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There were many types of firearms used at Gettysburg, from the Brown Bess musket used by the civilian John Burns to the Spencer repeating rifles used by the troopers under George Armstrong Custer. However the most common rifle was the 1861 58 caliber rifle musket, a muzzle loaded percussion rifle shooting a 400 grain bullet at about 1300 feet per second. In the hands of veterans it was (and still is, I carry one today in the field) deadly to 400 yards. At a 100 yards it is devastating.
Wiki User
∙ 15y ago
Wiki User
∙ 11y agoThe answer is slightly more complicated than the question. Most of the soldiers at Gettysburg had rifled muskets, such as the Enfield 1853, Springfield 1855, or Springfield 1861. These were muskets which had rifled barrels. They had to be loaded by putting powder, wadding, and bullet down the barrel and ramming it down to pack the powder for firing.
Some soldiers still used smoothbore muskets (such as the Springfield 1842) but these were not common by the middle of the war.
Rifles of more modern designs, such as the model 1860 Henry Rifle and the Harper's Ferry Rifle, were less common. The Spencer Carbine was used by the Michigan Cavalry at Gettysburg.
If you check the Spencer serial number references(difficult to find), you will find that the 5th Michigan Cavalry had Spencer RIFLES, not carbines and the entire unit did not all carry Spencers. Spencer carbines were first issued in October of 1863 and continued until the end of the war, some 64,685 carbines were delivered to the government through January 1866. Some 30,496 slightly different Model 1865 Spencers produced by Burnside were delivered to the government after fighting ceased during the Civil War. Again the Spencers used by Custer's 5th Michigan Cavalry at Gettysbury were RIFLES, the carbines were not in production yet. They were shot by dismounting, not off of the horse. The study of Spencers in the Civil War is very interesting(at least for me), they were literally the M-1 Garand(the famous US battle rifle of World War two and Korea) of the Civil War. The Spencer was a 7 shot cartridge tubular magazine weapon that was fast to shoot and reload(if you had preloaded tubular magazines). The Spencers were issued with preloaded tubular magazines(I think 6) carried in a very bulky case. I do not know if these were available during Gettysburg though, maybe someone else has that answer, frankly I doubt it.
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Was the Henry rifle used in the Gettysburg battle?
Apparently not, the first recorded use of the Gatling Gun in combat is at the siege of Petersburg a year later.
How much ammo was used in the Battle of Gettysburg?
569 tons of ammunition was used in the Battle of Gettysburg. Thats 1,138 pounds.
Where was the exact location of the gettysburg address?
it is given in gettysburg, pennsylvania; at a cemetery that was going to be used for all of the people who died during the Battle of Gettysburg
What tactical battlefield elements were demonstrated by General Pickett's ill fated charge at the Battle of Gettysburg?
Pickett's Charge on the last day of the Battle of Gettysburg demonstrated battlefield tactics that had already been seen in earlier battles such as the Battle of Frederickburg. At Gettysburg. the power of an elevated defensive position held by the Federals in conjunction with artillery used as a defensive deterrent was made clear. Union artillery fire, first used on a long range basis hurt the Confederates. As their lines managed to advance closer. the cannons used cannister fire to severely create large casualties. The dangers of frontal assaults were also demonstrated. And as at Fredericksburg, soldiers attacking a well defended position, were heavily hurt by rifle fire.
Who was the Army of Northern Virginia's artillery commander at the Battle of Gettysburg?
General Lee had appointed General William N. Pendleton to be in charge of the Confederate artillery at the Battle of Gettysburg. He was one of many pundits who believed that artillery was best used as a defensive element.
What was the most common gun used in the Battle of Gettysburg?
A Rifle, also called The Blackinator.
Was the Henry rifle used in the Gettysburg battle?
Apparently not, the first recorded use of the Gatling Gun in combat is at the siege of Petersburg a year later.
How much ammo was used in the Battle of Gettysburg?
569 tons of ammunition was used in the Battle of Gettysburg. Thats 1,138 pounds.
What was the significant of the battle for Gettysburg?
Gettysburg Was the Turning Point of the WarThe Location of the Battle Was Significant, Though AccidentalHeroism and Drama at Gettysburg Became LegendaryThe Battle Was EnormousAbraham Lincoln Used Gettysburg to Justify the Cost of the War
What battle in World War 1 was the rifle used in?
The rifle was the main gun of the Infantry man so every major battle in WW 1 the rifle was used.
What type of airplanes were used in the Battle of Gettysburg?
B-29's. They didn't have jet powered aircraft yet.Ans 2 -There were NO aircraft at all at that time
What kind of guns were used at the Battle of Gettysburg in the Civil War?
the ones you shoot
Where was the exact location of the gettysburg address?
it is given in gettysburg, pennsylvania; at a cemetery that was going to be used for all of the people who died during the Battle of Gettysburg
Do you capitalize the word battle?
It depends on the context. If it is part of a proper noun like "Battle of Gettysburg," it is capitalized. If it is used as a common noun, like "They had a battle," it is not capitalized.
What weapons were used in the seven days battle?
Sharps Rifle was a popular Union Rifle during the civil war
What tactical battlefield elements were demonstrated by General Pickett's ill fated charge at the Battle of Gettysburg?
Pickett's Charge on the last day of the Battle of Gettysburg demonstrated battlefield tactics that had already been seen in earlier battles such as the Battle of Frederickburg. At Gettysburg. the power of an elevated defensive position held by the Federals in conjunction with artillery used as a defensive deterrent was made clear. Union artillery fire, first used on a long range basis hurt the Confederates. As their lines managed to advance closer. the cannons used cannister fire to severely create large casualties. The dangers of frontal assaults were also demonstrated. And as at Fredericksburg, soldiers attacking a well defended position, were heavily hurt by rifle fire.
What type of rifle is used in biathalon?
Bolt action .22 LR target rifle
