Existing comment:
Field Artillery: These guns are among the types used here in 1863
Artillery, together with infantry and cavalry, was one of the most important branches of a Civil War army. The big guns could easily devastate assaulting infantrymen, who often advanced in mass formations, shoulder-to-shoulder.
At Chickamauga, artillery batteries were handicapped by woods and undergrowth which limited visibility and maneuverability. The guns were most effective when used behind breastworks overlooking open fields.
In front of you are examples of six types of muzzle-loading field guns used at Chickamauga and Chattanooga. The iron and bronze tubes are authentic Civil War pieces; the carriages are reproductions. More than 200 other cannon visible on the battlefield today were placed by veterans in the 1890's. These guns mark the positions of batteries during the fighting. |