Items Used in Civil War Battles
Long, brutal battles with enormous numbers of casualties punctuated the Civil War, and many of the weapons used in the Civil War were new to the arena of warfare. These advancements gave soldiers the ability to fight differently and played a role in the high number of injuries and deaths that characterized the war.
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Cannons
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Cannons, also known as artillery, were used on both sides of the war as offensive and defensive weapons. Both the North and the South preferred a cannon called the Napoleon. Because it was lighter than other models, the soldiers preferred this particular model over bulkier choices. The cannon was most effective within 250 yards of the target.
Rifles, Muskets, Handguns
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Rifles, muskets and handguns were known as small arms -- virtually any weapon that a soldier carried was a small arm. Before the Civil War, soldiers had to rely on mass numbers and close-range attacks to inflict damage. This was caused by the fact that most weapons did not have accuracy at long ranges. The introduction of the rifled musket changed that and allowed longer range capabilities. It also made the frontal attacks far deadlier.
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Bayonets
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Bayonets are among a group of weapons that have a blade or edge on them. This classification of weapon also includes the sword, saber and knife. Even though you might easily recognize these weapons and associate them with earlier wars, they had little usefulness during the Civil War. A few edged weapon attacks resulted in injuries in the Civil War, but such attacks were the exception.
Torpedoes
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Torpedo is the name given during the Civil War to what is now known as a mine. In many cases, this weapon was the one that saved a battle and protected a town or fort from being taken over. Torpedoes planted in the Charleston Harbor prevented the city from being captured. The 103 torpedoes that were planted in the Roanoke River prevented the capture of Fort Branch.
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References
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