Brief History of the United States Army Filed Artillery Branch Since the birth of our great nation, the United States Army has relied heavily on the tactical advantages and shear fire power that Artillery armament provides during battle. Shortly after the start of the Revolutionary War, the Continental Congress quickly realized the pressing need to establish Field Artillery as a standalone branch within the Continental Army. After careful review, on November 17, 1775, Colonel Henry Knox was appointed the position of “Chief” of the newly formed Field Artillery Branch (McKenny, 2007). Since 1775, the United States Army has made great strides on improving the technological aspect of Artillery, as well as the doctrine which allows us to employ …show more content…
Range increased when a successful breech loaded weapon was developed (Wellons, 2000). The ability to insert munitions through the breech of the cannons also increased the overall rate of fire by eliminating the need for a team of artillery soldiers to sponge, load, and ram every single round and propellant to be fired. Breech loading instead leads to the development of cartridges that could be produced in bulk, easily transported, and quickly …show more content…
The concept of indirect fires was not formally introduced by way of the United States Military, but from lessons learned during WWI. Findings of various doctrinal manuals, artillery notes, and personal journals after the war were an enormous breakthrough in the concept of artillery as it is known today (Wellons, 2000). Before this point, artillerymen heavily relied on being able to sight into their targets. Although direct fires were not uncommon, much was left to guesswork, as well as trial and