Civil War History - The Eastern TheaterDiscuss any and all battles, movements, and events occuring in the Eastern Theater here! This includes any actions in tha area east of the Appalachian Mountains in the vicinity of the river capitals of Richmond and Washington D.C.
The artillery piece is a bronze Napoleon, probably a 12- pounder, the most common variety used in the war. The Napoleon is a smooth bore gun; it's greenish tinge is a giveaway of its' copper (in bronze) composition. Napoleons are frequent pieces seen on Civil War battlefields- this one is a beauty.
Was at Antietam a number of years ago, taking my son who was doing a school report on the battle. It is wonderfully maintained, interspersed with sections of private property, also well maintained. After reading for years of this battle, Dunker Church, Miller's Cornfield, Hagerstown Pike, Burnside's Bridge, Bloody Lane, the horrific casualties - what awed and amazed me was the compactness of the field, everything is close by and pretty much visible from where you are. Unlike Gettysburg with its broader spaces, everything at Antietam happened pretty much right underfoot. A beautiful field now left us of what could only have been ugly ugly horrible days.
Haven't been to Shiloh, but I understand it is like that there as well.
__________________ 'It is the soldier, not the reporter, who has given us freedom of the press. It is the soldier, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech. It is the soldier, not the campus organizer, who has given us the freedom to demonstrate. It is the soldier, who salutes the flag, who serves beneath the flag, whose coffin is draped by the flag, who allows the protester to burn the flag'
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Last edited by ewc; 09-20-2005 at 12:46 PM.
Reason: cleaning up
Shiloh is at least equally as awesome; however, you can't see diddly from one spot. Actually, you can't see diddly from any spot. You have to go from spot to spot with map in hand to see from which direction who advanced. Much, much broader scale.
Ole
Ole- thanks for clearing that up for me. I meant but didn't explain well that Shiloh has the haunting beauty of a dreadful field like Antietam does. I think also that not being able to see anything was one of the problems the soldiers experienced during that battle.
Lifeisgood, also about that Napoleon field gun, it is probably of Union manufacture- note the muzzle swell- the belling of the muzzle mouth which served to reenforce this end of the cannon. Napoleons of Confederate manufacture tended to be straight tubes without the belling.
The Parrott gun is rifled and of cast iron manufacture (the Napoleon is smooth bore and usually bronze), Parrotts are identified easily by being thinnish dark straight tubes (iron is stronger than bronze), with reenforcing iron bands around the breech. These are shrunk onto the cast cannon to help the breech end of the cannon absorb the force of the exploding powder. Napoleons are thicker, greenish, and not quite as long. Worry not, when you see these pieces on the battlefield, you will be able to identify them. ed
And thank you for the great pictures!
__________________ 'It is the soldier, not the reporter, who has given us freedom of the press. It is the soldier, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech. It is the soldier, not the campus organizer, who has given us the freedom to demonstrate. It is the soldier, who salutes the flag, who serves beneath the flag, whose coffin is draped by the flag, who allows the protester to burn the flag'
__________________ "Any people with contempt for their heritage have lost faith in themselves and no nation can long survive without pride in its traditions"
Winston Churchill
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