Zack
First Sergeant
- Joined
- Aug 20, 2017
- Location
- Los Angeles, California
How did the chain of command work within an artillery battery? Who made decisions about the type of round to fire, the distance to the target, the length of the fuse if applicable, etc.?
In other words, a courier dashes up to a battery commander and says, “Captain, your orders are to engage a line of Confederate infantry emerging from the woods over there!” (Or would that order be more specific?)
How would that order progress from the battery commander to the chief of section to the chief of the piece to the gunner to the other men (chief of the caisson and so on)?
In my head it goes:
Courier to Battery Commander: Captain, your orders are to engage a line of Confederate infantry emerging from the woods over there!
Battery Commander to Chief of Left Section: Lieutenant, direct your guns to hit the left flank of the rebel line emerging from those woods.
Chief of section to chief of the piece: Sergeant, engage the left flank of the rebel line emerging from the woods 800 yards from here.
Chief of the piece to gunner (corporal): Load gun number one, case shot, 800 yards!
Gunner to platoon: Load case shot 800 yards, x second fuse!
And then the number 6 and number 7 men prep the round while the rest of the crew begins the loading process and the gunner aims the piece.
Is that correct or have I messed up the process? Would the fuse length be called out or just the distance? How would the decision be made as to which part of a formation to target? Which type of round to use?
In other words, a courier dashes up to a battery commander and says, “Captain, your orders are to engage a line of Confederate infantry emerging from the woods over there!” (Or would that order be more specific?)
How would that order progress from the battery commander to the chief of section to the chief of the piece to the gunner to the other men (chief of the caisson and so on)?
In my head it goes:
Courier to Battery Commander: Captain, your orders are to engage a line of Confederate infantry emerging from the woods over there!
Battery Commander to Chief of Left Section: Lieutenant, direct your guns to hit the left flank of the rebel line emerging from those woods.
Chief of section to chief of the piece: Sergeant, engage the left flank of the rebel line emerging from the woods 800 yards from here.
Chief of the piece to gunner (corporal): Load gun number one, case shot, 800 yards!
Gunner to platoon: Load case shot 800 yards, x second fuse!
And then the number 6 and number 7 men prep the round while the rest of the crew begins the loading process and the gunner aims the piece.
Is that correct or have I messed up the process? Would the fuse length be called out or just the distance? How would the decision be made as to which part of a formation to target? Which type of round to use?