The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1861-07-03
Light Artillery.


/ lion with troops of infantry or cavalry.
! A battery consists of six or eight pieces,
! four or six OF which are guns, and TWO are
/ howitzers.
| Six FOUNDER batteries are composed OF
six pounder guns and twelve FOUNDER how
! itzers, and twelve FOUNDER batteries are
composed of twelve FOUNDER guns, and
thenly-four or thirty-two FOUNDER howitzers
Six or eigh, horses are assigned 10 each
piece, with its ammunition carriage or cais
soon.
The number OF men in a company of ar
tillery varies from eighty TO one hundred
and fifty, including one Captain, three or
four Lieulenants, four to eight Sergeants,
eight 10 twelve Corporals TWO to six Arlifi.
GERS, two Buglers, twenty y-iour to fiity-two
drivers, and thirty four 10 seventy can
noneers.
Cannon are cast from iron or from bronze
commonly called brass Bronze pieces are
] preferable to iron, because they are less
liable 10 burst.
Projectiles for field artillery are round
shot (solid,) shell (hollow.) canister, grape
and spherical case shot The shell is filed
with powder which is fred by means of a
fuze, and the luze is ignited by the dis
charge, the length Of The fuZe is graduated
to the distance 10 be lraversed
The canister consists OF tin cylinder fill
ed with cast iron shot which vary in size
with the calbre OF The pieces canisters Tor
guns contain 81 shots, for howitzers, 4S.
Grape consists of large shot, usually nine,
sewed into cylindrical bags
The spherical case shot differs from the
she'll in having thinner shell or case, and
in being filed mostly with musket balls
only sufficient powder being inserted 10
burst the shot, and scatter It's contents this
is intened 10 take place fifty or seventy FIVE
yards short oil the object aimed at.
In six FOUNDER case shot there are 81
musket balls in twelve pounder 76 /; in
twenty four FOUNDER, l75; and in thirty
two FOUNDER, PAS.
Each battery is attended by one travelling
forge and one battery wagon, containing
tools and materials for shoeing horses, re-
pairing harness, saddles, sc.
n bdttctN thuo OHuiPPOos oild SCIfOu
by active, strong and intelligent men, be-
comes the most formidable implement of
modern warfare.
Called into an engagement usually at the
most critical moment, at time when the
lines of the enemy are advancing exulting-
ly, perhaps, IN the hope of an easy victory,
al moment when the destiny of empires
is quivering in the balance, the light ariilI-
! cry sweeps forward to its position at the
bugIe call for the advance the earth sha-
king beneath the tramp of the horses and
the heavy rumble of the guns.
! la moment ;he pieces are unIimbered,
loaded and pointed with rapidity too great
for The eye 10 analyze the different move-
J ments; and then commences the almost
continuous explosion, the cannon vomiting
forth incessant charges of shot and shell, or
canister and grape, ill the proud lines of
the adversary are redled and shivered, and
hurled back on themselves in dismay !;
while the ground is slrewed with human
! flesh, qnivering in the agonies of death.
} At this moment it only remains for the
} infantry TO charge and sweep the field with
} the 5avonet, and the day is gained
|; is the suddeness of the attack, lne ra-
pidiiy of the movements and The terrible ef-
feet with which the shot tell upon the ranks
: of the enemy, ths, render this kind OF ser,
) vice so attracting 10 old gGnners hence,
they will never enlist i'll any other branch
OF the service if there is possible oppor~
tunily for them 10 get into the artillery.
The amount of labor TO be performed by
the artilleryman differs very materially from
that required of the infantry soIdier-hay-
ing no musket he is not required 10 do gen.
, eral gua,d SerUics, SO while de;achmen,s OF
the infantry are pacing back and forth, at
> their posts, through The long weary night,
the aftllerymen are sleeping quietly III their
: quarters.
The manuel of The piece is much more
simple than that of the muskeI, and there's
S fore more easily learned.
Again, the gunner has but his side arms
3 to carry, while the soldier of the line must
: always carry his mnsket, knapsack, car.
a fridge box, &c, and this on foot, while the
: cannoneer is mounted either on horseback,
, or oil his gun-carriage.
n II is for This kind of service that recruits
a are now enlisting in Danville and Blooms.
v burg.
r None but strong, active and Intelligent
II men are accepted, and none are desired tc
r enlist unless they are perfectly willing tC
n undertake The duties and endure the hard
a ships that may be incident 10 the service
+. Men who enlist simply because Others
!. do, or from any other than patriotic. motives
. are apt 10 become disaffected or dissatisfied
d as soon as they are required 10 perform am
duties OF an unpleasant nature; hence, we
# " ould rather rel present The worst feature;
of the service and let The men be agreeabll