typical assortment of ammo

MikeyB

Sergeant
Joined
Sep 13, 2018
what would a typical (if there is such an answer) ammunition assortment look like for a benchmark rifled battery look like that was in campaign at a major battle like Antietam or Gettysburg? Or were different batteries "specialized" for different missions (antipersonnel vs anti battery) and their ammunition reflected this?

Also, I had a question for solid shot. Was it ever used in an anti personnel functions? Or was it strictly used against batteries and fortifications? Would they use it for enfilade fire missions? If it doesn't explode, doesn't seem like you would kill too many soldiers unless in enfilade?
 
The army regulations specified how many of each type of ammunition was carried in a limber chest and unless it was some type of artillery such as siege they were pretty much jack-of-all-trades on the battlefield. Solid shot would have been effective as an anti personnel round only if there had been troops massed very closely together.
 
Attached is what the 1864 manual stipulated for each chest. See the note at the bottom regarding chests for rifled guns. I think there probably was some variation, especially in Confederate batteries, and I'm guessing there probably wasn't a lot of canister carried by rifled gun batteries as it was known not to perform very well and each load carried fewer pieces than a smooth-bore load.

As to solid shot, they were used against personnel by employing a skipping technique. Basically, they skipped the shot along the ground (sort of like skipping a stone on water) and such could be effective in sending shot over low barricades and quite effective if troops were massed or in parallel battle lines. E.P. Alexander mentions using the technique several times. Generally, case would have been employed at ranges greater than 650 yards, solid shot at between 350 and 650, and canister at 350 yards or less. Also, for solid shot to work the ground had to be relatively flat and not soaking wet.

chests.jpg
 
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