Tag «Artillery»

American Revolutionary War Artillery: Spiking Cannon so the Enemy Was Unable to Use

Hessian artilery by Don Troiani.

By Harry Schenawolf, author of the Shades of Liberty Series about African American soldiers in the American Revolution.  Whenever there existed the possibility that artillery pieces could fall into the hands of the enemy, the weapons were rendered useless, even if only temporarily.  The method most common was called spiking.  Spiking involved jamming some metal …

Alexander Hamilton: Myth and the Man Part 3 – Debunking a Hero

Introduction History Defined: Repeat lies enough times, they become facts. Authoritarian’s Creed This, the third of four articles on Captain Alexander Hamilton and his train of artillery while in New York and leading up to the Battle of White Plains asks two questions. The fourth article will examine a bridge supposedly constructed during the battle …

Alexander Hamilton the Myth and the Man Part 1: He Never Fired a Shot During the Battle of White Plains!

Perhaps, when describing the Battle of White Plains and participants, it is appropriate to use the romantic term historians and fictional writers ascribe to combat; the fog of war. In this case, as in most all conflicts, it has been cast over the facts that have been handed down to us over the decades. The …

Cannon Carriages of the American Revolution

French artillery at Yorktown.

From the earliest settlements in New England and Virginia, the British Government encouraged the colonists to incorporate into tight knit communities. All supplies and necessities of life were to be provided by King and country in exchange for raw materials harvested and mined from this rich new land. This arrangement was not driven by a …

Cannon Projectiles of the American Revolution

Cannon were identified by the weight of ball they were capable of throwing.  By the 1600’s this became standardized.   Their calibers went from the smallest – a two pounder used with swivel guns, mortars and small bore cannon on specially made carriages, to the largest – a fifty pound garrison gun. The distance or range …