Gunner's dagger

[p51]

I would think that if somehow a gun did get over run by surprise that the cannoneers would fight hand to hand, just like any other soldiers.  But how often could the surprise be achieved?

Seems to me that it would have been quite easy for someone to “sneak” up to a gun crew in the middle of a battle. Smoke is everywhere, the infantry is moving up and falling back, then suddenly, HEY, where’d all these Yankees come from?
It’s easy to overrun a artillery unit even in modern times. Anyone here ever watch “Band of Brothers”? I’ve talked with Don Malarkey who was there when they overran those German guns in France. I’ve also personally rolled right over a modern Army artillery unit while running OPFOR (Opposing Force) on Brigade field exercises on active duty. They didn’t even know we were there until we’d taken out their command vehicles and started grabbing the guys with the powder bags! I personally got under their camo nets with a weapon as they were arguing on if they should break out rifles or not as “I think I heard someone say OPFOR was in our AO…” In the After Action Review, one of them told me in real life they would have had charges to damage the guns if it came to that.
Anyway, I wasn’t thinking of fighting off enemy until the cows come home, I was just thinking of keeping the dismounts off the gun until it could be spiked and then the crew beat feet out of the area.

[RocklockI]

well p 51 ,you said what i was thinking earlier ....but i figured 'that with proper support' from infantry it wouldnt be likely .

of couse that is for which ever side is moving foward or holding there own .

smoke is one thing but i'm sure your average artilleryman was near deaf , Huhhhh ? i suspect they had hand signals for loading ........

for the side that was getting backed up i suppose you could get out flanked by a swift light calvery charge .....if that hoppins well good luck chuck ! 

i dont think half of them would see or hear anything untill it was too late ...way ...

also IF    , i was a surprised arty guy who suddenly got over....run ......i would take a clue and run too .....

like forrest gump .......fast as i could . live to fight another day .....i could be wrong and am .....every so often .

tired as@$ed arty guys armed with ramrods and sponges .....may not want to face the very folks they've been blasting away at with .....double canister .......or whatever all morning long .

not one will be  ......







as i have NO interest AT ALL !!!! of dying gloriouslalooyy ......no sirrie babalouie .

[Victor3]

 This might be a good place to ask...

 Years ago a friend of mine stated that edged/pointy weapons were responsible for "many battlefield deaths" during the Civil War. He didn't quote any percentage though.

 After some internet research, I could only come up with ~3 - 5%. Is this accurate?

 In fact, all I could add up were ~11,000 documented, outright battlefield deaths (apart from those due to later infections/complications) via edged weapons in all wars the US has been involved in.


 

[Don Krag]

I have a book that I thinks has a section with quite a few of these. I'm catching a flight in an hour to Manchester, UK, but will look it up when I get back in a week.

I host knifemaking weekends every other month or so where we do some forge work and share tips and tricks and swap BS. If any of y'all are near the Houston area, come on over for one!

[subdjoe]

 After some internet research, I could only come up with ~3 - 5%. Is this accurate?

 In fact, all I could add up were ~11,000 documented, outright battlefield deaths (apart from those due to later infections/complications) via edged weapons in all wars the US has been involved in.

That holds pretty well with what one of Napoleons surgeons found.  Relativly few casualties from the cold steel. Bullets are impersonal, especially roundball from an smoothbore. You might get hit, you might not.  But the bayonet is personal. You have an angry (or at least scared and fighting for his life) man trying to directly kill YOU. Or 100, or 1000 running at you with those pig stickers. I think it is that willingness to close up and get personal that makes the bayonet so feared.

[Zulu]

Don,  I'm in the area.  I live in Cypress.  I would like to see a knife making demo and see your cannons.
Zulu