An Artillery Question (Most Shots Fired)

Is that a loaded question :D

Battery B, 1st NJ Artillery at Gettysburg of course! (although wait, isn't that record in a single day?)
 
I think I know the answer but if someone could conferm it I would be thankful! What federal battery fired more rounds in a single battle then any other battery during the war? Thanks.
http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=...mmunition, the most ever fired by the&f=false

May 1864 during the Overland campaign.
Our Battery kept up its fire all day and night,” recorded Corporal Barber. ... In total,Battery G expended 873 rounds of ammunition, the most ever fired by the command ina single engament.
 
Battery B, 1st NJ Artillery's 6 Parrott Rifles fired 1,342 rounds of ammunition on July 2nd at the Peach Orchard during the Battle of Gettysburg, considered the most rounds fired by a single battery in a single day before or during the war, so yes, that's a single day record.
 
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Which brings up the question: What was the U.S. government rating/expectation on the number of rounds that could be fired out of a Parrot Rifle before it was expected to fail?
 
Which brings up the question: What was the U.S. government rating/expectation on the number of rounds that could be fired out of a Parrot Rifle before it was expected to fail?
Not sure about the answer to that question, but after Gettysburg the Battery B Parrotts were considered unserviceable, I think the rifling was "shot out", all guns were soon replaced with Napoleons. We are talking 10 lb. Parrotts in this case, which were pretty reliable. I think the 20 lb Parrotts and their tendency to have barrel failures unfortunately gave all Parrotts a bad reputation historically.
 
http://www.gettysburg.stonesentinels.com/NJ/1NJArtBatB.php

List 1300 from that location, but of course the formation fired from other locations earlier.
2 to 7, o clock, thats 5 hours duration. thats 18000 seconds. To fire 1300 rounds then ment a round every 13 seconds.

Robert's Hand-Book of Artillery, the fifth edition being pblished in 1863 and incorporating the lessons of the war to date, states this:

"31. What number of rounds can be fired from a field gun in one minute?

"Two solid shot or spherical case, or three of canister."

Roberts was a major of volunteer artillery in 1863, and based the above figures on his experience with volunteer gunners, not long service regulars, who would achive a higher rate of course.

The point of course is that its unlikly the Bty spent 5 hours firing cannister, faster than anyone else could.

Do you have a rate of fire for 10pd Parrot?, i looked but did not see one readily.
 
To fire 1300 rounds then ment a round every 13 seconds.

....

The point of course is that its unlikly the Bty spent 5 hours firing cannister, faster than anyone else could.

Do you have a rate of fire for 10pd Parrot?, i looked but did not see one readily.

Don't forget that's 6 guns working at a rate of 13 seconds combined, that's more than a minute per shot per gun, much more manageable. Still, it's a major feat to keep up such a rate with a muzzle loader during a battle.

Two to three shots a minute sounds like a good estimate. It entirely depends on training/experience, type of ammo (fixed or not), how desperate you are (do you care if you loose a limb to the cannon?), and do you care about aiming.

In an emergency I can see skipping sponging between shots, just ramming the powder bag and shot down the gun, skip aiming, just sort of point the gun, and just pulling the cord on the friction primer every 20 seconds.

Look here as well: http://civilwarwiki.net/wiki/10_pdr._Parrott_Rifle
 
16200 1800
120 20
135 90

225

1350


I got around 135 long range, and 90 cannister rounds per gun, at 1 round very 2 mins at long range ( i guess slightly quicker as range shortened and slightly longer at opening range ) then switching to rapid short range cannister ever 20 seconds.
 
Which brings up the question: What was the U.S. government rating/expectation on the number of rounds that could be fired out of a Parrot Rifle before it was expected to fail?

The problem with Parrotts is that you really couldn't tell. Some fired thousands of rounds without problems, others failed after only a few rounds. Muzzle failures were the most common, some were caused by premature detonation of fuses. With failures near the breech some gave indications such as loosening of the band, cracks, etc. The 10 pounders were less likely to burst catastrophically.

The larger calibers were more prone to failure. Cast iron of the time was likely to have hidden weaknesses, so the thicker the casting the greater the risk. CSA made 30 pounder Parrotts were some of the most dangerious, such as the two that burst at Fredericksburg on the 39th and 54th discharges.
 
The 10 pounders were less likely to burst catastrophically.

I'd contend that there isn't a single shred of documentary evidence that any certified 10 pdr Parrott manufactured at West Point Foundry ever had a catastrophic burst during normal service use, it's a myth.

That's not to say that the Ordnance Rifle wasn't superior, being lighter and stronger, and the 20 pdr was certainly a problem, but don't keep perpetuating this rumor that 10 pdrs were ever dangerous.
 
Thanks for the answer it is what I expected. Yes, I meant most rounds in a battle in one day. Their monument at Gettysburg say's 1300 rounds in 5 hours, that is more exercise in those 5 hours by these men then most people get in a year! What is even more incredible,is only one of the men in the unit was killed that day. I came across a story that said the 21 Miss. infantry was coming after the guns and one of the rebs said to the Jersey boys "we want those guns" and was told "go to hell " we aren't done with them" (or something like that). does anyone know if this is true?
 
I'd contend that there isn't a single shred of documentary evidence that any certified 10 pdr Parrott manufactured at West Point Foundry ever had a catastrophic burst during normal service use, it's a myth.

That's not to say that the Ordnance Rifle wasn't superior, being lighter and stronger, and the 20 pdr was certainly a problem, but don't keep perpetuating this rumor that 10 pdrs were ever dangerous.

It's possible that you are correct about the 10 pdr because I can't recall specific instances of Federal made ones bursting. It is difficult to prove a negative in such common piece, and the problems with other Parrotts were widespread making it even more challenging. Inferior CSA Parrott copies also muddy the water.

I tried to locate something definitive one way or the other, but am drawing a blank so far. At the beginning of the section about 10 pounder/3" rifles Hazlett's Field Artillery Weapons of the Civil War provides this ambiguous statement about Parrotts: "Developed just prior to the Civil War and plagued by failures in service, especially among the larger sizes..."

I read something years ago that was a more detailed review of Parrott failures in what I thought was the full range, but I do not recall if 10 pounders were part of it. Abbot doesn't shed much light on the matter since his 10 pounders were "scarcely used, being held in position to repel or aid assaults" so they weren't "really tested."
 
I tried to locate something definitive one way or the other, but am drawing a blank so far. At the beginning of the section about 10 pounder/3" rifles Hazlett's Field Artillery Weapons of the Civil War provides this ambiguous statement about Parrotts: "Developed just prior to the Civil War and plagued by failures in service, especially among the larger sizes..."

Almost certainly a refernce to http://www.nytimes.com/1865/02/03/n...rrott-guns-report-of-the-naval-committee.html
 
Thanks for the answer it is what I expected. Yes, I meant most rounds in a battle in one day. Their monument at Gettysburg say's 1300 rounds in 5 hours, that is more exercise in those 5 hours by these men then most people get in a year! What is even more incredible,is only one of the men in the unit was killed that day. I came across a story that said the 21 Miss. infantry was coming after the guns and one of the rebs said to the Jersey boys "we want those guns" and was told "go to hell " we aren't done with them" (or something like that). does anyone know if this is true?

http://books.google.com/books/about/History_of_Battery_B_First_New_Jersey_Ar.html
History of Battery B, First New Jersey Artillery by Michael Hanifen
See Page 76
 
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