Jim Martin
Gunner duties and links for Ward's Battery
Thu Nov 2 09:55:27 2000


Gunner

Had command of, and responsibility for the men and equipment of a gun detachment. The detachment personnel consisted of the cannoneers (a minimum of six, maximum of ten) and the equipment included one cannon and its limber. On the road they marched near their pieces with their cannoneers. Here they were able to check straggling and work to keep their respective pieces well up in traveling order. During battle each carried out the orders of his chief of the piece. He aimed and sighted the piece and gave the orders for its combat firing . According to the section chief he controlled the rate of fire, much of which depended on the quick sighting of the piece, as this usually took longer than the loading operation due to the recoil. The corporals, like the sergeants, were in order of seniority. The senior half of the corporals were the gunners, the junior half the chiefs of caisson.

This is taken from:
Field Artillery Battery; Positions and Duties by R. B. Hansen and can be viewed at http://www.cwartillery.org/hansen.html

Here are two links to short histories of Ward's Battery

http://www.tarleton.edu/~kjones/alarty.html#Ward

http://www.archives.state.al.us/referenc/alamilor/ward-bat.html

• Gunner Duties — LeRoy Brock, Thu Nov 2 22:24
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