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Artillery at Vicksburg

The Confederate Artillery was outgunned by the Union Artillery from the beginning of the siege. Because of superior numbers, the Union artillery was massed at strategic points along the siege lines. The Confederates did not have the luxury of great numbers of cannons and had to spread their guns out. The Confederates also had to "ration" their ammunition which cut down on their ability to return fire. Because of larger guns, superior numbers, and adequate ammunition, the Union artillery completely dominated the Confederate artillery by the end of the siege. wi6bat.jpg (46371 bytes)
SGT William H. Tunnard, 3rd Louisiana wrote on June 20th, 1863, the 34th day of siege; "At early dawn every gun along the line suddenly opened, keeping up a rapid and continuous fire. All concurred in the opinion that such a tremendous cannonading had never been equaled in their experience, and the volume of sound surpassed anything yet heard. It seemed as if heaven and earth were meeting in a fearful shock, and the earth trembled under the heavy concussion."

SGT Osborn Oldroyd, 20th Ohio Infantry Regiment reported on June 20th, 1863; "This morning our whole line of artillery - seven miles long - opened up on the doomed city and fortifications at six o’clock, and kept up the firing for four hours, during which time the smoke was so thick we could see nothing but the flash of guns. No fog could have so completely hid from view objects around, both close and familiar. Had the rebs made a dash for liberty then, they could not have been discovered until they were right upon us. But they did not do it. Our infantry was all called out in the line of battle, and we stacked arms till the firing ceased. Oh, what a calm after that terrific bellowing. There was every variety of tone today from the dogs of war – from the squeak of a little fiste to the roar of a bulldog. The sound of some brass pieces were so loud as to drown out the reverberations of the larger guns, and not a return shot was fired."

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Last update: Saturday, July 07, 2001
http://www.nps.gov/vick/interp/art_vick.htm
Editor: G. Zeman
 

 

USS Cairo Gunboat and Museum