Bledsoe's Whitworth?

[tony_gunter]

Bearss writes of Bledsoe having a Whitworth at Raymond. His source is Bledsoe's account in the papers of the VNMP, but apparently someone stuffed the account into their socks and walked out with it because the record no longer exists in the VNMP papers.

I vaguely remember a conversation with @alan polk about the Whitworth that jogged my memory of an account I had squirreled away somewhere that hints at someone coming under fire from a Whitworth. I still can't find my hardcopy of this, but I finally found it online:

History of the 124th Regiment Illinois Infantry Volunteers

www.google.com

Page 89 details the account of the regimental quartermaster and ordnance sergeant setting up lunch at the top of the hill behind the Federal positions at Raymond, and receiving three consecutive close call shots from a Confederate gun. Not as detailed of an account as I remember, but if the position is where it sounds like that's a range of 2,000 - 2,200 yards. Any other guns with that kind of accuracy at 2,000 - 2,200 yards?

 

[Joe Whitworth]

Nothing at that time was capable of hitting a man sized target at that range, any shot at that distance would be pure luck. The accuracy required is a challenge even today with super optics and ballistic calculators. Wind, light, humidity, air pressure, elevation and the earth's rotation all play a huge part in shooting past 1000 yards. As much as I admire the Whitworth rifle, it's been given credit for some lucky shots at what I consider to be over estimated distances. Then again what do I know, I've only competed out to 600 yards with the M1 Garand, M1A and AR15. I'm happy just punching 6 sided holes in a paper plate on my little 100 yard home range with my repo Whitworth these days what with my old eyeballs .

 

[tony_gunter]

Nothing at that time was capable of hitting a man sized target at that range, any shot at that distance would be pure luck. The accuracy required is a challenge even today with super optics and ballistic calculators. Wind, light, humidity, air pressure, elevation and the earth's rotation all play a huge part in shooting past 1000 yards. As much as I admire the Whitworth rifle, it's been given credit for some lucky shots at what I consider to be over estimated distances. Then again what do I know, I've only competed out to 600 yards with the M1 Garand, M1A and AR15. I'm happy just punching 6 sided holes in a paper plate on my little 100 yard home range with my repo Whitworth these days what with my old eyeballs .

Oh! I'm talking about a cannon. I should have specified Bledsoe's battery, not Bledsoe himself.

 

[Nathan Stuart]

The giveaway as to the fired projectile possibly being from a whitworth piece might be found in the account description (@p. 89), that says, ...'when, whiz went a shell over our heads'... Apparently, hexagonal solid bolts fired from whitworth cannon made a distinctive 'whizzing' or 'whistling' noise passing overhead which was reported by soldiers during the CW.

 

[Tompre]

That Whitworth was a muzzle loader, that burst. I know a guy who found the breech.

 

[tony_gunter]

That Whitworth was a muzzle loader, that burst. I know a guy who found the breech.

I've heard that he's not an especially trustworthy source? That he may have uncovered a burst breech elsewhere and assigned it to Raymond to avoid questions?

 

[Tompre]

I've heard that he's not an especially trustworthy source? That he may have uncovered a burst breech elsewhere and assigned it to Raymond to avoid questions?

I know him and have had dealings with him before,and he's not a realizable source. But I have seen the breech and it is from a Whitworth Breech muzzle loader

 

[tony_gunter]

I know him and have had dealings with him before,and he's not a realizable source. But I have seen the breech and it is from a Whitworth Breech muzzle loader

Do you know the location where it was found on the battlefield?

 

[Tompre]

Do you know the location where it was found on the battlefield?

Nope he wouldn't tell me that. Relic hunters don't divulge information like that.