Gettysburg Artillery Part 9 With Licensed Battlefield Guide George Newton
September 16, 2009
Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide George Newton is standing on Cemetery Ridge in the High Water Mark area. He is standing by a reproduction limber at the position of Battery A, Fourth United States Artillery (Cushing’s Battery). This view was taken facing east at approximately 3:00 PM on Sunday, August 23, 2009.
In part one of our artillery series we featured a Napoleon manufactured by Quimby and Robinson in Memphis, Tennessee, and a 10-pounder Parrott Rifle, manufactured by the West Point Foundry in Cold Spring, New York.
In part two we concentrated on 24-pounder howitzers at Moody’s Battery, A 12-pounder howitzer, manufactured in 1837, and the oldest gun on the field, and some 20-pounder Parrotts.
In part three George showed the only 6-pounder displayed on the battlefield, and showed us how fifteen 6-pounders at Gettysburg National Military Park were converted into “false Napoleons.”
In our fourth post, George Newton showed us the artillery pieces used on headquarters markers, and the two monuments on East Cemetery Hill to Cooper’s Battery B, 1st Pennsylvania.
In our fifth post on artillery, George presents the highest numbered 3-inch Ordnance Rifle at Gettysburg National Military Park, and the positions of the artillery pieces today representing Cooper’s Battery and Rickett’s Battery.
In our sixth post, Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide George Newton explained the advantages of 3-inch ordnance rifles, and the artillery bombardment involving East Cemetery Hill on July 2, 1863.
In our seventh post, Licensed Battlefield Guide George Newton shows us the British-made Whitworths, and explains how they were loaded, and their advantages and disadvantages.
In our eighth artillery post, George Newton presented a 12-pounder Napoleon at Dilger’s Ohio Battery on West Howard Avenue.
In today’s post, Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide George Newton shows us limbers, caissons, and their proper positions when a battery was deployed on the battlefield.
For George’s previous posts on Gettysburg Artillery please click here.
This map shows the locations of the videos that we shot on Oak Hill. Videos #1-#27 were presented in our previous artillery posts. Video #28 was taken by a limber of Cushing’s Battery. Video #29 was taken by the limber to Cushing’s Battery and by the stone wall that connected the inner and outer angles in the “High Water Mark” area. Video #30 was taken by a limber of Cushing’s Battery and by a caisson on the other (east) side of Hancock Avenue. This map was created facing north at approximately 7:30 PM on Sunday, August 23, 2009.
Limbers carried the ammunition chest for a gun. They also allowed a cannon to become mobile. A two wheeled cannon hooked up to a two wheeled limber became a four wheeled vehicle pulled by six horses or mules. This view was taken facing east at approximately 3:00 PM on Sunday, August 23, 2009.
In Video #28 (Videos #1-#27 were shown in our previous Artillery posts) Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide George Newton is on Cemetery Ridge at the position of Battery A, Fourth United States Artillery (Cushing’s Battery). He provides some information about limbers. George mistakenly said that in this area were eight limbers, but there are seven reproduction limbers on the field, and one original limber in storage (not on display) in the museum. This view was taken facing northeast to northwest at approximately 3:00 PM on Sunday, August 23, 2009.
Every cannon or “gun” had a limber, also known as a “gun limber.” This view was taken facing west at approximately 8:00 AM on Sunday, August 23, 2009.
In Video #29 Licensed Battlefield Guide George Newton is still on Cemetery Ridge near the position of Battery A, Fourth United States Artillery (Cushing’s Battery). In the first part of this video he provides some information about the positioning of limbers. In the second part of this video he shows us how wide an area a six gun battery occupied. This view was taken facing northwest to west to south at approximately 3:00 PM on Sunday, August 23, 2009.
The limbers on display in this position are too close to the cannon. This view was taken facing north at approximately 8:00 AM on Sunday, August 23, 2009.
Another view of the spacing between the artillery pieces and the limbers on Cemetery Ridge. This view was taken facing south at approximately 8:00 AM on Sunday, August 23, 2009.
Another angle of the position of the limbers. This view was taken facing northwest at approximately 8:00 AM on Sunday, August 23, 2009.
George is standing by the stone wall that runs from the inner angle at the top of the ridge to the outer angle. A six gun battery would have occupied the space from the stone wall almost to the copse of trees shown in the background. This view was taken facing south at approximately 3:00 PM on Sunday, August 23, 2009.
Again, the six guns of Cushing’s Battery would have been located between the stone wall on the left and the Copse or Clump of Trees in the right background. This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 3:00 PM on Sunday, August 23, 2009.
Another view of the width of a six gun battery. They would be spread from the Copse of Trees on the left to the tree growing out of the outer angle of the stone wall in the right background. This view was taken facing southwest at approximately 3:00 PM on Sunday, August 23, 2009.
Gettysburg Licensed Battlefield Guide George Newton is again standing by a limber of one of Cushing’s guns. In the background are caissons. This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 3:00 PM on Sunday, August 23, 2009.
George is now standing by one of the caissons on the east side of Hancock Avenue. This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 3:00 PM on Sunday, August 23, 2009.
In Video #30 George Newton is still on Cemetery Ridge in the “High Water Mark” area. He provides some information on caissons. This view was taken facing southeast to east at approximately 3:00 PM on Sunday, August 23, 2009.
The caissons of Cushing’s Battery were not only placed behind the limbers, but possibly on the east slope of Cemetery Ridge for protection from Confederate artillery fire from Seminary Ridge. This view was taken facing southwest at approximately 8:00 AM on Sunday, August 23, 2009.
There are only three reproduction caissons for the four artillery pieces on display. This view was taken facing southwest at approximately 8:00 AM on Sunday, August 23, 2009.
The reproduction caissons are on the left (east) side of Hancock Avenue. The reproduction limbers are on the right (west) side of Hancock Avenue. This view was taken facing south at approximately 8:00 AM on Sunday, August 23, 2009.
