Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862, 1862-02-19
ARTILLERY AS A SOUTHERN ARM.
BEpFoRp, Esb'y, 1862.

u .ssumed command at HArper's Ferry on the gard
NJ His artillery force consisted of four companies,
.,h sixteen pieces. VithOst eaiIIOAS, harness or
SsrtS."
These sixteen pieces he took into the battle Of Ma
,s.s Jus, three months atsr with six pieces Of the
,,nv OF The Potomac" and saws Of them:
-"Yst this admirable artillery and brave infantry
o IA. no foot Of ground For nearly three hours they
maintained their position, rePeling FIVE successive as
o. ,.a,s By the heavy of the enemy, whose num-
hrs enabled him continually to bring up fresh troops
4, a their preceding columns we're driven back.
The efficiency Of our infantry aud cavalry might
have been expected from patriotic people, accustou-
ed ke ours to the management Of arms and horses,
h, illi Of the artillery H:hs less than wonder
argi"
They we're opposed to batteries far superior in the
number range and equipment Of their guns with edu-
s.ted efcers and thoroughly instructed soldiers. We
md but one educated artllsrst-Col Pendletor-that
model Of christian soldier, yet they exhibited as
much superiority to the enemy in skill in courage
Their rs was superior both 10 rapdity and precision
That this artillery, unprOvided With equipments in
x,v should be 30 trained and prepared in three months
s as TO excel the picked batteries Of the United States
rapdity and precision Of 6rDg" is fact Of the most
,narkabe, as Of the moIs encouraging description
Fss high and undoabtsd authority upon which the fact
ssAisd smbodens me to off,r exclamation Of the
sa.e. do so because Ii may aid in calling public at.
,Bt9n TO resource Of the utmost importance in the
iree o. our country. The true cause, in ny opinion
,ba, the YrgniAns land all Southernersl better
aasd for artillery service than the Inhabitants OF any
other country.
I, viii ts found, think, on examination, tia, the
VirgaAn is among the few people Of the world who
20 the horse the weapon and the wheel carriage. He
docs not excel an Arab CAmSnche in riding he
emo, out-drive Yankee nor shoot better the wing
ban an English sportsman or game keeper, but be can
20 each Of these things better than either do them
Il l. order therefore, to show the natural adaptation
# nay so speak-of the Yirginan for the important
Al Of the service to which this paper refers il will be
ssslry TO consider l. What IS necessary for the edu-
,5l Of practical 6sld artillsrist and What the
s.l.iOus possessed by virginAas tina. 1T them for
ss. srviee Tae education Of practical field artil-
,fs nav be obviously divided iusO several depart
lsls.
l. The drill, care, and management Of field battery.
q TIE use, care, and treatment Of the horseI
s. The service Of the guns.
T. TIE driving and management Of the Eun-cArriAges
sad CAssiOas.
$ AknO-lsdge Of the topography of the surround.
ing country.
l. raE TACTICS or LIaHT AErILLESY APART FEoN THE
FACT raAr rHEI MUST ENECUrED Win HORSES
.SD CARRIAGES, ARR ny 80 MEANS DIVrIcULr TO TIE
ISFASrRT oyuckR OR sOLDRR.
To park and uupark the battery form column, break
no sections form line throw guns in battery change
pOl on any designated piece from echelOn, hre By half
sl..sry advancing ard retrsang are movements most
commonly used and readily taught i ihs drivers are
1 god The difficulty Of these movements executed in
eA part the top speed Of the horses be greatly
snaaneed # the officers and drivers are not first class
a-i fearless hOrsenen.
BIT tie Management and care Of battery is 4 sub
i,ss o! great responsibility. Il requires not much
.aOo sdasaOa perhaps the native experiences Of the
cos1ay.
Al artillery ofBcer should know a good deal more
.55u. . horse than QlArtsrmAster can tell him. he
o1,i be good Judge Of harness, and require them to
Be zen, 70 order He should bs able TO hide along a
s-u1 and detect st gla5es any part Of the harness
Ia, 90 si badly Els teams must be good order, true
al5 81 trained Guns may b lost GES ba''sriss may
% i yi :s u their arrival az critical
gli,: o. account Of 5aiEy horsss.
LA Eori the officer muss be uatchful sober, ride
ilaz5s and take no mans report" to shy pSEt Of
rs oE1 business.
rsS rsE, cAsK AND rEEATNEST OF TIE HoRss.
E2,l bis subject the virgiaA Ar.isris Ia, nothing
10 ,slr1.
&c c'l ida as ws tie 6rst time he he ever
Ga s'srvlrds he can feed and groom his horses,
/ a.. Ne
zc1e5 their health sees that their harness &C. and that
their shoes are removed or renewed. he kao"' What Is
b for collie bo;ts distsmPsr or scratches BE detects
gave in The hooE or iaeipsnt blindness. BE can tel
,Fz1ey from other amsness, CHAMBERS froa diaten-
2.a
aavord. If horse has a alw o. aneh in him, 1t
u be known 70 the driver and made known By him,
%, be vIl not work al u1u' horse if be can avoid
. IEE sERvrcE o. IHE GUS.
TIE skin in 6re.arus which distinguished our fathers,
Is. By no means passed away with the game Of the for
ct
Or Young men are now trained to shoot running or
% he ~,ug TIE qlcknsss aad accuracy UbchAre thus
i,lllrei give the gunner Of field battery great adj
v,-ugs in the constant change Of aim, and range
sass makes the service Of firing different from hIed
a,lsry. To Kill bird With each bSrrel-to kill "a
lrdgss on the wing at rs shots-Ard you, SIR, have
20 doubt. heard Of better shooting than the LISTS oil
g'sa, advantage to an oser or gunner directing bat
try which changes it, range UiIh the movements OF the
saany and often has 10 net for hours On such smer
ssnc.ss
Toe mere manual Of The field PisOs rsQuirCs only the
':reagk and activity o. first dVG men. IL esn Il
oo1gh; to great perfection ~ prsCtOs, and The Pre-
% pursuits 0, the soldier have i.s 70 do "ith bis IN
FOvenscL
The duties Of the gunner however OF more impor
-s and FOR these the early habits Of the VirgniAn
sl'iiy him, as has been shown, in peculiar manner.
lie, here arises popular difficulty. How Is this ne
o7,y.e gunner TO calculate the range elevation and d.
'setio1 Of bis piece.
Few subjects have sincs the days Of Torieell oeeu
ped the attention Of phiosOphers than he rat g
o. pCscilea, combined Nth tbs most shecuAl mode