Got a Real-World Weapon, Armour or Tactics Question? Mk. XXVIII

[Pauly]

Another issue is that while fast loading rifled muskets existed in the ACW, the method of battlefield command hadn’t changed since the Napoleonic era. Yes the telegraph immensely changed long distance communications, but in the battlefield commands were restricted to voice, bugle and flag. The limitations of communication, including the huge amounts of smoke generated by massed blackpowder weapons, meant the leaders had to keep the men in closer formations.

So even if the rifled muskets were an improvement over Smoothbores (and obviously they were because of their widespread adoption) the ability to command troops hadn’t changed. It really took many continental powers up to WW1 to drop massed columns and lines for open order. The British were an early adopter because of the 2nd Boer War, but the continental powers learned the lesson the hard way in 1914.

[KineticDiplomat]

DrewID, I don’t think that rings true. The officers of the ACW were mostly amateurs with a leavening of Mexican War veterans and professionals. And they were still using Hardee’s manual (basically, slightly modified napoleonic stuff) as their baseline.

And just too many attacks get shot to pieces trying to close whether they succeed or fail to think that officer perception was preventing them.

[DrewID]

DrewID, I don’t think that rings true. The officers of the ACW were mostly amateurs with a leavening of Mexican War veterans and professionals. And they were still using Hardee’s manual (basically, slightly modified napoleonic stuff) as their baseline.

And just too many attacks get shot to pieces trying to close whether they succeed or fail to think that officer perception was preventing them.

Point. I forgot how long the U.S. held to its aversion to European-style (or at least perceived as such) standing armies and elite officer corps. And then a not insignificant percentage of their trained officers were from Southern states, decimating the U.S. Army's supply of trained officers. Unless hearsay "doctrine" received from the few veteran trained officers ... but now I'm slipping into circular argument.

DrewID

[Brother Oni]

Page 50, new thread is up.