first time, the book provides technical descriptions of the artillery bore, weight, range, etc. A helpful teachers resource teaching civil war for kids. Field artillery weapons of the civil war, revised edition. When war broke out between the north and the south in 1861, the united states was still a growing nation, living with traditions of the past and beginning to improve life with new technological advances of the future. Evaluating internet research sources civil war information. American civil war swords and weapons atlanta cutlery. List of weapons in the american civil war wikipedia. Video from handguns to field artillery, heres a look at the top five.
The experienced colonel franz sigel commanded 1,100 federal soldiers intent on keeping missouri within the union. The minie ball emerged as the most deadly bullet of the war. Appendixes provide information on surviving artillery pieces and their current locations in museums and. Rifles in the american civil war military wiki fandom. Many technological advances in weaponry occurred during the civil war, rendering the weapons far more lethal and contributing to the enormous casualties of that war. It had a hollow base and a round nose and was smaller than the diameter of the barrel, making it easier to load and fire. The story deals with a group of timetravelling white supremacist members of the afrikaner weerstandsbeweging awb from an imagined 21stcentury south africa, who attempt to. The missouri state guard was commanded by governor claiborne f. The seventeenthcentury english civil war witnessed the evolution of personal and portable firearms.
Many books about the civil war are shelved in the archives i library in library of congress classifications e456e655, u military science, f local history or others. The engagement near carthage, also known as the battle of carthage, took place at the beginning of the american civil war on july 5, 1861, near carthage, missouri. From the early battles that relied on muzzleloaded weapons, to the introduction of submarines, handguns, shoulder arms, edged weapons and more, this book chronicles the history of an innovative age of weaponry. The american civil war, which lasted from 1861 to 1865, forced military leaders to rethink standard tactics. Many guns were used in the civil war, including rifles, handguns, muskets and bullets. Small arms of the civil war american battlefield trust.
Civil war cannons were the lions of the battlefield. In this section you will find information about then new weapons, such as iron clad ships, the gatling gun, observation balloons, repeating rifles, and the submarine. War is a driver for technological change, and the evolution of weapons can be seen by studying the design of the civil war weapons cataloged in this attractive fullcolor reference book. The american civil war, fought between the union and confederate forces, took place from. This device is easy to manoeuvre and can be used by one man alone. They were instrumental in defeating general robert e. The new england state of connecticut played an important role in the american civil war, providing arms, equipment, technology, money, supplies, and manpower for the union army, as well as the union navy. Repeating rifles were mostly available to union troops and gave them a distinct advantage over the south near the end of the war.
Not all the weapons used during the civil war were shiny new inventions, however. Well written with a timeline, maps, step by step civil war projects, as well as photos. Civil war for kids teaching our rich history to our kids. In this book researchers craig barry and david burt provide a fresh look at the incredible impact the english had on supplying the confederacy and its effect on the u. Atlantacutlery brings to you a wide collection of american civil war swords, guns and other weapons. Four corners books a new history of the governments cold war public information reveals a range of. State adjutant generals reports for the civil war in the national archives library civil war state adjutant generals reports held by alic. A compilation of important data and other interesting and valuable matter relating to the war. Armies and soldiers genealogy general government documents guides to records in the national archives laws maps military operations personal papers and other archival collections the list below is highly selective.
The whitworth was invented in england prior to the war, but due to its cost it did not receive much use until the confederates began using it as a sniper rifle during the civil war. It was more accurate than the ammunition it replaced and easy to produce in quantity. It will also be a great help to civil war reenactors, as there are numerous paintings of soldiers. There are many, many photographs of uniforms, weapons, buttons and medals that have been preserved from this tragic time in american history. The illustrated directory of uniforms, weapons, and. Abolition and slavery agricultureanimal husbandry animalsveterinary science archaeology architecture archives and special collections art battles battlefields biological sciences books and magazines booksellers. Photography was invented not too long before the war.
Some of the new weapon technologies used in the civil war include rifled gun barrels, the minie ball and repeating rifles. The civil war in the united states began in 1861, after decades of simmering tensions between northern and southern states over slavery, states rights and westward expansion. Nonetheless, hardees book was produced in a huge variety of editions during the war, often for different types of infantry. Jackson himself and numbered over 4,000 soldiers led by. An immediate study of the southern coast was undertaken and included the largest cannons in the military that guarded the american shores with its numerous, well situated forts. The scars of that devastating internecine conflict of almost a century and a half ago have long since disappeared, but there remains a seemingly insatiable desire to learn more of the circumstances and the detail of the war.
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