| |
|
|
Artillery Effectiveness Artillery had become a major arm of any 1812 army. The standard artillery piece had a range between 600 for canister to 1000 yards for solid shot (6 to 10 times the 100yard range of a musket.) A single 12-pdr when fired could take out 36 men with canister shot or with solid shot destroy an eight foot deep earthen wall. The American army in the field took 6-pdr guns with them because they were easier to move on the poor roads and trails of the region. A 6-pdr could take out 19 men with canister and penetrate a seven foot earthen wall. 3-pdr were limited to 9 men with canister and a two foot thick earthen wall. Usually a battery of six guns had the firepower of an entire US regiment. Rate of fire was kept to one round per minute, one gun firing at a time. This kept up a constant fire, but kept the smoke at a reasonable level. Higher levels of fire merely obscured the target with a vast cloud of smoke.
|
|