Quote Originally Posted by cajunscot
Also, I should point out the "myth" of the American rifleman or sharpshooter in the Revolution -- we dealt with that quite a bit at the battlefield, as visitors could not understand why Civil War armies used linear tactics, when the Americans in the Revolution "hid behind the rocks & trees and shot the stupid British marching in lines" -- in fact, George Washington wanted the American army to be a "European" style army with proper discipline & tactics, because he had seen how unreliable colonial militia were, and knew they would be no match for discplined regulars like the British Army. Rifles were also slower to load and would foul much easier, thereby decreasing the rate of fire. There were also no bayonet lugs on rifles. Whilst some riflemen were used in the Revolution, the majority of colonial soldiers were "heavy infantry".

Sorry...that's the ranger coming out in me...back to kilts! :mrgreen:

Cheers,

Todd
Todd,

I'm not as familiar with War of 1812 uniforms as I am Revolutionary and War Between the States uniforms, so I'll take your word on that with no arguement.

I know the Continental Line used the same crossed belts as the British. Some regiments might have used "belly boxes" but I've never seen examples. As for Cartridge Boxes being worn in front during the War Between the States, lets just say that no one paid much attention to uniform regulation when the minie balls were whistling about the ears, one twisted things aroung were they were easiest to reach. However, on parade and for inspection, I believe the cartridge box was worn on the right hip with the cap box just in front.

I am not falling victim to the "myth" of the American Rifleman. I am quite aware of the shortcomings of the muzzle-loading rifle as a military weapon in the 18th Century, and even in the 19th Century. IIRC, Dan Morgan's Virginia Rifle Regiment was issued with "folding spears" in a effort to overcome the lack of bayonets.

I am also well aware of the shortcomings of Militia facing British Regulars, did militia win any major battle against Regulars other than Lexington-Concord and King's Mountain?

However, the effects of marksmanship should not be totally discounted. Even a well made musket can be made fairly accurate out to 60 yards, and pipe-clayed cross belts make for a perfect aiming point, especially when you can see the whites of their eyes.

We Americans should all thank God for good old von Stueben. That stubborn, profane old Prussian forged a ragged collection of ragged undisciplined militia into soldiers of the Continental Line. We ought to drop some other holiday and establish a von Stueben Day in his honor.

As for linear tactics, I suppose you tell them that they were used during the WBTS because they'd been used during the Napoleonic Wars and all the commanders were trained using Napoleonic Tactics. They worked well enough for a smooth-bore with a 100 yard effective range, but with a minie ball firing rifle-musket with a range of 600 or more, they were pretty suicidal, we'll leave improvements in artillery out of this round.