Civil War Artillery Effectiveness

data below follows the work of T.N. Dupuy in Numbers Predictions and War 1979

type bore proj wt wt chg muzz vel range @5d length tube wt tube NTOLI OLI Tlimac rate of fire
6-pdr 3.67 6.10 1.25 1439 1523 58 884 41.70 22.08 552 40
12-pdr HV 4.62 12.30 2.50 1486 1663 74 1757 19.80 22.81 570 20
12-pdr Nap 4.62 12.30 2.50 1440 1680 64 1227 34.30 34.31 858 30
10-pdr Prt 3.00 9.5 1.0 1230 1850 70 890 37.20 27.24 681 30
3 in rfl 3.00 9.5 1.0 1215 1830 65 820 38.00 27.16 679 30
20-pdr Prt 3.67 20.0 2.0 1250 1900 79 1750 18.10 38.53 963 20
12-pdr HW 4.62 8.9 1.0 1054 1072 53 788 21.60 14.67 367 20
24-pdr HW 5.82 18.4 2.0 1060 1322 65 1318 22.10 32.04 801 20
32-pdr HW 6.40 25.6 2.5 1100 1504 75 1920 13.70 34.62 866 15

common rifles & breechloaders

type bore proj wt wt chg muzz vel range @5d length tube wt tube NTOLI OLI Tlimac rate of fire
12-pdr James 3.67 12.0 0.75 1000 1700 60 875 38.00 33.59 840 30
24-pdr James 4.62 24.0 1.5 1000 1800 78 1750 18.70 45.52 1138 20
6-pdr Wiard 2.56 6.0 0.60 1300 1800 56 600 40.90 17.07 427 30
10-pdr Wiard 3.00 10.0 1.0 1230 1850 58 790 38.60 28.68 717 30
12-pdr Blakely 3.4 12.0 1.0 1250 1850 59 800 39.10 34.41 860 30
12-pdr Whitworth ML 2.75 12.0 1.0 1600 3000 84 1000 35.00 33.19 830 30
6-pdr Whitworth BL 2.15 6.0 1.0 1550 2750 70 700 56.40 25.84 646 40
12-pdr Whitworth BL 2.75 12.0 1.75 1500 2800 104 1092 46.60 51.97 1299 40
3-in Armstrong 3.00 12.0 1.25 1350 2200 76 996 38.00 36.21 905 30
3-in Armstrong BL 3.00 12.0 1.25 1300 2100 83 918 51.10 47.61 1190 40

technical data from H. L. Peterson; Roundshot and Rammers 1969 and W. Ripley; Artillery and Ammunition of the Civil War 1970

above data for field guns only

NTOLI=Net Operational Lethality; OLI=Operational Lethality; Tlimac=Theoretical Lethality(derived by author)

This table attempts to verify some common perceptions of artillery performance.
Net Operational Lethality;incorporates the effects of mobility and ammunition supply.
OLI=Operational Lethality; The proving ground performance modified by battlefield dispersion.
Theoretical Lethality; the proving ground or optimalcombat power of the weapon.

Proving ground performance shows the 12-pdr Napoleon was superior to other common muzzle loaders except the 20-pdr Parrot. Operational values show about the same relative combat values. Once the guns were in position, the Napoleon would be the most damaging and versitile weapon, especially in defensive situations. With the vast majority of battlefield ranges limited to 600-1200 yards, combat experience clearly brought this home to gunners. On fields where ranges of up to 2000 yards were possible, the advanage clearly went to the rifles, especially the 20-pdr.

In the Net Operational Lethality values there is an unexpected reversal. Due to the effects of mobility and ammunition supply the value of the smaller rifled guns exeeds both the Napoleon and 20-pdr Parrot. At the grand tactical and strategic levels, the ability of the smaller rifles to operate with less restrictions of supply and terrain considerations could be a bonus.

SUMMARY TABLE

TYPE OLI RELOLI NETOLI RELNTOLI AVEOLI
6-pdr 22.08 0.6 41.67 1.2 0.9
12-pdr Nap 34.31 1.0 34.31 1.0 1.0
10-pdr Prt 27.24 0.8 37.25 1.1 0.9
3-in Rfl 27.16 0.8 37.96 1.1 0.9
20-pdr Prt 38.53 1.1 18.11 0.5 0.8
24-pdr HW 32.04 0.9 22.09 0.6 0.7

We may apply these values to armies for relative comparison.

PROPORTIONS OF ARTILLERY TYPES
(tables shows proportion of guns types in armies. 10-pdr and 3-in rifles are grouped together.

type Army Potomac Army NoVa Army Cumbd Hardee's Corps
6-pdr 1 6 29 30
12-pdr Nap 37 45 34 49
10-pdr Prt 58 40 31 7
3-in Rfl -- -- -- --
20-pdr Prt 4 5 -- --
24-pdr HW -- 4 6 14

Finally, the table below supports the conclusion that Union and Confederate forces were generally in rough overall parity in power of artillery.

situation Army Potomac Army NoVa advantage Army Cumbd Hardee's Corps advantage
General OPNS 96% 91% 105% 95% 94% 100%
In Posit <600yd 88% 84% 105% 83% 87% 95%

M. Collie October 2008

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