Ohio Volunteer Light Artillery Of the Civil War
Strains of “The Drunken Sailor” played on a fiddle, drum, and penny whistle greet visitors as they stroll in the Living History Village on a sparkling Saturday morning in September. Artisans in mop caps and long gowns spin and weave. A blacksmith in a leather apron tends his smoky fire and beats out the glowing hot end of the tongs he is making. A gunsmith carves the stock of a rifle. Villagers in those simpler, slower- moving times knew the work and reputation of the craftsmen who sold them their wares and trusted them. Close by the craftsmen, the First Independent Battery of Ohio Volunteer Light Artillery fire their cannons on the hour.
One lazy, hot afternoon this summer, we checked out “The Blue and the Gray”, a 3 cassette video from the Tiffin-Seneca Public Library and settled down to watch their version of the Civil War as seen through the eyes of one Virginia family whose sons had sentiments that favored different sides in the war. Stacy Keach, Gregory Peck, you can guess who he portrayed, and Geraldine Page starred in the movie. The cannons were horribly impressive in the Battle of Gettysburg, wrecking havoc among the foot soldiers who were ordered to advance toward them. Intent on learning more about them, I asked “private” Dan Corfman, who was standing near a cannon in his blue uniform. He was happy to show me the teamwork involved in firing the cannons.
The battery is also called Gillmor’s Battery, and it comes from the Hayes Presidential Center. This group of authentically uniformed men have just finished participating in the filming of a documentary for the National Park Service. Part of it will be on P B S.
Their drills show how cannons were fired during the Civil War using powder more coarsely ground than that used for muskets. The cannon balls on display were actually found on battlefields. This unit is unique among present day batteries in that it features a gun and caisson which is drawn by a six horse hitch.
The largest cannon, which is actually called a rifle because it is bored or rifled inside, is accurate to within three feet at a distance of a mile. Thus it could take out the wheels of an opposing cannon and the men around it. There is a cannon on the battlefield at Gettysburg which has a cannon ball lodged in its barrel.
At the command, “Load.” An artillery man rams in a “worm”, a pole with a metal spiral on the end, to pull out any debris which may have been left from the last firing. Then a wet sponge goes down to extinguish any embers. With leather protection over his thumb another man plugs on a cover in the vent to prevent extra oxygen from entering the gun.
After that has been done, a runner comes up from behind the cannon with his back facing the enemy, protecting with his body the pouch with the charge from being hit. Then, the “sponge” man uses a ramrod to push the charge down into the barrel of the cannon. Then the elongated projectile is placed in the barrel. There is a lead ring around this projectile which fits the grooves, or rifling of the barrel, making it accurate. As the enemy advances to within a half mile, the artillery crew may switch to another type of cannon ball with about 20 smaller balls inside which act like shrapnel when exploded. It has a fuse which can be set to go off in 1, 2, or 3 seconds.
Next, the command, “Prick and Prime.” causes a bronze prick which is like a large toothpick to be put in the vent, and this breaks open the powder charge. It is bronze rather than steel to prevent friction sparks. After that, a friction primer is placed in the vent. This will create a spark which explodes a tiny charge, just enough to set the powder off. “Prepare to fire.” is shouted. The artillery man attaches the hook of a four foot lanyard, or cord, and steps back from the gun. At the command, “Fire.”, he pulls with his whole body, and the cannon goes off.
During the heat of battle there is so much noise that the crew does its job as drilled without commands until the “Cease fire.” command is given. If the gun has to be relocated, a wooden hand spike is attached to the rear of the gun and it is re-aimed When the cannon is moved to a new location, it may be attached to its supply box on wheels called a “limber”. Its hitch looks much like a modern trailer hitch. Then it is pulled by horses. In a six horse outfit, three riders are mounted on the left and control the horses. If a horse is shot, it is unhitched and left behind.
A battery would have four 3 inch rifled cannons and two smooth bores. A caisson would accompany it. A caisson, familiar to us from the line in the song, “The caissons go rolling along” is made up of three limbers or supply boxes on wheels.
There were two kinds of artillery batteries . Mounted artillery carried 8 men sitting on the limber or caisson. Flying artillery featured 8 men all mounted on horses and when there was need for ammunition or cannon at another location, they “flew” there with cannon and ammunition.
Members of Gillmor’s Battery who are from the local area are Bob Gillmor from Old Fort, Dick Mann from Tiffin and Dan Corfman from Fort Seneca. Private Corfman was dressed in a blue uniform with a saber sling fastened to his belt on his left. He had a 6 shot revolver in a holster on his right. According to Corfman, officers and mounted corporals, sergeants, and privates wore sabers and revolvers.
I hope “private” Corfman’s explanation of the work of a Civil War artillery man has been interesting to our readers. The battery will be hosting an encampment at the Hayes Presidential Center on Oct. 3rd and 4th. It will feature two battle enactments on Saturday and one on Sunday. A demonstration of the six horse hitch will occur on Sunday.