Artillery played a decisive role in many Civil War battles, including Parker's Crossroads, and manning and equipping a six-gun battery required about 150 men, 110 horses and mules, and hundreds of pieces of equipment. A captain commanded the battery, with four lieutenants, two staff sergeants, five mechanics, two blacksmiths, two buglers, and a standard bearer. Each gun had one gunner, usually a sergeant, seven artillerists, and at least two horseholders, while nearly 70 drivers handled the teams that pulled caissons, limbers, supply wagons, and a traveling forge. A full battery usually had six guns, though four-gun batteries were common, especially in the Confederacy. Common field pieces included the 3-inch ordnance rifle, the 10-pounder Parrott field rifle, and the 12-pounder Napoleon, while early in the war 6-pounder bronze field guns and 12-pounder howitzers were common. The Parrotts and 3-inch ordnance rifles could fire more than a mile, while the smoothbore Napoleon had a shorter range of .92 mile but was more effective with canister. On the march, each gun was hooked behind a limber carrying ammunition, primers, fuses, and other supplies, and each gun had at least two caissons with additional ammunition chests, axes, and spare parts. A battery wagon carried more than 125 kinds of maintenance and repair items, while the traveling forge carried smiths' tools, hardware, nails, and 200 pounds of horseshoes. A battery depended on its horses, with four- or six-horse teams needed to pull each caisson, each gun and limber, the battery wagon, the forge, and extra wagons, while officers and horse artillerymen also rode horses and ten or more spare horses were essential. Without horses the guns were immobile, making both the animals and the guns prime targets in combat.

Photo: David Graff

Photo: Brandon Fletcher

Photo: David Graff

Parker's Crossroads, Tennessee · USA