Muskets: Artillery During The Revolutionary War

Ian Graham

Period 4

10/28/16

Section 1 - Muskets

Before the weapons we know now, muskets were a major weapon. Muskets were slow to load taking around 20 seconds to do so and often misfired. These guns had calibers ranging from .69 to .75 inches. Muskets usually fired anywhere from 80-100 yards but were inaccurate weapons but did the job. Muskets could be fitted with bayonets, a short dual sided blade meant for close combat. The bayonet attached to the muzzle or end of the barrel.

Section 2 - Artillery Artillery during the Revolutionary war consisted of cannons, howitzers, and mortars. Cannons were not only field guns but siege cannons, these weapons destroyed enemy ranks and buildings. On the other hand a mortar was planted to a base plate in which it fired a bomb sky bound that exploded above the enemy. Once, exploded shrapnel from the bomb ripped through enemy soldiers. Howitzers were short barreled gun which fired shells at high trajectories at low velocities. Intended to be a siege weapon it was a more flexible mortar. Artillery could often go 1,000 to 2,000 yards at maximum range but max effectiveness was half of this. Artillery was used in battles in Yorktown and were extremely effective. However artillery was hard to move especially since the heaviness and the fact that there were only animals to pull it.

France donated large amounts of weapons to the colonies. For the most part the Colonists both used similar weapons such as muskets. Both forces also had artillery involving mortars, cannons, and