The Model 1857 Gun Howitzer

The Model 1857 Gun Howitzer

The Model 1857 Gun Howitzer (Napoleon) was the most popular, common, and deadly field piece of the Civil War. The barrel was of bronze and smooth-bored designed originally in France. A Napoleon fired a 12.3 lb projectile and had a maximum effective range of about 1,600 yards. The barrel with its carriage weighed 2,445 pounds, light enough to be hauled by men for short distances, however, the usual method of transportation was by a six-horse team with a driver aside one of each pair of horses. Union Napoleons had a slight swell at the muzzle of the 4.62 inch bore.

Confederate made pieces were generally tapered and some had a band-reinforced breech. Artillerymen favored Napoleons because their bronze barrels were stronger and safer than those made of iron -- thus there was less chance the gun would burst during firing killing or wounding the crew. A Napoleon was able to fire all of the four basic types of ammunition. The solid shot, shell, and case rounds were all spherical and were used against enemies at distances greater than 600 yards. For shorter distances the gun was loaded with canister, which turned it into a giant shotgun with lethal effects. The most accurate shot ever fired by a Napoleon was most likely made on Dec 13, 1862, at the Battle of Fredericksburg. Confederate MAJ Braxton and LT Marye fired solid shot at a Union color bearer almost 1,600 yards away. Their first shot killed the man beside the color bearer, the second was a direct hit.