Weapons+of+the+Civil+War

W e a p o n s o f t h e C i v i l W a r


 * Artillery **
 * Weapons that are larger than small arms were known as artillery or cannons.


 * There were two categories of cannons: smoothbore and rifled.


 * A smoothbore cannon barrel is smooth on the inside.


 * Rifled cannons have grooves cut out in the inside of the barrel, which forces the ammunition to rotate and to spin. By spining out like a football, it was more accurate and had a higher range than a smoothbore cannon.

 ·  60% of the Union’s cannons were rifled. Only 40% of the Confederate’s cannons were rifled.  
 * Bonus Fact: **



Edged Weapons **
 * ** Bayonets, sabers, swords, short swords, cutlasses, bowie knives, pikes, and lances, are known as edged weapons. **
 * ** Out of the 250,000 wounded soldiers during the war, only 922 were the victims of sabers or bayonets. **




 * Small Arms **


 * ** All weapons smaller than cannon and carried by a soldier were known as a small arm. **

** Minie Balls **
 * A minie ball is an inch-long, bullet-shaped projectile used in weapons.


 * Minie balls were used and caused more damage than regular bullets do today because they are bigger, heavier, and move slower.


 * In 1848, ** Captain Claude F. Minie created a small, hollow bullet that could be easily put in the bore of a gun. It expanded when the weapon was fired and it spun when it shot out of the barrel. **



** Standard Issue Weapons **