Volume 1, Issue 5: August 1999
The Newsletter of
Battery B, 4th U.S. Light Artillery, Inc.
Publisher: Cpt. Eric Peterson.
Editor: Sgt. Steve Adams.
The Redleg
Volume 1, Issue 5: August 1999
The Newsletter of
Battery B, 4th U.S. Light Artillery, Inc.
Publisher: Cpt. Eric Peterson.
Editor: Sgt. Steve Adams.
Redleg Office:
In This Issue...
"Into Battery"
Gibbon.
Promotions list.
School of the Piece.
Letter of appreciation from Major Jack Grothe.
Did you Know?
Into Battery... With Captain Eric Peterson.
Greetings Fellow Redlegs!
We are mid-season and I am happy to report that St. Barbara has smiled on the battery. Our events have been well attended, and performance has been at an all time high. The early camp of instruction and the St. Louis Artillery School has paid big dividends. We are now recognized as the most professional battery in the mid-west. The catalyst for this improvement has been the general membership guided by a solid leadership corps. From what I have observed, a great deal of effort has been put forward by all members to improve the technical and tactical portions of our impression.
Escanaba was a big hit! We had twelve members in attendance. Two cannons were employed. Our tactical impression was good enough to attract one definite member from the infantry and two potential members from the general public! Special thanks to Rich Grzyb and Scott Gutzke who ensured that the cannons were sited and rolled back into battery between firings. When combined with my observed adjustments to fire, it presented an accurate battery combat impression seldom seen on re-enactment fields. We were definitely doing more than blowing smoke!
The battery has a new mess box to contain all the equipment, compliments of Rich Grzyb and Ted Gardner! We can now carry all the mess gear for an encampment in one authentic looking box. The breakfast was great - not to exclude the fine lunch and dinner provided by the city and Mrs. Popp.
Let's endeavor to make all our events as successful as this one. Unfortunately, we will not be participating in Chickamauga as a unit. This was a bad time of year for most members to make a major trip and we could not fill the minimum crew requirements. There will be a special paid event at Juneau City Park on August 28 & 29. We will do firing demonstrations and camp life during the day, and we will signal the end of the period band concert with a night firing! This could be a major recruiting event in this area. All interested in attending should contact Eric Peterson.
I have taken over command of Sons of Veterans Major General John Gibbon Camp #4 from Ernst Von Frankenburg who has retired as camp commander after ten years of service effective July 4, 1999. Thank you Ernst for your many years of service. My vision for the rest of 1999 is to have bi-monthly meetings starting September 1st at 7:00pm, and on the first Wednesday of every odd numbered month thereafter. The meetings will be a combination of SVR business, education and social activity. I would like to have a guest speaker at each meeting ranging from published authors to our own historians, and even members willing to share the exploits of their ancestors. I would also like the unit to participate in Veterans Day observances, perhaps at a local cemetery. Anyone with suggestions please let me know.
Randy Popp will be stepping up to Senior Vice-Commander of the camp. We have positions open for a Junior Vice-Commander and a Treasurer/Secretary, for which we will be holding elections in November. Interested candidates should contact Eric Peterson.
Cedat Fortuna Peritis
Promotions update: Congratulations to Sergeant Rich Grzyb, and Corporal Terry Brown.
The Artillerists Manual
by John Gibbon.
The follow are excerpts lifted from John Gibbons noted treatise on the field artillery:
Light artillery has now become an indispensable arm in all armies; and it is brought to such perfection that no troops, however brave and well-disciplined, can do without it. Napoleon said, even before the many recent improvements were introduced, that no body of infantry without the help of artillery could march for 1,000 or 1,200 yards against a battery of sixteen well-placed and well-served pieces, without being destroyed.
Artillery becomes of so much more importance when placed with raw and undisciplined troops; when the batteries, well posted and served, will atone, in some measure, for the deficiencies of the rest of the troops. In this case, the capacity of a general is exhibited by his knowing how to place, upon the point of attack, the few good troops at his disposal, and to protect the others with powerful batteries, which the enemy would in vain attempt to carry. But in order to succeed with such means, the genius of the chief must be capable of atoning for the moral inferiority of his troops, and his artillery possess a marked superiority over that of the enemy. Probably there never has been a battle fought in which this fact was rendered more apparent than it was at Buena Vista, where the batteries of Washington, Bragg, and Sherman performed such signal service, and atoned so well for the absence of a large well-disciplined force. Artillery may be also made to supply the want of a cavalry force, as well as to arrest a charge of cavalry, which can produce but little effect when made under the fire of well-posted and well-served batteries.
When serving with troops of the very best kind, artillery, although less important, is an arm the use of which cannot be dispensed with in battles of any size. Posted along the front of the line, it serves to maintain the combat; to spare the rest of the troops; to support their movements, and to make an opening for them to act. A portion of it, held in reserve, appearing at a decisive moment, produces, by its rapid and terrible effect, the most important results.
In flat, open country, with numerous roads, field-artillery is of the most importance, as by its mobility and power of concentration, it neutralizes the importance and effect of the fixed positions of an enemy, and atones for want of them on one's own side.
Its importance is diminished in a broken or mountainous country, where war is reduced to attacks on fixed positions; but even in this kind of war, where infantry plays the most important part, it is still of the greatest use in forcing difficult passages, setting fire to towns, and battering down houses or other obstacles.
The principle advantages of the fire of artillery over that of infantry, are- that the striking of the shot and shell gives a means, not possessed by small-arms, of correcting the fire. The dust thrown up by a shot striking may be seen at a distance of more than 1,000 yards. The moral effect due to the power of artillery is increased by the noise of the explosions, which can be heard in the midst of the most active firing of small-arms.
Artillery is used against troops, either deployed or in squares, by forming openings preparatory to a charge of cavalry. It also repulses the enemy's columns of attack, throwing them into disorder.
The efficiency of the fire is, under similar circumstances, in proportion to the caliber; and for this reason a battery of 12-pdrs. produces greater effect than one of the smaller pieces. The new 12-pdr. being calculated to throw shells as well as shot, and being light enough to pass over ordinarily rough ground, has many advantages over lighter pieces. Artillery-fire is useful only within the limits of distinct vision. The greatest cannonading usually takes place at from 800 to 900 yards.
Artillery is of the greatest use in attacking posts and entrenchment's; and a city which would resist troops without artillery, would quickly yield after receiving a few shot and shell.
Shells act by percussion and explosion both; but the firing with them is much less accurate than solid shot. The noise, however, made by them and the fear of seeing them burst, add much to their moral effect. They act effectively against cavalry in column or in several lines, by frightening the horses and demoralizing the men. Whatever be the kind of piece used, it is apparent that success will depend upon the skill and address exhibited by the gunners in charge of it.
Sun Tzu: If the enemy leaves a door open, you must rush in.
Did you Know?
The star pupil of 1st Lt. Robert Anderson's artillery tactics class at West Point in 1836, was Cadet Pierre G.T. Beauregard. The two men held each other in high regard. Twenty-five years later Anderson commanded Fort Sumter, and Beauregard commanded the fledgling Confederate forces that forced the surrender of the the Union fort.
Confederate General Henry Heth became so adept at using a bow during his service as a young lieutenant on the frontier that he used one to hunt buffalo from horseback.
U.S. Grant, during his war service, smoked about two dozen cigars a day, but he rarely drank any whiskey.
Col. Ernst Von Frankenburg honored by SVR. Battery B wins praise at the School of the Piece
Colonel Ernst Von Frankenburg was honored by his comrades in the Sons of Veterans Reserve on Sunday June 13th, in St. Louis. Col. Frankenburg was presented with the SVR Meritorious Service Award by BG Charles Corfman, at the conclusion of the School of the Piece.
Ernst has recently decided to retire from his position as commander of camp #4. Fortunately for Battery B, Ernst will remain an active member. Ernst's experience and name recognition in the reenactment community is an asset to the Battery. The Battery would like to add its warmest congratulations to the kudos Ernst has already received.
The School of the Piece, at Jefferson Barracks Historic Park, St. Louis, Missouri was a great success, most especially for Battery B. At the school, the battery was recognized as the most proficient of all the batteries present. Captain Peterson has received a letter congratulating the battery on its work at the event. As a direct result, we have been asked to consider hosting the next School of the Piece in Wisconsin.
Congratulations to all the battery members that attended the event.
September 2, 1864: Union forces occupy Atlanta.
The following letter was sent to the battery:
HEADQUARTERS
FOURTH MILITARY DISTRICT
SONS OF VETERANS RESERVE
-------------------------------------
OFFICE OF THE COMMANDER
727 ZEISS AVE.
ST. LOUIS, MO 63125
1st Lt. Eric B. Peterson S.V.R.
2826 Honey Creek Road
Burlington, WI 53105
Dear Sir:
I was very pleased that you and Battery B, 4th U.S. Light Artillery could take part in the School of the Piece at Jefferson Barracks. The professional conduct of your crew, on and off, the gun was a credit to the 4th military district S.V.R. and an inspiration to all the other units there.
I am proud to have Battery B, 4th U.S. Light Artillery as a unit under my military district command. Brig.Gen. Charles W. Corfman has expressed his pleasure and satisfaction to me, with his meetings and work with the battery at the school. We both look forward to working with you on a school of the piece in Wisconsin in 2000.
Respectfully in F.C.&L.
Major Jack G. Grothe
The Faded Coat of Blue
by: J. H. McNaughton
My brave lad he sleeps in his faded coat of blue;
In a lonely grave unknown lies the heart that beat so true;
He sank faint and hungry among the famished brave,
And they laid sad and lonely within his nameless grave.
Chorus-
No more the bugle calls the weary one,
Rest noble spirit, in thy grave unknown!
I'll find you and know you, among the good and true,
When a robe of white is giv'n for the faded coat of blue.
He cried, "Give me water and just a little crumb,
And my mother she will bless you through all the years to come;
Oh tell my sweet sister, so gentle, good and true,
That I'll meet her up in heaven, in my faded coat of blue."
Upcoming Events:
August 27-29: Juneau, WI
September 11: Dozer Days, Sussex, WI
October 1-3: Greenbush, WI
The next issue of The Redleg will be published in October 1999.