Spiking Guns, and Other Topics Regarding the Royal Artillery

As a followup to my much earlier video on the loading and firing of cannon in the 18th Century, this video discusses a few more interesting aspects of the Royal Artillery during the American War of Independence.
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[@ptonpc]

I had an old neighbour who served in the desert during WW2. He described when they had to abandon their guns, the soldiers would ram a shell down the barrel from the muzzle, then load a live round in the gun. Using their lanyards, they would fire the gun and split the barrel like a banana skin.

[@terrorfire8505]

That is really cool

[@mashiniwami]

My grandfather was awarded the Military Cross for doing exactly this under direct fire during WW1, serving in the Royal Garrison Artillery.

[@MrWeebsgm]

Opps the shell would of been reversed loaded from the breech with the shell unplugged or the fuse taken off then eat her a charge bag or cartridge case put in then all lanyards and sometimes wheel ropes fitted if the lanyards were not long enough to reach cover

[@Theduckwebcomics]

Cavalry, especially hussars, had gun-spikes called "pickers" and shaped like little arrows, attached to chains on their cross-belts so they could disable enemy guns if they overran them. The idea was that you'd lean over, jam the little picker in the touchhole and use the "fins" on the back to snap off the shaft inside it.

[@Justen1980]

Es war fürwahr ein treuer Hussar, der liebt sein Mädchchen ein ganzes Jahr!

[@greenmountainhistory7335]

Woah there only we can say pickers you can say pickas

[@jamesatkins1802]

I wonder how many of the Light Brigade got to use their pickers!

[@greenmountainhistory7335]

James Atkins *pickas

[@carbon4454]

Brandon the picture at 4:24 is actually in my school history book (here in Ireland) on the section on the American War For Independence. I'm 14 and have been watching you for ages and it just so happens that when we were revising over the war I was looking at the picture and pointing out all the things wrong with it from what I learned from you. Funny how things come together!

[@TheIrishvolunteer]

Hey man, I’m very late but that sounds very interesting! (I’m also a student in Ireland) It’s on my book too!

[@royeverett2124]

With regards to the "chain and pickers" worn on cavalry shoulder belts these were not used to "spike" cannons as they were too small and were in fact used to clear the touch holes of the pistols and carbines carried by the cavalry,as comparing the size of the pickers with the size if the canon touch holes will show that it would be impractible and they were called "pickers" because they were used to pick the black powder residue from the touch holes..Also it was not the hussars job to "spike" guns,they were there to break through the enemy lines killing anything that got in their way and spreading fear and chaos amongst the rear ranks.This went wrong at Balaklava where they went too far and ran into the massed ranks of Russian Cossacks and uhlans.The preferred method for spiking guns was for the charge to be accompanied by members of the horsed field artillery or some artillery men on horses,who would once the light cavalry had cleared or killed most of the gunners and supporting infantry, dismount and hammer in headless 6" nails.The nails would be common stores in the army and the fact they were 6" long would mean they would go down through the touch hole and into the barrel end of the cannon.With the heads of the nails sawn off it would be impossible to remove them and the barrel would have to be returned to a foundry to have the touch holes bored out.This was one of the mistakes Marshal Ney made when he led the many cavalry charges at Waterloo.The artillery would fire cannister and grape at the cavalry,then run for cover into the infantry squares,when the French cavalry retreated to regroup the artillerymen would run out of the square and reload and fire their cannons into the rear of the cavalry.This happened 7 times and all because Ney hadn't taken any artillerymen with him to spike the guns.

[@japhfo]

What went wrong at Balaklava was charging a battery of guns head on, especially when it was flanked by more guns supported by infantry. The Light Brigade stunned the Russia cavalry into a form of stupefied inertia and actually drove them back but then had to retire through the flanking fire on their return

[@royeverett2124]

When the Russian gunners returned they fired grapeshot and cannister indisciminately into friend and foe.Also it would have been likely that none of the Light Brigade would have survived had it not been for the charge of the Chasseurs d'Afrique who cleared the Fedyukhin Heights of two half-batteries of guns and two infantry battalions and then from there charged into the flanks of the pursuing Cossacks and provided cover for the remaining men of the Light Brigade as they withdrew.Louis Nolan is mostly blamed for the debacle and certainly his continued frustration with Raglan keeping the cavalry in a "bandbox".He also failed to realise that the view he had from the hill Raglan was on and the view from where the cavalry were in the valley was different,and when Lucan asked what guns he was referring to a frustrated Nolan is supposed to have said "There sir is your enemy and there your guns" and indicated with a wide sweep of his arm,not the Causeway Redoubt which Raglan had intended,but the Don Cossack Battery in the North Valley.However not only did Nolan design the "Nolan saddle" which was adopted as the standard British cavalry saddle, but he also wrote a book on cavalry tactics in which he said that used properly cavalry could attack an entrenched artillery position with little loss,which was against all cavalry doctrines of the time. So there is some question as to whether this might had influenced him,but as he broke ranks and rode ahead of Lord Cardigan,much to Cardigan's anger,as no-one rides ahead of a commander of a cavalry divisions,seems to imply that he realised that he had made a mistake.

[@arisukak]

Cavalry would also commonly carry spikes as one of their jobs was to harass the enemy flanks and rear. If they force the enemy artillerymen off of their guns they would spike their cannons and ride off.

[@Theduckwebcomics]

They would indeed. They were called "pickers" and they were attached to the crossbelt with chains. They're still worn today by some units on ceremonial gear.

[@alancrane4693]

Great video thanks Mr Brandon,my nan she is 94 great grandfather was in the Artillery in the crimean war. He survived and lived a long life had a war pension. Born 1829-1915.

[@greenmountainhistory7335]

That’s amazing

[@williamthorne586]

Born 1829-1915? Jesus, his mum must have been in labour for a long time...

[@BrandonF]

I apologize for the strange shift in the audio quality about halfway through. I had to change some settings to offset background noise! Also, as regards the credits at the end, these will be liable to change in future as I play around with different methods.

[@kaiserofgermania5236]

For a future video, maybe you can explore rocket artillery in the napoleonic wars.

[@thewarmedic2330]

Brandon F. Actually iron was stronger then bronze but cast iron is very brittle and expensive minor mistake and besides that it's perfect

[@bskorupk]

You have made some videos about Soldiers Songs, and, although not overly military, I've come across a traditional song about the Ironmaster John Wilkinson, who made great progress in the use of Industrial Coke and Machining, much to the boon of Steam Engines, and Artillery. kzbin.info/www/bejne/pHmqeXehir-HotU

[@thewarmedic2330]

Brayn it's a brilliant idea

[@bskorupk]

@@thewarmedic2330 I second the Rocket Artillery Idea, as it's a good window into how the Gunpowder era's character was a mix of very old, and very contemporary! :)

[@_Matsimus_]

UBIQUE ❤️💥💥💥💥

[@bskorupk]

QUO FAS ET GLORIA DECUNT :)

[@rafaelllaban4115]

Surprised to see you here matsimus!

[@StevenTheAristolianNerd]

Hey Mat! Love your channel. That's a cool shotgun you got today/yesterday depending on time zone.

[@tamlandipper29]

Unique - all over the place.

[@aebirkbeck2693]

Ubique to the artillery means everywhere, to the army it means "all over the bloody place" :)

[@alexnicole7431]

Having done a video on the Foot Guards are you going to do one for the Kings Troop Royal Artillery and/or the Honourable Artillery Company?

[@rafisw160]

Could you please make a video on your ever-changing accent? It goes anywhere from pure American to fairly British. Thanks, love your channel.

[@peterblood50]

Bravo! An excellent follow-up to the original video. I wondered about the carbines and you answered all of my questions regarding them. I thoroughly appreciate the work you've done here Brandon.

[@trainsngames2357]

As far as the exploding iron gun goes, if we assume the iron used to make the guns was high-carbon (like cast iron or pig iron) the resulting hardness of the metal is quite high. (hardness being the resistance of the metal to deforming under stress) Hard metal behaves more like glass and less like tough metal. (toughness is the ability of a metal to bend while stressed without breaking) This is because of how the carbon is dissolved within the iron crystal structures: More carbon in the iron results in more internal stress; this increases hardness at the cost of toughness. That's why the iron guns didn't show any stresses until they came apart all at once.

[@jhstylewon1172]

I had always thought that "spiking" your cannons was like how you would "scuttle" your ships, basically destroying them. This actually makes a lot more sense.

[@princesstinklepanties2720]

I love the details in uniforms and the symbolism.

[@aebirkbeck2693]

the gunners carried two types of spike one you mentioned permanent and the second type had a spring attachment so you could temporarily spike the gun and prevent it being used against you if you thought you had a chance of retrieving it the spring spike if you knew how you could remove it and return it in to battery and fire on the enemy

[@Alex-cw3rz]

Another thing you could have mentioned was hot shot although that was more of a navy and coastal fortress thin.

[@Mr9Guns]

I was a gunner in the 1st Regiment Royal Canadian Horse Artillery. Nice video on Artillery history!

[@greenmountainhistory7335]

I mean I know Canadian Mounties are a thing but I didn’t realize that Canadians still used horse drawn artillery

[@brendan5397]

some really interesting topics lately :)

[@Splodge542]

Excellent. I wonder how the bang compares to the Kings troop Royal Horse Artillery firing in Hyde Park. I think this was the loudest bang I ever heard. It blew me away from quite a distance.

[@urmum1959]

Happy New Year

[@oneoveralpha]

About a week ago, a random chain of thoughts led me to the idea of spiking canons. I knew more or less how they did it, but I figured I should look up the details. Now I don't have to. Thanks.

[@robertboemke8705]

I think the problem with Iron guns is that because its melting point is so high, it hardens too quickly when you cast it. Actually reaching the required temperatures is really hard (the difference between 1000°C and 1200°C is BIG). At the time they did only just get there, which means the cast iron can harden around air bubbles.

[@jigilo4853]

Brandon if you search "Wellington and his Gunners" you wont be disappointed. It's a great lecture on the English cannon during the Napoleonic wars by a former RA officer.

[@rokuthedog]

You are my new favorite youtuber. Really interesting stuff.

[@BrandonF]

Glad to hear it! Thank you!

[@monbarque]

You were talking about how the Blue coat mattered for the Artillery on the Battlefield, but you never completed the thought. Could you explain? Thanks!

[@austincottrell5122]

I've watched both the artillery videos and thoroughly enjoyed them both. My only question is about the variety of uniforms presented here. I'm familiar with the regular blue artillery uniforms, but the guy carrying the ammunition and the guy with the linstock got me curious.

[@harrisonrawlinson4602]

The ‘brittle iron’ is what is called cast iron, in addition, when formed it is very hard to ensure that there are no cracks or air bubbles because they form on the microscopic level,it’s brittle due to the properties of iron, when the iron goes through hardening processes (heating to critical temperatures and the cooling at different rates depending on the qualities needed) you can get a better quality iron and this was done on the early rails (for trains). When you start adding carbon and manganese and magnesium (each adds different properties and changing the percentages by even 0.5% the quality of the steel can be vastly changed) you being to get steel which is what most ‘iron’ you will see today actually is. With steel it is even easier to heat treat

[@Richard0292]

I jad heard thay they began with cast iron tracks in the early days in England but gave up because the properties were really attrocious.

[@sirBrouwer]

@@Richard0292 they began with tracks made out of wood. but that mend the cards you could use had to stay pretty light. plus the wood had to be maintained about every day with fat or wax.

[@scoutjax3202]

I would like to see your review of the fort Henry guard in Kingston Ontario Canada

[@Riceball01]

This would have been a perfect video to have done a colab with Matt Easton on. You woul talk about everythiing you did in this video and Matt would tallk about the swords carried by members of the Royal Artillery.

[@MedievalTrebuchet]

Are those cannons rolling around on carriages with wooden wheel axles? Or are the actual axles for the carriage wheels metal?

[@Alex-cw3rz]

Something you could have added was the tendency to load multiple shot down the barrel. (I am more of a navy guy myself so not sure how common this was with the artillery) But let's say it's a 12 pounder gun they would often double or triple shot the guns meaning there would be 2 or 3 12 pound projectiles being fired at once probably quite helpful with the smoothbore and the long reload times. If you ever see Master and Commander they do mention this and show multiple hits from one gun firing unlike most films of this genre. And obviously they would have a multitude of types of shot that could be used such as musket ball sized projectiles etc.

[@jmjgames]

Spiking and nnspiJcing guns, and rendering them unserviceable. To spike a piece, or to render it unserviceable.-DriTe into the Tent a jagged and hardened steel spike with a soft point, or a nail without a head ; break it off flush with the outer surface and clinch the point inside by means of the rammer. Wedge a shot in the bottom of the bore by wrapping it with felt, or by means of iron wedges, using the rammer or a bar of iron to driTC them in; a wooden wedge would be easily burnt by means of a charcoal fire lighted with the aid of a bellows. Cause shells to burst in the bore of bronze guns, or fire broken shot from them with high charges. Fill a piece with sand over the charge to burst it. Fire a piece against another, muzzle to muzzle, or the muzzle of one to the chase of the other. Light a fire under the chase of a bronze gun, and strike on it with a sledge to bend it. Break off the trunnions of iron guns ; or burst them by firing them with heaTy charges and full of shot, at a high eleTatiou. When guns are to be spiked temporarily, and are likely to be retaken, a spring spike is used, haTing a shoulder to preTent its being too easily extracted.

[@jmjgames]

From the 1861 ordinance manual (US Army)

[@thewarmedic2330]

Keep it up

[@BrandonF]

So I shall!

[@thewarmedic2330]

Thank you

[@Tea_and_Cake]

i haven't watched it yet as it hasn't been up long enough to have seen it all but its very good :)

[@BrandonF]

Don't let me grow complacent, now.

[@Tea_and_Cake]

Brandon F. In that case I have two words for you: household division ha ha keep up the good work

[@dayslikethis5557]

I've also heard that, in addition to barrels made of iron or bronze, there were also barrels made from brass. Do you happen to know what the ratio of composition was for 18th Century cannons (% of iron-barrelled pieces versus % of bronze-barrelled, and % of brass barrelled)? For example, I've read that during the Battle of Lake George in 1755, Gen. William Johnson employed four brass-barrelled 6-pounders against the French.

[@Flintlock_and_Tomahawk]

hello brandon its me from the lafayette durphy house. i just wanted to say i am a big fan of your content

[@BrandonF]

Hello! Thank you! I hope that you enjoyed the event. There are always a lot more going on in MA, so I hope you can make it out to one of the larger events this year!

[@davidruddock1422]

If referring the Royal Artillery, please OH Please use Royal Artillery (That,s British Uniforms and Drills). Those used on this post are Canadian Reenactors. Also the connection with Royal Regiment of Artillery (Regiment's of a Regiment and the Royal Regiment of Royal Engineers (Corps) with Regiments and for a while Artillery in Blue with Red Facings and Engineers in Red with Blue Facings.

[@redf7209]

Perhaps another video could cover the logistics behind the artillery and other forces. The British artillery developed logistics into a science that served the British in many theatres and was probably the secret of success. In the Napoleonic wars a troop of horse artillery with 5 nine pounder guns and howitzer would require 48 horses to pull them, 54 horses to pull 10 ammunition wagons, other horses for other purposes, baggage etc would bring the total to 226 animals. Personnel would comprise surgeons, 2 staff sergeants, 3 sergeants, 3 corporals , 6 bombardiers, 1 farrier, 3 shoeing smiths 2 collar makers, 1 wheeler, 1 trumpeter, 80 Gunners, 84.drivers. ( General Mercers contemporary account of the Waterloo campaign). I don't think this tally even included the food and Hay supplies. We take supplies for granted today and focus on the soldiers combat.

[@SRP3572]

I like to run a couple of wet cleaning patches through my rifle and then one dry patch after every shot. It drags out my shooting time but hey, at least I get my money's worth at the range. It helps cut down on how long it take me to clean my rifle when I get home. It take 15-20 minutes to clean my rifle. If I don't do the patch run through after every shot, it take around a half hour to 45 minutes to get it cleaned up to my liking. So I can only imagine how long it takes to get those cannons clea

[@anarchy2118]

Soon you'll be at 50k,100k,then 1,000,000 subs

[@whodoobucrew2960]

Do cannonballs being fired actually make that "wubwubwub" noise? You hear it in movies basically anytime a shell is about to land, and it sounds incredible but is it just a trope?

[@startrek91481]

It would seem that blue uniforms, might cause confusion in the heat of battle, especially in cases where colonial regulars over ran the artillery positions.

[@arjunyanti-smith550]

Hey Brandon, I think you should cover an Indian movie called "Thugs of Hindostan", I think there's plenty of farbyness with the EIC represented in it.

[@arjunyanti-smith550]

Also Robert Clive is killed by a burning statue falling on him, and that the film is set in 1795 even though Clive died in 1774

[@Diluted37]

A quick question relating to the blue uniforms being related to royalty. How long has the color blue/blue blood been associated with the idea of royalty, and when was the idea first widely adopted?

[@laurie1183]

That's very dependent upon which Royal House you're talking about.

[@slightlyburntmarshmallow4301]

Why on Earth would anyone dislike this video?

[@user-xe1lm1wy6q]

Who would be better gunners the royal artillery or the royal navy?

[@UrVileWedge]

Actually, one other question occurred to me. Would non-artillerymen have the tools and/or training to quickly disable a gun should they come across it? I could see something where say a cavalry group quickly raided and overran a gun but know they can't hold their position, so want to destroy the guns before pulling out.

[@bskorupk]

Speaking of the subject of " How does Artillery actually work? " I wonder where I could find (in English) works by either (or preferably both) Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban, or, Menno van Coehoorn? Given that I keep finding excerpts of them, and I can find originals in Google Books and the like, but I can't seem to find a translated version in English. Help would be greatly appreciated! :) Sincerely, Ben Skorupka

[@BrandonF]

Might this be one that you're looking for? amzn.to/2M62kTD There is one copy available from when I post it, but if you do a little more digging I am sure you can find other copies of both of these men's works on Amazon or Ebay!

[@bskorupk]

@@BrandonF The title is correct, but the description is more vague, speaking of a series that's never named. I have just now come across a website with some of his works, (and many others!) quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebogroup/ Thanks! :)

[@presidentlouis-napoleonbon8889]

I heard that during the Napoleonic Wars, steel guns were invented. Can you make a video about this topic : Steel Artillery.

[@UrVileWedge]

You stated that the artillerymen carried carbines and somewhere around 9-12 rounds of ammunition for quick actions defending or retaking the guns. For comparison, how much ammunition would regular line infantrymen usually be carrying into battle?

[@BrandonF]

Cartridge boxes weren't really standardized during the AWI, but you could generally expect something in the high 20s or low 30s per man.

[@UrVileWedge]

@@BrandonF Thank you for the quick and helpful reply.

[@charlesdexterward4726]

How do they aim The Canon?

[@HATECELL]

Another advantage of bronze guns over iron guns, especially for the Royal Navy, is that bronze is more resistant to saltwater. In fact, diving knives were usually made of bronze all the way until titanium knives became affordable

[@yilinwang467]

I understand that the iron used in 18th guns was high in carbon thus brittle, but how do the steel guns of the 19th compare in terms of danger?

[@BrandonF]

I couldn't say, but I imagine much better.

[@danielkohli1542]

From what I've heard the high carbon cast iron is the reason that they were brittle. The wrought iron guns did not tend to explode due to the lower carbon. Sorry for the lecture.

[@jamesmarshall7428]

The Parrot rifle was exceptionally safer than previous peices because of a supporting band of steel at the breech, where most barrel bursts tend to happen.

[@jamescanson3352]

I’ve been told that spiked guns have to be completely melted and recasted from the damage if they are to be used again, is that true, or can the nail be removed and the canon reused?

[@BrandonF]

I imagine that it largely depends on how bad the damage is from the spiking, but I can't say I've ever heard of them re-casting the guns as a result. If a gun were that badly stoppered they could probably just re-drill the hole.

[@TheManofthecross]

@@BrandonF I see something to look in to and yeah only way to know is pull the spike out and take a proper look at it. I mean they can be pulled out so why not.

[@yankeedoodle7365]

And a iron cannon that was made during the civil war was called a parrote if I'm right or parrote rifle and it had a iron sleeve around the back end where the fuse hole or touch hole, was and also this sleeve gives it is shape instead of the more rounded end to it. I should probably work in a artillery reg.

[@arisukak]

Parrott. It's named after the inventor.

[@swatsaw6]

is there like a Wikipedia page of different soldier type names like fusilier, grenadier etc ?

[@japhfo]

Yes but dont bother

[@keithorbell8946]

In the period you’re interested, the Royal Artillery was administered by the Royal Ordinance Board, not the Army command at Horseguards. Also, as you mentioned in another video, Gunner officers did not purchase their commissions, along with Royal Engineers (in the late 18th and early 19 th centuries a wholly officer corps), they went to the military college at Woolwich. Some traditions still hold, in the modern Royal Regiment of Artillery, they have no flags as colours, instead the guns themselves are the Colours of the Regiment, and soldiers are ordered to run to the guns, and quick march away from them.

[@yilinwang467]

I know this question is a little out of the video’s time period but I would still like to enquire: I find that most bronze artillery is not rifled even in the mid 19th century whereas iron and steel ones were rifled, is there a reason for this?

[@petethebastard]

Basically metallurgy, production issues and inertia of tactics.... The thought was there... "Rifled Cannon, good idea!" But everything had to catch up.

[@danielkohli1542]

Bronze was too soft to stay rifled whare iron was stronger and able to stay rifled.

[@Batmack]

@@danielkohli1542 The French did eventually rifle their bronze 12 pounders, but IIRC this was more of an stopgap measure and proved inferior to German artillery in the war on 1870

[@glynluff2595]

You have the answer in your question! By the time steel was being used shell shapes had changed and driving bands fitted to the lower end. This allowed engagement with the rifling and the use of higher gas pressures to spin the shell. As the British were first to develop steel so with guns. Herr Krupp visited Britain and amusingly, made clandestine visits to foundaries to learn the process which he eventually leaned to replicate although he initially had problems with the coal.

[@dick_richards]

You were in Barry Lyndon??

[@jtnelson8828]

Didn't artillery crews carry swords or sabers. Less decorative sabers for enlisted and more so decorated for officers during the napoleonic wars? For the British. If so why did they stop carrying carbines and switch to sabers

[@Batmack]

Sorry if i missed it, but is the gun meant to be a "Grasshopper" 3 pdr?

[@japhfo]

It's a version of a Congreve 3 pdr, sometimes referred to as a 'Butterfly'. 'Grasshopper' was the name given to the Pattinson 3pdr, which didn't have the stowage boxes either side of the barrel; the name supposedly deriving from the piece's appearance when poles were inserted into the carriage for man-packing.

[@Batmack]

@@japhfo Thanks, i read something that caught my attention on the Grasshopper and i wanted to have an idea about how it looks in operation

[@leojordan5119]

0:15 King's Royal Artillery 2nd Fattallion

[@l.h.9747]

i have a question. why is the artillery royal but the army isnt ? i mean i presume its so the parlament has something to stay in power, but why not the whole land forces ? or is it just a titel and the king functions as some sort of godfather ? ( i know godfather is silly but i didnt had another word for it

[@stuartjarman4930]

The British army as a whole owes it's lineage to Cromwell's New Model Army fighting against the King in the civil war, after which the 'Royal Army' was disbanded. The guns, like warships, were the property of the crown, so the regiment of artillery (actually a corps) has its lineage there. Until the late 19th century the RA was administered not by the army command but by the Board of Ordnance

[@99thBattalion]

Is that why the dress uniforms of the RAF are blue as well?

[@quentintin1]

i think it's more a matter of distinction of the branch rather than distinction of them as a royal force looking at it, the first uniforms color of the Royal Air Service (the RAF was born with the fusion of the RAS and the RNAS) was pale blue, most think it was a cost thing as the uniform material is thought to be originally intended for uniforms of the Russian imperial cavalry, but with the revolution it became more available and cheaper than other options. it later was changed to a blue-grey as the pale blue uniforms were not very popular and uncomfortable

[@georgeshapovalov3964]

Not, or well, rather exactly to be pedantic :), you mean "cast iron" no doubt, not simply "iron". These are very very different metals. Plain iron, as in almost pure Fe is a rather soft metal that corrodes extremely quickly. Steel is Fe with some significant carbon content and some extra additives (Zn, Ni) that make it hard but still elastic. Cast iron, AKA "pig iron", is Fe with much higher carbon content. This is the hardest version of iron, but also rather brittle. Steel would have been the best material for the gun bore in fact (and today is much cheaper than bronze), but technology of the time could not control carbon composition of iron well enough. The process utilized at the time produced molten iron with high carbon contents, thus yielding what is called now "cast iron". The term iron stands for the base metal itself which, without all the modern ligations necessary to produce quality steel, was unsuitable for gun production.

[@b.griffin317]

.65" = 20 gauge, .75" = 12 gauge, yes? (when casting shot)

[@TheManofthecross]

I did not know that renactors can't use iron guns out right. and how do you get a steel sleeve put in? do reply and share on how this is possible? I mean by the time of the civil war here iron guns were common enough that were used more so then bronze guns out right so your kind of screwed there on that front.

[@jamesmarshall7428]

If blue was the Royal color, is red the color of Parliament? I am just assuming since parliamentarian soldiers in the civil war sometimes wore red.(Excuse me please if I'm wrong)

[@japhfo]

Russet cloth was dyefast and reasonably cheap. However, not all Parliamentary regiments wore red coats. The colour of coats was not relevant. Uniformity was not sought or achieved, although in theory regiments were supplied with coats of the same colour by their colonels. In the C17th coloured sashes and field signs were used to identify opposing sides. Orange was the colour of Parliament, I believe.

[@FieldMarshalYT]

Huzzah!

[@robertkalinic335]

I wonder, was there significant difference in quality and combat efficiency of artillery units between england and france during napoleonic wars?

[@jigilo4853]

Napoleon as a gunner himself loved his arty. Wellington, who was reputed to be a snob rather did not care for his artillery. As a result the French Artillery was usually better as France cared more for it so they trained and equipped them better.

[@TheManofthecross]

@@jigilo4853 well that came and bit him in the ass at waterloo he had to use a whole lot of dirt just to keep his men safe and even then they got shelled to peaces and then some not enough to lose the battle but still he ruled the day when he went up against Napoleon directly and the artillery out right.

[@jigilo4853]

@@TheManofthecross cant argue with the outcome of history

[@TheManofthecross]

@@jigilo4853 yeah not to mention his own artillery crews and guns being blown to peaces etc. maybe the rest of the british army afterwards learned to better care for the arillery and crews.

[@japhfo]

@@jigilo4853 Wellington had no control over the artillery who were administered by the Ordinance department, (any more than he had control over uniforms his men wore). Wellington was a soldier who as a general sought victory, and generally succeeded.. He may not have been interested in the mechanics of artillery, but he understood the importance of guns.

[@b.griffin317]

one guy in that crew is all-white while another is light blue. is there a meaning behind this?

[@BrandonF]

Those two men just didn't have their regimentals (coats) yet, I think.

[@sir.stupidity6751]

My Great Great Great Great Great Great Great grandpa was a captain in the revolution and his dad made some the first cannon balls in the revolution

[@colinp2238]

The guns of the Royal Artillery are it's colours (flags) and Gunners cannot run from the guns. They can run to them to take action and must always be at attention when the guns are fired, either standing or kneeling. The rank of Corporal is unheard of in the RA and that rank is Bombardier. When the Queen addresses the Royal Regiment she addresses it as Officers and Gentlemen of the Royal Artillery, inferring that the real gentlemen are not the officers maybe? Final tit bit the Victoria Cross is reputed to be struck from bronze of cannons captured in the Crimean War, at Sebastopol 1854-1855 but it is not known if that source still remains.

[@skeletons7280]

Infantry Skirmishers Militia Calvary And Artillery are neat classes Im more interested in artillery and skirmishes, One is cause i like cannons like the prussian howitzers in 1864 during the bombardment of dybbøl and other wars, and the reason why i like Skirmisher is cause they're snipers, and i love old rifles

[@skeletons7280]

Ps i love your videos and your channel interest me alot😀😀😁😁

[@TheGreatThicc]

Watching this video made me remember that during a campaign against... Prussia I think (I'd have to find the video Epic History TV made about it again)... Napolean had his cannons push forward and fire into the enemy defences at what was essentially point-blank range. I would assume a tactic like that is in fact rather stupid yet he somehow made it work.

[@emperorpenguin3845]

It wouldn´t in fact be stupid, as Napoleon demonstrated (though I doubt he was the first). Think about it this way, you have a Prussia line, it is getting showered by shrapnel, you either advance to take the guns, but risk getting shot and charged by line, not to mentioned the sheer panic of charging a battery. Your other option is to retreat, which then allows the enemy to take the position.

[@TheGreatThicc]

@@emperorpenguin3845 I say it was stupid because moving the guns within spitting distance of their lines could've left the crews dangerously open to gunfire or counter-battery fire

[@Fredrikschou]

It would be very silly to fire a smoothbore cannon above the heads of your own troops on level ground. At least until the advent of Explosive Shells. Round shot need the bounce. Too high a trajectory and it will just burrow itself in the ground

[@ThePoeticPariah]

Wait, blue is for royal regiments only? What defines royal and non-royal regiments?

[@BrandonF]

The designation of being a 'Royal' regiment was an honour bestowed by the monarch on particular regiments for their service.

[@howardxing5885]

you should play warbanner since you love history about the 17th, 18th and 19th century. Here's the link: www.agame.com/game/warbanner

[@West_Coast_Gang]

Where do I get a Royal foot artillery uniform Edit: Napoleonic

[@West_Coast_Gang]

Found one

[@West_Coast_Gang]

Found two

[@laurie1183]

How on earth do you turn bine into bean

[@mopar3602]

Two poor guys who have to drag the cannon everywhere

[@b.griffin317]

the two most junior of course.

[@mopar3602]

b. griffin Yep. That's how it always is

[@leebennett4117]

One of the Kings of Scotland was killed by an Exploding Cannon,James But I cannot Remember Which one of the six it was

[@japhfo]

James ii of Scotland, killed at Roxburgh in 1460 by an exploding gun.

[@jmjgames]

INJURIES CAUSED BY SERVICE. Bronze guns are little subject to external injury, except from the bending of the trunnions, sometimes, after long service, or heavy charges. Internal injuries are caused by the action of the gases developed in the combustion of the powder, or by the action of the shot in passing out of the bore. These effects generally increase with the calibre of the piece. Of the first kind, the principal one is the cutting away of the metal of the upper surface of the bore over the seat of the shot. Those of the second kind are : The lodgment of the shot, a compression of the metal on the lower side of the bore, at the seat of the shot, caused by the pressure of the gas in escaping over the top of the shot. There is a corresponding' burr in front of the lodgment, and the motion thereby given to the shot causes it to strike alternately on the top and bottom of the bore, producing other enlargements, generally three in number; it is chiefly from this cause that bronze guns become unserviceable. Scratches caused by the fragments of a broken shot, or the roughness of an imperfect one. The durability of bronze guns may be much increased by careful use, and by the precautions of increasing the length of the cartridge, or that of the sabot, or using a wad over the cartridge, in order to change the place of the shot ; by wrapping/ the shot in woollen or other eloih, or in paper, so as to diminish the windage and the bounding of the shot in the bore. In field yuns, both bronze and iron, the paper cap which is taken off from the cartridge should always be put over the shot. Iron guns are subject to the above defects in a less degree than bronze, except the corrosion of the metal. The principal cause of injury to iron guns is the rusting of the metal, producing a roughness and enlargement of the bore. The Service to which an iron gun has been subjected may generally be determined by the appearance of the Tent. After about 500 rounds the Tent becomes enlarged to .3 inch, and should not be longer used. In riiied guns the wear of the Tent is about twice as great as in smoothbored guns. Replacing Vents.-In field and rifled piece's, the Tent-pieee is taken out and a new one is screwed in. In other guns, the Tent is filled up by pouring in melted zinc, the Tent being closed on the interior by means of clay placed on the head of a rammer and pressed against the upper surface of the bore, and a new Tent is bored, at a distance of two or three inches from the first.

[@TheManofthecross]

did not know that thanks for the info.

[@glynluff2595]

Excellent reply. In addition if you are ever in Vienna go to the war Museum where they have a roofed area outside under which are a huge collection of bronze and iron cannon some of which have battle damage. It is a most instructive exhibit if you know what you are looking at.

[@jmjgames]

@@glynluff2595 I am planing to visit Vienna one day, I heard that they have a lot of very nice museums.

[@Olivia_Knot]

84th

[@reallyoldfatgit]

Do you know at which point the Royal Regiment of Artillery adopted the tradition of “running to the guns but marching away from them” still carried out today?

[@glynluff2595]

As I understood it when attached to 1 RHA LAD they ran to take charge of them and only marched away if the were secure. 1 RHA are special in that their dress uniform is that which was issued in the Peninsular War. This is mid blue and based upon the hussar style as the were mounted. Guns were galloped into action and often galloped out again. This is because they were fought forward and RHA are proudly fist in and last out. Read action accounts of retreat from Mons WWI. Kings Troop RHA is the ceremonial troop you see firing salutes. They sometimes gallop out of an arena after a display. This can only be done if there is huge run off area as otherwise the only way the horses can brake the gun an limber is for them to squat so that several tons of horse, gun, limber and gunners are sliding on the grass. I stood within inches as one such gallop was performed and the ground quaked like jelly! Even today gun numbers will run ahead of their guns onto the gun position to lead their gun up to the correct survey pole. This is important as the position is laid out on a calculated front and angle and firing calculations and corrections for each piece are already being calculated by the surveyors as once the first gun is registered the others will add or subtract the known offset. With regard to blue uniforms I think this was because in history the Kings Siege Train was quartered in the Tower of London, the White Tower. This was the Royal Ordinance. Thus all Ordinance related units wear blue to this day.

[@reallyoldfatgit]

Glyn Luff thank you for your reply. As a potATO it was on my course in ‘88 that, whilst visiting the RSA, we saw and fired the light gun and witnessed the gunners running to the guns to fire them but marching away to their shelters and CP. The point was made that the gunners never ran from and abandoned their guns. As you allude in the retreat from Mons the gunners may have run (or galloped) with their guns but never without them. Yet at Balaclava we know that the Lt Bde should have re-captured British guns taken by the Russians. So at some point the tradition became run to and march calmly away. When was this I wonder?

[@stuartjarman4930]

Cool story, but they did abandon the guns and run away quite often! It was the standard drill when attacked by cavalry: fire canister until the last possible moment then grab run like hell for the protection of the nearest infantry square (not forgetting to take your rammer and linstock with you!) Rinse and repeat. Performed brilliantly at Waterloo

[@yourfellowcommunist296]

Imagine the guns made out of diamond

[@salty4496]

:)

[@Sltarfish]

1st- AH DAMNIT

[@BrandonF]

We'll get you there some day.

[@craighagenbruch3800]

Thry look like shortened muskets to me

[@chang.stanley]

Why are the 2 people with the ram rods holding them like that, and unnecessarily standing up in the open?!? Everything is done so slow and inefficiently...

[@stuartjarman4930]

They hold them like that as a signal that they are clear of the muzzle and ready for the gun to fire. They stand there so they can see the muzzle and be sure the gun has discharged before stepping n front of it again to reload. Slow equals efficient and SAFE, rushing the drill leads to accidents, and on a canon, there is no such thing as a small accident.

[@chang.stanley]

@@stuartjarman4930 The one firing can easily see if someone is in front of the cannon before firing. The big puff of smoke and lack of a fuse should be an obvious sign the cannon has fired. Looking at the angle of the cannon, this is not for indirect fire so the enemy would be able to see them. Standing out in the open just unnecessary makes you a bigger target. Holding the ram rods up like also that seems to only telegraph to the enemy when the cannon is about to fire. You probably have a point about not rushing to fire since it's not real combat though

[@sir.phillip2697]

Second

[@brianmatyas4114]

Food for thought, if blue was considered a "royal" color, then why did the Continental Army choose that color to outfit their regular infantry during the Revolution? Seeing as how they were clearly anti-monarchy.

[@BrandonF]

While blue is very important to the British Army of this time, it wasn't necessarily the case in other forces. Many European nation's had most of their men in blue uniforms, and most American uniforms came from the French. There may have been something psychological at play, but it wasn't the main factor to be sure.

[@stuartjarman4930]

France supplied many regimental coats as war aid: some were Brown, some Blue, both had red facings and were lined in white. Washington's Aides drew lots for who got which color (by state/colony), so the coats were named 'lottery coats'. There were 15,232 blue coats and 8,041 brown so blue was the color eventually chosen as the standard for the Continental Army in the regulations of 1779.

[@macalvand]

3:25 ping

[@West_Coast_Gang]

They only sell carbines in .75 :(

[@MrWeebsgm]

Opps let's set a few things streaght there is and never have been battalions in the RA Battery's yes these are subdivided into troops the amount of guns go back too Henry VIII he orded that a siege train to be permantley raised they where to have twelve gun each named after the twelve apposels that is where the RA got the amount of guns the smaller division is a troop of six guns. Now for the blue colour of dress coat German George raised the field artillery later they were granted the title Royal and also the battle houner Ubique everywhere. Because from that time wherever there was a battle the artillery were there. When the field artillery were formed the only people around to train them in guns explosives and shot were the navy so they were sent to chattem navel base on the solent so they needed a uniform the material most handy to them was navy blue witch when new was almost black because there were no perminat dye so three regerments were formed first second and third first stayed in England the second went to Amarica and were later called the black legs because of the black field gators they wore in garrosn they wore white but in combat and field work they wore black to cover up mud. Later the Artillery moved to a purpose build school and academy at woollwich and had there Owen foundry and Arsenal built on the banks of the river Thames which in time also armed and reared the navy with guns and amo

[@thatchannel195]

Had no idea any Brits ever wore blue lol

[@cracklingvoice]

I believe it was the 95th Rifles who wore green while on campaign in Iberia.

[@influenza3736]

The thumbnail makes it look like he's a horn man.

[@narakagati5872]

He's just like Lindybeige, but more objective. Both are fantastic.

[@b.griffin317]

and shorter

[@supremecommandergiladpella8549]

how is lindybeige racist?

[@gwtpictgwtpict4214]

@Aggressive Tubesock I think you have quite stunningly failed to understand the point Lindybeige is making. I hope you'll understand I'm not saying you should agree with him, but please, attempt to argue against his point. Your accusation that he is racist, on the basis of the video you've linked to, in my opinion, just makes you look a bit dim.

[@fesimco4339]

@@gwtpictgwtpict4214 Thank god for this reply. I was just about to lose faith in humanity when someone thought *Lindybeige* was racist.

[@sir.phillip2697]

I'm assuming it's good because it's made by you and it's not click bait

[@BrandonF]

Hah, well thank you!

[@petethebastard]

Having served on Guns, as a Gun Number.... your RePro gunners are a bit stiff and regimented in their ways.... It's a Battle, you don't Stand-To-Attention awaiting your next move.... Otherwise OK, Kool!

[@ChaseisBased595]

First also hi

[@BrandonF]

Hello!

[@jonathanberumen9573]

Not a chemist? Surely you meant metallurgist.