Cole, a licensed battlefield guide at Gettysburg National Military Park, usesaccessible descriptions from the battle of Gettysburg to illustrate artillerytechnology.
There were over 600 artillery pieces at Gettysburg. The guns were managed and operated by over 14,000 men. In three days over 50,000 rounds were fired. What impact did artillery have on this famous battle? How efficiently were the guns used? What were the strengths and weaknesses on each side? "Civil War Artillery At Gettysburg" answers these questions and many more. Using accessible descriptions, this work details the state of the art of this "long arm" as it existed at the time of the battle. It is an informative overview of field artillery in general while using the battle of Gettysburg to illustrate artillery technology. For it was Gettysburg when the artillery branch of both armies had matured to the point where its organization would stay relatively unchanged for the remainder of the war. Both armies prior to Gettysburg had neither the same mix of guns nor, more importantly, the same structure of organization as it did at this battle. The effects were telling. "This book is an artillery 'buff's' delight...The work meticulously examines the forming of the respective artillery arms of the two armies; the organization; artillery technology; guns; equipment and animals constituting that arm; ammunition; artillery operations; the artillerymen and, finally, actions of the guns on July 2 and 3....The work is perfect for someone seeking more data than found in most general histories of the battle...Nicely illustrated to supplement the text, the succinctly written technical details of ballistics, projectile composition and impact of technology for battlefield lethality will prove similarly useful and exciting for anyone captivated by the guns of Gettysburg." Book review by B. F. Cooling, The Civil War Courier "Rather than being a dull treatise, 'Artillery at Gettysburg'...proves to be an engaging book... Cole explains the benefits and liabilities of each piece of artiillery....His use of photographs, diagrams, and maps are excellent and integrate seamlessly into the text....Not only does it explain why events unfolded the way they did, it helps explain how they unfolded." Book review by Maj. James Gates, USAF, Military Review "No other modern book on Civil War artillery of this size is as detailed...as this book is generally...The author's broad approach to the whole subject of artillery tacti