TECHNOLOGY OF THE CIVIL WAR
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
RESULTS OF MODERN WAR
NEW WEAPONS +
OLD TACTICS =
HORRENDOUS CASUALTIES
THE MINIÉ BALL Invented by Frenchman Claude Minié
Cone-shaped bulletAllowed for easier reload of a rifle
No ramrods neededProved way more accurate than musket ball
Much deadlier- accounted for 90% of battlefield casualties in war
Forced infantries to change the way they foughtBuilt trenches and other fortifications for protection
“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
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
IRONCLADS Steam propelled warships protected by iron or
steel platesDeveloped for protection of ships from cannon shells
CSS Virginia (Merrimac) vs. USS Monitor1st battle between ironclads in naval history
No winner- they just kept ramming each otherBattle 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Proved that the wooden warships were out of date & no longer effective in naval warfare
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
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
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