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Proved that the wooden warships were out of date & no longer effective in naval warfare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