Distance between battle lines?

[beanbomb]

I have always thought about this and I couldn't find anything on the forum. How far apart would the opposing lines be during a battle? I know that rifled muskets were effective with volley fire past 400 yards, and could hit a target at 200 yards easy. But, I have also heard of men fighting at distances of 50 meters, usually waiting for an advancing enemy. Also during reenactments, lines get maybe 50 feet apart, which seems incredibly close. So my question is, how far apart would soldiers be during a battle? I'm sure it was different depending on the battle, so if you can name specific battles that would be great.

 

[John Winn]

I can't recite distances for specific battles but would say that the typical range was about 75-100 yards (author Paddy Griffith estimated the average distance for the first volley was 141 yards). In wooded terrain it would have been less. In places like Cold Harbor where attacks were made against entrenchments it was often hand to hand. So there was variation but I doubt there were very many instances of true engagement of infantry - i.e. discounting sharp shooters and a few skirmishers - beyond 200 yards. Most artillery was engaged at less than 1000 yards even though smoothbores had a range of about a mile and rifled guns about two miles.

It's not a matter of actual range as much as one of practical, effective range and conservation of ammunition. Few recruits could hit anything at much more than 100 yards even if their weapon was capable of such and once firing started visibility was quickly very limited due to smoke (same for artillery; can't see it, can't hit it). In general, when one column or line could see the enemy clearly they just pointed at the opposing line and fired hoping to produce enough mass of fire to be effective (i.e. the average guy in line didn't aim). Even then I've seen estimates that it took some 250 rounds to produce one casualty. So, typically, it was up close and personal.

Hope that helps.

 

[AUG]

John Winn said it well. 100 yards was about the typical range though it wasn't unusual for two opposing lines to duke it out well within 100. For example, most of the stand-up fighting in the Cornfield, West Woods or Sunken Road at Antietam was done within 50 yards. The black powder smoke covering the field after the fighting had been going on for some time also decreased the range, as vision was restricted to only a few feet away and both sides practically ran into each other.

Ranges for skirmishing and sharpshooting, whether in the open or from fortifications, could vary. At Vicksburg or Port Hudson both sides were constantly taking pot shots at each other from anywhere over 200 yards away to well withing 50, depending on the proximity of the opposing lines or as the saps were dug ever so closer to the defenders. The opposing lines (as in rifle pits and trench lines, rather than battle lines) during the Atlanta Campaign, Overland Campaign, and Petersburg were also often within pretty close proximity to each other with almost constant skirmishing going on.

 

[bankerpapaw]

Great question!!!