Lt.Arty Question about Mountain Howitzers

My guess is that they are used more a reenacting events than they ever saw action in the Civil War
You need to take the time to read about Gen'l. Morgan. His units had mt. howitzers and used them all the time. Bragg threatened to take them away from the 2nd Kentucky, but he ran into a problem there. They threatened to mutiny if he took em, so he relented. They called them Bull Pups. I reenact with a couple of groups that calls itself Morgans Artillery, and Kentucky Volunteers. They have 4 guns when they combine themselves into a unit/battery,(Which is what Morgan had).
 
Howitzers were used by the Union cavalry at the 2nd Battle of Collierville, Tenn on November 3, 1863.
Here is some excerpts from Edward Hatch's report of this engagement.
This describes how Hatch had the 7 Illinois Cavalry defend the stockade with 2 howitzers. After the Confederates committed themselves to a battle, the remaining forces of the 2nd Iowa Cavalry with a section of howitzers rode in and deployed for battle. It also mentions the 6 Illinois Cavalry had 4 howitzers but I don't think they arrived at the battle. The Confederates had some artillery but they left them in the rear so they could make a quick attack on the fort with only 2 brigades.

Collierville, Tenn November 9, 1863

On the morning of the 3d of November, Collierville was occupied by eight companies of the 7th Illinois Cavalry, and two iron howitzers, in command of Lieutenant-Colonel Trafton, with outpost 8 miles south on Coldwater.
. . . . . .
I was at Germantown with eight companies of the 6th Illinois Cavalry, four mountain howitzers of the 1st Illinois Light Artillery, 450 men of the 2nd Iowa Cavalry and a section of mountain howitzers, commanded by Lieutenant Reed, 2nd Iowa Cavalry.
. . . . . .
I immediately ordered Lieutenant-Colonel Trafton to throw the forces at Collierville(aka 7th Ill Cav) into the stockade, . . . and also ordered the 2nd Iowa (Cavalry) to move rapidly toward Collierville, to halt in timber 1 mile from town; to make no show of force until the enemy were in town, or they heard the howitzers in the fort, then to move rapidly forward and come into position north of the railroad, with the left of the 2nd Iowa resting on the stockade, the regiment dismounted.
. . . . . .
I immediately moved forward at a gallop, the 2nd Iowa going in at a run in columns of fours, moved quickly by the right flank to the railroad, and prepared to fight on foot, their howitzers in the center. ... Mounted and dismounted men of the enemy came forward in fine style, the howitzers of the 2nd Iowa cavalry firing rapidly.

. . . . . .
The 1st Illinois Light Artillery coming into position at a gallop on the ridge east of town under heavy fire, losing one-half of their horses killed and wounded, opened with canister, driving back the enemy's right.
. . . . . . (summary & recognition of troops)
The guns in the stockade were ably served by Lieutenant Wainwright, 7th Illionis Cavalry.
. . . . . .
Signed: Edward Hatch, Colonel, 2nd Iowa Cavalry, Comdg. Third Brigade
 
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There is a lot of stuff on Wiki

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1841_Mountain_Howitzer

British Usage: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QF_3.7-inch_mountain_howitzer

Before WW I http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountain_gun

and the last verse from Rudyard Kipling's "screw guns" - the Brit name for mountain howitzer:

Smokin' my pipe on the mountings, sniffin' the mornin' cool,
I climbs in my old brown gaiters along o' my old brown mule.
The monkey can say what our road was -- the wild-goat 'e knows where we passed.
Stand easy, you long-eared old darlin's! Out drag-ropes! With shrapnel! Hold fast -- 'Tss! 'Tss!
For you all love the screw-guns -- the screw-guns they all love you!
So when we take tea with a few guns, o' course you will know what to do -- hoo! hoo!
Jest send in your Chief an' surrender -- it's worse if you fights or you runs:
You may hide in the caves, they'll be only your graves, but you can't get away from the guns!

I love Kipling..too bad he didn't write poems about ACW.
 
Howitzers were used by the Union cavalry at the 2nd Battle of Collierville, Tenn on November 3, 1863.
Here is some excerpts from Edward Hatch's report of this engagement.
This describes how Hatch had the 7 Illinois Cavalry defend the stockade with 2 howitzers. After the Confederates committed themselves to a battle, the remaining forces of the 2nd Iowa Cavalry with a section of howitzers rode in and deployed for battle. It also mentions the 6 Illinois Cavalry had 4 howitzers but I don't think they arrived at the battle. The Confederates had some artillery but they left them in the rear so they could make a quick attack on the fort with only 2 brigades.

Collierville, Tenn November 9, 1863

On the morning of the 3d of November, Collierville was occupied by eight companies of the 7th Illinois Cavalry, and two iron howitzers, in command of Lieutenant-Colonel Trafton, with outpost 8 miles south on Coldwater.
. . . . . .
I was at Germantown with eight companies of the 6th Illinois Cavalry, four mountain howitzers of the 1st Illinois Light Artillery, 450 men of the 2nd Iowa Cavalry and a section of mountain howitzers, commanded by Lieutenant Reed, 2nd Iowa Cavalry.
. . . . . .
I immediately ordered Lieutenant-Colonel Trafton to throw the forces at Collierville(aka 7th Ill Cav) into the stockade, . . . and also ordered the 2nd Iowa (Cavalry) to move rapidly toward Collierville, to halt in timber 1 mile from town; to make no show of force until the enemy were in town, or they heard the howitzers in the fort, then to move rapidly forward and come into position north of the railroad, with the left of the 2nd Iowa resting on the stockade, the regiment dismounted.
. . . . . .
I immediately moved forward at a gallop, the 2nd Iowa going in at a run in columns of fours, moved quickly by the right flank to the railroad, and prepared to fight on foot, their howitzers in the center. ... Mounted and dismounted men of the enemy came forward in fine style, the howitzers of the 2nd Iowa cavalry firing rapidly.

. . . . . .
The 1st Illinois Light Artillery coming into position at a gallop on the ridge east of town under heavy fire, losing one-half of their horses killed and wounded, opened with canister, driving back the enemy's right.
. . . . . . (summary & recognition of troops)
The guns in the stockade were ably served by Lieutenant Wainwright, 7th Illionis Cavalry.
. . . . . .
Signed: Edward Hatch, Colonel, 2nd Iowa Cavalry, Comdg. Third Brigade



Love this. My re-enactment group is Mulligan's Battery, Battery L, 1st Ill Light.... I am going to have to follow this up..
 
Hey godofredus, do you go to any of the following events: Keokuk, IA, Boscobel, WI, Stockton, IL, Delevan, IL, etc??......If so, we've probably shot at one another!!.....I am with Scott's TN Battery....

Missed all last year. Probably will make some of them this year. Looking forward to it.
 
Love this. My re-enactment group is Mulligan's Battery, Battery L, 1st Ill Light.... I am going to have to follow this up..

Let me know if you need more info. I've downloaded several of the OR's and other reference sources. I don't know right off which Battery this was. You are aware that the batteries were probably spread out and served in different locations.
 
Let me know if you need more info. I've downloaded several of the OR's and other reference sources. I don't know right off which Battery this was. You are aware that the batteries were probably spread out and served in different locations.

Yes...I've got some of Battery L location history but would love more detail. Near as I can figure out Battery L was NOT at Collierville. Prior to the reorganization of the U.S. Army Artillery in 1907, FA regimental units were huge, afterwards each regiment was standardized as two battalions, three batteries each.
 
Yes...I've got some of Battery L location history but would love more detail. Near as I can figure out Battery L was NOT at Collierville. Prior to the reorganization of the U.S. Army Artillery in 1907, FA regimental units were huge, afterwards each regiment was standardized as two battalions, three batteries each.

I will see what I have. Shoot me an IM later just in case I forget.
Around WW2 is where I understand the artillery organization better. My dad was in an artillery battalion. I have a little artillery in my blood----and ringing in my ears.
 
There were some used by Henry Hopkins Sibley's men during the New Mexico Campaign. During the retreat back to Texas after Glorieta Pass, artillery commander Major Trevanion T. Teel buried eight mountain howitzers in Albuquerque to keep them from being captured and lighten the load. Maj. Teel came back to Albuquerque 27 years later and dug up the howitzers.

On August 19, 1889, all eight barrels were excavated from a chili pepper patch, formerly a corral, some 500 feet northeast of San Felipe de Neri Church, near the present day Albuquerque Museum of Art and History. The guns were put on display in Albuquerque, but were later replaced with replicas and taken to the Albuquerque Museum of Art and History for preservation, where they still remain.
Only one of the originals is still on display in the Museum, actually, along with the two reproductions on the Plaza (of which I have way too many pictures of or on over the years - during this year's Santero festival, I even took a shot sighting along the barrel of one). I'm also not entirely certain that all eight are even in the museum's possession anymore; I seem to recall that one is also on display in either the convention center or city hall, another couple are at museums in Santa Fe, and I think some may actually be in private hands.

It's also worth noting that Sibley's guns were smaller than most of the one above; I seem to recall that they were six-pound guns rather than twelve.
 
Thanks.
No, I've never been - but I have a friend that has made the trip up there a few times & says it's some of the best hosts around.
Boscobel is a nice event!!....We look forward to it every year!!....What Unit is your friend with??.....What 150th events have you been to??.....Maybe we were at the same ones!!... I was to Wilson's Creek, Shiloh, Gettysburg and Chickamauga......
 
Boscobel is a nice event!!....We look forward to it every year!!....What Unit is your friend with??.....What 150th events have you been to??.....Maybe we were at the same ones!!... I was to Wilson's Creek, Shiloh, Gettysburg and Chickamauga......
I've been out of the hobby for a very long time. Actually time constraints prevented me from effectively contributing to the unit's impression from the start. I'm still very much interested in the material culture of the War and follow the discussions on Authentic Campaigner, ect.

LOL, if you hadn't asked, I probably could have told ya what outfit my friend falls in with, but I honestly forget.
 
I've been out of the hobby for a very long time. Actually time constraints prevented me from effectively contributing to the unit's impression from the start. I'm still very much interested in the material culture of the War and follow the discussions on Authentic Campaigner, ect

LOL, if you hadn't asked, I probably could have told ya what outfit my friend falls in with, but I honestly forget.

.Yes, reenacting is time consuming!!....My wife reminds me of that every year when I go to an event during her birthday!! :smile:
BUT, she knows it is what I do and, God bless her, she gets enjoyment out of seeing me have fun and teach my son when he goes with me!!
 
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