Civil War Weaponry - 1085 Words

Ketchum Grenades In August of 1861, William F. Ketchum patented the Ketchum Hand Grenade. Shortly after, in the years of 1863 and 1864, the grenade was implemented in the American Civil War. With a lemon-shaped piece of iron and a tail made of paper or cardboard, the handheld explosive greatly resembled a dart. On the front of the grenade’s body was a plunger, which held a percussion cap filled with explosive material.When the the grenade fell onto its nose and applied pressure to the plunger, an explosion was triggered, only to be met by more gunpowder inside. Although the resulting explosion caused a great deal of mayhem and shrapnel, it was not very reliable because its detonation depended on the grenade falling directly onto its nose. Because of its temperamental behavior, the grenade got a reputation for not being very accurate. During its use by the Union army, the weapon was still in its earliest stages. Although the Confederate army did not adopt this specific weapon, they had similar ideas such as the Raines grenade, which was similar in appearance, but completely inadequate for battle. Instead of cardboard fins for a stable flight, the Raines grenade had a cloth streamer. Ketchums were used in several important battles such as the battle of Vicksburg and the siege of Petersburg. Union soldiers threw the grenades at the Confederate troops and stood back for the explosion. They were faced with an unpleasant surprise when the Confederates found a way to avoid anyShow MoreRelatedCivil War Weaponry1420 Words   |  6 PagesWhat military technology introduced aided the Union in winning the Civil War? The American Civil War was a war over the secession of the Confederacy. The Confederate States of America were formed after 11 slave states declared their secession due to the election of an Anti-Slavery republican as president. The remaining 25 states formed the Union. Weapons such as the Gatling Gun, repeating rifle, which gave soldier the ability to fire multiple rounds without reloading, railroads and telegraphsRead MoreConflict Between Rational And Conflict1417 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction The occurrence and recurrence of wars are made by rational actors, but what are the prerequisites for a war? There are numerous answers to this question with a wide range of answers that give a perspective on the various sources of conflict. The first is that the cost of war cannot be outrageously high. The anticipated outcome of gaining resources, power, and/or territory cannot exceed the expected cost of conflict, including damages to property and life. The second is that a failureRead MoreEffects Of The Arms Trade On National Growth1932 Words   |  8 Pagesacross Africa, is armed conflict. The longevity and sustainability of these conflicts is based solely on the prominence of the arms trade on the continent. 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Wars come and go leaving many good and bad things behind, whichever light it is looked at from, weaponry is always one of those things. War time is notorious for pushing technology to the edge, this including weaponry. There have been several wars that impacted future weaponry but the Civil War is on the farthest awayRead MoreThe Industrial Revolution Of The Middle East1071 Words   |  5 PagesFor millennia mankind has exhausted endless amounts of energy contemplating the eternally complicated system of war. From Gangas Khan to America’s involvement in the Middle East, all successful generals, military leaders, and conquerors have found commonality in their zealous emphasis on, and desire for, possessing the most technologically advanced forms of weaponry. 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Many historians believe the battle was a large turning point in the Civil War in favor of the Union (Woodworth, 2008). However, this is dispu table. The battle was also significant because it was the bloodiest battle of the war, which resulted in the death of 51,112 Soldiers (The Battle of Gettysburg, The American Civil WarRead MoreThe Civil War And The First Modern War1632 Words   |  7 PagesThe Civil War clash is often remembered for the carnage caused when army tactics failed to load rifles and muskets, and the tantalizing scene of lost and submerged warships. The revolutionary introduction of ships and railroad networks were just developing at the same time. Day after day, more cadavers lay under the scorching sun than any other life time. People fought everything they had, until nothing but the remains were left. From that era onwards, technology evolved, which provided us with