The Most Impractical Weapons of The War

Rebel Gray

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Sep 7, 2017
In this thread lets list the most impractical weapons of the war. I will start us off the Vandenburgh volley gun:
 

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I don't have the particulars available at the moment but the pike was used as a tool and a weapon by the Navy, especially along the Mississippi R. campaign.
There were actually two different types of pikes, the naval version was a valuable piece of equipment used for a number of reasons and purposes; while the Bridle Cutter pike and several other types were made as last ditch weapons to arm civilians and unarmed soldiers by the Confederacy. And while you may think how archaic this idea is, millions of pikes (many of them just sharpened bamboo stalks) were made by the Japanese in WWII to defend the home islands against an Allied invasion.
 
Love this idea for a thread! Thanks for starting it @Rebel Gray !!!!

My nominee is the "Land Monitor" - that railway battery used at Savages Station. Great idea.......as long as the railroad went where you were fighting and as long as the enemy didnt get behind and tear up the tracks....:nah disagree:
railwaymonitor.jpg

https://markerhunter.wordpress.com/2012/06/29/railway-arty-savage-station/
I would imagine that both the 32# naval gun and the 13" Mortar that were mounted on railroad cars would tend to take their crews for a quite a ride when they were fired.
 
Both sides used them, the Confederacy in the Trans-Texas area and the last Federal unit (Rush's Lancers) didn't give up theirs until mid 1863.
The question I would raise is. "How many people were ever killed by a cavalry lance?" If the number is what I think it was it was not a very practical weapon, if inflicting casualties is what weapons are supposed to do.
 
The question I would raise is. "How many people were ever killed by a cavalry lance?" If the number is what I think it was it was not a very practical weapon, if inflicting casualties is what weapons are supposed to do.
These were perhaps a holdover of memory from the Mexican War where the Mexican Presidial Lancers did brutal work at such places as Goliad and the Alamo.
 
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