Technology of the Civil War

1. Technology of the Civil War

2. First Modern War • Huge armies that required vast quantities of supplies & equipment • 1st war to feature Industrialized weapons • Artillery • Rifles • Communication devices • Railroads • Problem Generals were educated in “Napoleonic War” • March troops in tight columns & exchange volleys of musket fire • Muskets= accurate only at close range

3. Results of Modern War NEW WEAPONS + OLD TACTICS = HORRENDOUS CASUALTIES

4. The Minié Ball • Invented by Frenchman Claude Minié • Cone-shaped bullet • Allowed for easier reload of a rifle • No ramrods needed • Proved way more accurate than musket ball • Much deadlier- accounted for 90% of battlefield casualties in war • Forced infantries to change the way they fought • Built trenches and other fortifications for protection

5. “Repeaters” • Repeating rifles could fire multiple bullets before reloading • Most famous: Spencer Carbine • 7 shots in 30 seconds • Available ONLY to the North • Southern industry did not have the equipment or “know-how” to produce such guns • Gave North tremendous advantage

7. Napoleon Field Gun • Most common artillery cannon used during the war • Named after French Emperor Louis Napoleon who financed its development • 1st commissioned by US in 1857 • “12 Pounder”  fired 12-pound projectiles (cannon balls) • 1,440 feet per second • Pro Very accurate from close range • Proved to be most safe and reliable of all artillery guns • Con had a shorter range than most artillery guns

9. Ironclads • Steam propelled warships protected by iron or steel plates • Developed for protection of ships from cannon shells • CSS Virginia (Merrimac) vs. USS Monitor • 1st battle between ironclads in naval history • No winner- they just kept ramming each other • Battle of Hampton Roads (VA) • Virginia sank 2 Union ships as it tried to break thru blockade • Monitor prevented Virginia from breaking the blockade • Proved that the wooden warships were out of date & no longer effective in naval warfare

11. The Telegraph • Enabled near-instant communication between commanders at different locations • Lincoln lead real-time strategy meetings and delivered direct orders to his Generals • 1861- US Military Telegraph Corps is founded • Strung 4,000 miles of wire by 1862 • Enabled Union to send over a million messages during the war • Confederacy did not have industrial capability to conduct such large scale communication

12. The Railroad • Union= 22,000 miles of “standard-gauge” tracks • Any train car could ride on its rails • Easier/faster transportation of supplies and troops to areas in need • Gov’t also controlled almost all track and locomotive factories • Confederacy= 9,000 miles of non-standardized tracks • People and goods frequently had to switch cars as they traveled • Very expensive and inefficient • Took much longer to re-supply armies

13. The Gatling Gun • Patented by Dr. Richard J. Gatling in 1862 • Early predecessor of the machine gun • Hand crank would rotate the multiple barrels and fire 200 rounds per minute • Prone to jamming and overheating • Marginally used by Union during the war