THE ENGLISH 6-PDR

REGARDING ITS USEFULNESS IN THE FIELD

AS A GUN FOR THE HORSE ARTILLERY

 

Part 4

Translated and edited by Geert van Uythoven

 

Source:

- Decker, C. von: "Der Englische Sechspfünder, in Bezug auf seine Brauchbarkeit im Felde, als Geschütz fur reitende Artillerie", in ’Militair-Wochenblatt’ 8. Jahrgang (Berlin 1823) pp.2608, 2708-2711.

 

 

RICOCHET SHOTS (‘ROLLSCHÜSSE’)

 

"The results and the effect of ricochet shots is looked at and judged according to other laws then the direct shots. Important aspects are:

1.  The range of ricochet shots in general;

2.  If the roundshot will keep the right direction, and

3.  If, and how much terrain they will make unsafe.

 

 

1. RANGE OF RICOCHET SHOTS

 

The ‘Leitfaden’ p.288 fixes the range of the ricochet shot of a 6-pdr with 5 ¼ Zoll elevation at 2,300 paces. The ricochet shots of the English 6-pdr all hit the ball-catcher at respectively 2,000 and 2,200 paces, or flew over it or passed to the side of it, and well:

 

 

At 2,000 paces

At 2,200 paces

Into the ball-catcher

29

31

Passing over the ball-catcher

7

1

Passing to the side of the ball-catcher

4

8

Total:

40

40

 

The English 6-pdr with 1 ½ pound powder charge is therefore not inferior to the Prussian one with 2 ¼ powder charge, with regard to the range of the ricochet shot. In addition, one has used with:

-    the first ten shots zero elevation;

-    the 11th to 40th shots 1 Zoll elevation, and with

-    the 41st to 80th shots 1 ½ Zoll elevation,

so therefore respectively 5 ¼, 4 ¼, and 3 ¾ less as with the Prussian ones.

 

In order to judge the flight of the roundshot better, we will give below an extract of the test results at both ranges, specifically of both ranges a few shots, in order not to become too exhaustive. But first we should remark that the results of the first ten shots, done with zero elevation, are left out. Only the results of the thirty shots done with 1 Zoll elevation have been used. This was done because during the tests it was found out that of the shots done with zero elevation, many roundshot went inside a ditch which ran square across the line of fire, and as such would have given no results:  with 1 Zoll elevation, the roundshot bounced across this ditch, and gave useful results.

 

 

Length of the trajectories (paces)

At 2,000 paces

At 2,200 paces

Longest first trajectory

828, 201, 166, 67, 70, 119, 255, 170, 124

962, 319, 59, 132, 198, 300, 230

 

798, 425, 211, 26, 168, 192, 67, 113

938, 416, 250, 123, 97, 386

 

782, 323, 333, 10, 14, 334, 204

932, 313, 305, 230, 156, 234

 

770, 221, 368, 107, 392, 142

928, 216, 102, 118, 234, 72, 262, 138, 130

 

 

928, 453, 148, 124, 224, 81, 132. Sideward

Shortest first trajectory

615, 330, 342, 206, 196, 91, 220

718, 303, 110, 191, 33, 132, 179, 84, 59, 171, 220

 

616, 373, 234, 251, 341, 80, 135

724, 468, 67, 57, 182, 88, 53, 403, 148

 

620, 180, 340, 327, 344, 121, 68

750, 187, 117, 254, 272, 186, 214, 220

 

642, 427, 334, 177, 188, 232

758, 548, 229, 90, 86. Passing left side

Average first trajectory

730, 370, 313, 172, 59, 55, 301

843, 478, 192, 152, 154. Sideward

 

731, 337, 376, 300, 150, 106

852, 93, 358, 202, 181, 163, 125. Sideward

 

721, 436, 149, 154, 279, 155, 50, 50, 66

854, 343, 213, 135, 87, 68, 169, 69. Sideward

 

739, 529, 260, 152, 92, 228

856, 275, 182, 134, 143, 90, 215, 115, 88, 102

 

 

856, 108, 215, 236, 165, 92, 155. Sideward

Average out of 30 and 40 shots

688, 377, 279, 170, etc.

828, 333, 231, 155, etc.

 

From the above one can note that ricochet shots follow a completely different trajectory as that stated by the textbooks. According to the ‘Leitfaden’ p.287 a roundshot makes four to six, sometimes more grazes, of which one can say that on the average the distance between two subsequent grazes is about half the distance of the previous one. The English 6-pdr confirms the former statement, but refutes the latter one. Then the 30 shots at 2,000 paces gave a total of 218 grazes, and the 40 shots at 2,200 paces gave a total of 338 grazes. This gives for the former one an average of seven, for the latter one of eight grazes of every shot fired.

 

On the contrary, of all 556 grazes only five meet the condition that the distance to the next graze is about half of the previous one. The great irregularity of the trajectories has already been illustrated by the extract of the test results of the above 26 shots. Of all 70 shots, 65 had longer trajectories later, and only with five shots each trajectory was shorter as the previous ones, which confirms the opinion of the author about the flight of roundshot sufficiently.

 

The effect of ricochet shots depends of course on the amount of grazes; then the more grazes a roundshot makes, the smaller the trajectories are, and the lower these will be, so the roundshot will more likely hit. Regarding this, the English 6-pdr is superior to the Prussian one, because of the fact that a smaller powder charge is used.

 

 

2. SIDEWARD DEVIATION

 

Understandably, the sideward deviation will be greater for ricochet shots as for direct shots, because of the fact that because of the bigger amount of grazes more deviations will occur, which is duly confirmed by the ‘Leitfaden’ on p.295, §550. Of the 80 shots in the meanwhile, 68 were more or less on the mark, and only 12 passed on the sides. With the direct shots, the latter has been the case with only 5 shots. Of the initial grazes of the 40 shots at 2,000 paces, were:

- on the mark:        9

- to the right:        27

- to the left:            4

Of the initial grazes of the 40 shots at 2,200 paces were:

- on the mark:        1

- to the right:        11

- to the left:          28

The gun therefore shows a deviation to the right with a smaller elevation of zero to 1 Zoll, and a deviation to the left with a higher elevation of 1 ½ Zoll. The reason for this is difficult to explain. However, for justification of the gun we should remark here, that the first grazes were at a range of 2,000 paces a maximum of eight paces, at a range of 2,200 paces a maximum of nine paces off the mark only. Most roundshot made its first graze only a few feet off the mark. We attach here also a small table depicting the sideward deviation in regard to the troops fired at:

 

Ricochet shots

At 1,300 paces

At 1,500 paces

At 1,600 paces

At 1,800 paces

Medium files

Medium files

With the infantry standing in range of the shot

25

29

41

55

Not certain in any case

74

71

110

155

With the cavalry standing in range of the shot

17

20

28

37

Not certain in any case

50

48

74

104

Compared with direct shots, with ricochet shots are :

With the infantry more standing in range of the shot

5

5

-

16

More uncertain

28

-

8

25

With the cavalry more standing in range of the shot

4

4

-

11

More uncertain

19

-

6

17

 

The ricochet shots therefore will deviate about 1/5 to 4/5 more to the side then direct shots.

 

 

3. DEVIATION IN HEIGHT

 

In this case also, the covered space has been calculated using only the shots which actually hit the first wall. Now study the following table, which gives the covered spaces of every hit separately:

 

Serial No.

No. of shot

Closest graze

Hit the wall at a height of (feet)

Covered space (paces)

before

behind

the wall (paces)

Infantry

Cavalry

Ricochet shots at 1,300 paces

1

12

7

219

2

35

56

2

14

69

71

3 ¼

212

340

3

16

30

174

3

100

160

4

17

218

39

4

97

156

5

19

324

18

3 ¼

55

88

6

22

77

134

5

154

246

7

23

44

81

3

146

234

8

24

38

32

2 ½

misses

9

25

90

150

7

128

206

10

26

133

60

4

150

240

11

27

280

58

8 ½

68

108

12

28

195

53

3 ½

151

242

13

31

32

228

6 ½

49

80

14

36

13

193

3

43

69

15

37

309

5

6 ¼

94

151

16

39

143

6

¾

80

128

Ricochet shots at 1,500 paces

1

1

100

35

4 ½

78

124

2

2

103

9

¾

120

192

3

4

50

35

3

116

186

4

5

13

166

5

26

42

5

6

19

135

3

64

102

6

8

2

133

¼

80

128

7

9

28

70

4 ½

62

100

8

10

174

8

1

80

128

9

11

14

192

3

58

92

10

12

96

75

7

170

171

11

13

119

29

1 ½

192

306

12

15

2

240

¾

80

128

13

16

53

90

2 ½

212

336

14

17

129

4

¾

160

256

15

18

98

56

4 ¾

118

188

16

19

170

0

¼

got stuck

17

20

140

54

6 ½

83

133

18

22

210

5

1 ¼

40

64

19

23

2

168

¼

80

128

20

26

85

80

4 ¼

188

300

21

30

67

44

1 ¾

251

401

22

32

63

54

2 ¼

240

384

23

33

35

85

6 ½

54

86

24

35

160

40

5 ½

73

117

25

40

136

98

¼

not to calculate

 

From this follows:

 

Covered space (paces)

At 1,300 paces

At 1,500 paces

Infantry

Cavalry

Infantry

Cavalry

greatest

212

340

251

401

smallest

35

56

26

42

average

137

258

142

227

 

Compared with direct shots, ricochet shots have an extended covered space for the average covered space of:

 

 

At 1,300 paces

At 1,500 paces

Infantry

Cavalry

Infantry

Cavalry

average

66

146

36

60

 

If one here again, as we did with the direct shots, would leave out the disproportional greatest covered spaces (which means at 1,300 paces shots no. 2, 3, 6, 7, 9, 10, and 11, and at 1,500 paces shots no. 2, 3, 11, 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, and 22) this would give the following:

 

Covered space (paces)

At 1,300 paces

At 1,500 paces

Infantry

Cavalry

Infantry

Cavalry

greatest

97

156

83

133

smallest

35

56

26

42

average

65

104

66

105

 

We see from these safest results, that the English 6-pdr has again the advantage. In addition we learn that, when compared with direct shots, ricochet hits have an extended covered space of:

 

 

At 1,300 paces

At 1,500 paces

Infantry

Cavalry

Infantry

Cavalry

average

13

21

15

23

 

Left to tell that these tables confirm the previous results from the tests with direct shots very surprisingly. In addition, another interesting experience can be pointed at: of the 218 grazes which the thirty initial ricochet shots made, 76 fell before, 142 behind the wall. These 142 would have made therefore with the infantry 307 paces, and with the cavalry 491 paces to an unsafe zone, or respectively 3/7 and 5/7 of the complete line of fire from the wall up to the ball catcher.

 

Of the 338 grazes, which the forty second ricochet shots made, 126 fell before, 212 behind the wall. These 212 would have made therefore with the infantry 33 paces, and with the cavalry 533 paces to an unsafe zone, or respectively ½ and 4/5 of the complete line of fire from the wall up to the ball catcher.

 

The ricochet shots therefore are at 2,200 paces a little bit less effective then on 2,000 paces.

 

This incredible effectiveness of a ricochet shot fired by the English 6-pdr, which even leaves the experiences of the Neuenhagener tests far behind is, we repeat, only due to the smaller powder charge, something which every expert would have to agree on.

 

Finally to judge also for ricochet shots the proportion between the trajectories and the covered space, we give a similar table as we did for the direct shots:

 

At 1,300 paces

At 1,500 paces

Trajectory

Covered space

Trajectory

Covered space

368

94

242

80

342

55

215

40

338

68

206

58

270

49

200

73

257

97

198

62

226

35

194

83

206

43

182

80

149

80

179

26

 

 

170

80

 

 

154

64

 

 

135

78

 

 

135

80

 

 

123

54

 

Again we note, that the nearly equal trajectories of 342 and 338 paces, as well as those of 198 and 194 paces, give the unequal covered spaces of 55 and 68 paces, and 62 and 83 paces. Further, a covered space of 80 paces was found at the unequal trajectories of 149, 242, 182, 170, and 135 paces; the only half so long covered space of 40 paces at the completely differing trajectory of 215 paces. Even the truth known from theory that the longest trajectories have the smallest covered space, is not confirmed by the above.

 

 

THE AMOUNT OF ROUNDSHOT THAT HIT

 

Only very general, the ‘Leitfaden’ p.296 points out that at a distance of 1,000 to 1,500 paces, the 5th to 4th roundshot will hit a six feet high target. The English 6-pdr gives more clearer and exact results. Out of thirty shots fired at 1,300 paces, sixteen roundshot hit the wall (also over half of them), and from these:

- at infantry height:        12

- at cavalry height:        15

- higher then both:          1

 

At 1,500 paces on the contrary, of forty shots, twenty-five roundshot (also 5/8) have hit the wall, and well:

- at infantry height:        21

- at cavalry height:        25

- higher then both:          -

 

The English 6-pdr therefore compares with the Prussian one, regarding ricochet shots, as 1/5 to 1/4 to 5/8 or in other words: the English 6-pdr is more then double superior to the Prussian one.

 

If the gun would have been a Prussian 6-pdr, with seventy shots, 28 to 34 men of six feet high troops would have been put out of action. The English gun on the contrary would have put with seventy shots 46 infantrymen or 80 cavalrymen out of action; a result which could indeed not be expected better, and without the illusion that the height of the troops is taken much higher then they are in reality. Therefore, at 1,300 paces the infantry will be hit with every second or third roundshot, the cavalry with every second roundshot; at 1,500 paces on the contrary, the infantry will be hit with every second roundshot, the cavalry with every 5/8 roundshot. That means that on average every other roundshot will hit, and that it makes not much difference if they are shot at on 1,300 or 1,500 paces.

 

Assuming that the first line consists of a Division standing at 1,300 paces, a second one about 300 paces behind the first one; out of thirty ricochet shots, of thirty shots a total of 72 roundshot will damage the Division, also 2 2/5 of the shots fired. When instead the first line stands at 1,500, the second one again 300 paces behind the first one, of forty shots 110 roundshot will graze into or between both lines, also 2 3/4 of the shots fired.

 

With direct shots, in the former case 1 1/2, in the latter case two times the shots fired will fall into or between both lines, and therefore the direct shots relate to ricochet shots as 1 1/2 to 2 2/5, and as 2 to 2 3/4, or when brought back as 1 to 1 3/5 and 1 to 1 3/8. In general this means that ricochet shots are more then half effective as direct shots.

 

Continued in part 5; canister fire

 

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© Geert van Uythoven