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Author Topic: Hessian Artillery Plans 1737-1819  (Read 1018 times)

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Offline Cannoneer

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Hessian Artillery Plans 1737-1819
« on: September 01, 2011, 03:36:56 AM »
This is an outstanding source for military historians; the site’s subject is Hessian military history, and for the most part it is involved with cartographic work (kriegskarten/war maps), but there are also some fantastic ordnance, and ordnance related hand drawings, engravings, woodcuts, and lithographs (many hand colored). The individual digitized “cards” show battle plans, geographical maps, orders of battle, course maps and maneuvers, bearing drawings, and our main interest, the great guns.
The original is in German, click on translation if needed.

Click on ‘Introduction’ to read a more detailed description of this project. The 43rd and 44th ‘Document’ groups (last two) contain the artillery related drawings. There are some fine illustrations here, including guns, howitzers, mortars, carriages, and of course, the obligatory “wind cannon.” Because of their large format, you may get a “Google error” page when you click on the individual drawings (to enlarge), so at the bottom of that page just click on “See original page.” Some of you might also find the 28th and 29th document groups of interest.

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=de&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.digam.net%2Fthema.php%3Flpt%3D177


Wind cannon 1790
http://www.digam.net/image.php?file=dokumente/6393/1.jpg&b=1200&PHPSESSID=0faf9f4d6f8831024868d1931d8970e8

10-PDR Howitzer 1790-95
http://www.digam.net/image.php?file=dokumente/6398/1.jpg&b=1000&PHPSESSID=0faf9f4d6f8831024868d1931d8970e8

70-Pounder Mortar 1789
http://www.digam.net/image.php?file=dokumente/6394/1.jpg&b=1200&PHPSESSID=0faf9f4d6f8831024868d1931d8970e8

Sadler's Flying Artillery - Copper engraving, hand colored - Published in London Sept. 3, 1798
http://www.digam.net/image.php?file=dokumente/6430/1.jpg&b=1200&PHPSESSID=b90e2dd03b76859ebfb772640fcd812e
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RIP John. While on vacation July 4th 2013 in northern Wisconsin, he was ATVing with family and pulled ahead of everyone and took off at break-neck speed without a helmet. He lost control.....hit a tree....and the tree won.  He died instantly.

The one thing that you can almost always rely on research leading to, is more research.

Offline DaveSB

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Re: Hessian Artillery Plans 1737-1819
« Reply #1 on: September 01, 2011, 04:33:45 AM »
beautiful tube work... I think I found gary's next project
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Offline Cannoneer

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Re: Hessian Artillery Plans 1737-1819
« Reply #2 on: September 01, 2011, 01:49:06 PM »
This kind of surprised me; I just assumed that safety rammers for muzzleloading artillery were a modern invention probably first used by a skirmisher, reenactor, or hobbyist, but evidently that's not so. It turns out that there were evidently some safety minded Hessian artillerymen as far  back as 1789.
http://www.digam.net/image.php?file=dokumente/6440/1.jpg&b=1200&PHPSESSID=02eef0c114ff2a93fdb5a3e817a9c8b1

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RIP John. While on vacation July 4th 2013 in northern Wisconsin, he was ATVing with family and pulled ahead of everyone and took off at break-neck speed without a helmet. He lost control.....hit a tree....and the tree won.  He died instantly.

The one thing that you can almost always rely on research leading to, is more research.

Offline Cannoneer

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Re: Hessian Artillery Plans 1737-1819
« Reply #3 on: September 03, 2011, 11:04:09 AM »
This carriage was another eye-opener for me, because I've never witnessed another like it before. It has a hanging framework constructed behind the barrel, that was evidently intended to carry a standing/sitting artilleryman (or two) whose function would be to operate the gun. As far as I can understand the translation, this rig was meant to be used just like the similar setup with two small guns, which can be seen on the "Flying Artillery" copperplate. 

Original title, translation: Project a-propelled artillery with which unabgeprozt, and with very low use, in driving, can be loaded and fired
http://www.digam.net/image.php?file=dokumente/6482/1.jpg&b=1200&PHPSESSID=a81b2268d3d0512b45d634cab35ce027

"Flying Artillery"
http://www.digam.net/image.php?file=dokumente/6430/1.jpg&b=1200&PHPSESSID=b90e2dd03b76859ebfb772640fcd812e


Target practice with a 6-pounder
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RIP John. While on vacation July 4th 2013 in northern Wisconsin, he was ATVing with family and pulled ahead of everyone and took off at break-neck speed without a helmet. He lost control.....hit a tree....and the tree won.  He died instantly.

The one thing that you can almost always rely on research leading to, is more research.

Offline The Jeff

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Re: Hessian Artillery Plans 1737-1819
« Reply #4 on: September 03, 2011, 01:12:58 PM »
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Offline Cannoneer

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Re: Hessian Artillery Plans 1737-1819
« Reply #5 on: September 03, 2011, 01:53:06 PM »
Yeah, I can see the benefits of having the guns that high, but it sure doesn't seem like that carriage would be all that stable.
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RIP John. While on vacation July 4th 2013 in northern Wisconsin, he was ATVing with family and pulled ahead of everyone and took off at break-neck speed without a helmet. He lost control.....hit a tree....and the tree won.  He died instantly.

The one thing that you can almost always rely on research leading to, is more research.

Offline KABAR2

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Re: Hessian Artillery Plans 1737-1819
« Reply #6 on: September 05, 2011, 08:49:27 AM »
Quote from: The Jeff on September 03, 2011, 01:12:58 PM
Quote from: Cannoneer on September 03, 2011, 11:04:09 AM
"Flying Artillery"
http://www.digam.net/image.php?file=dokumente/6430/1.jpg&b=1200&PHPSESSID=b90e2dd03b76859ebfb772640fcd812e


I'm not so sure I'd like to be the driver of that carriage on the left.
If you look closeley there is an iron plate above his head protecting him from the blast and would hopefully deflect any misgided shot from his noggin.... it must of been interesting riding along on a bouncing platform trying to do gun drill.... sponging ...searching...ramming.... All while being shot at.....
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Mr president I do not cling to either my gun or my Bible.... my gun is holstered on my side so I may carry my Bible and quote from it!

Sed tamen sal petrae LURO VOPO CAN UTRIET sulphuris; et sic facies tonituum et coruscationem si scias artficium

Offline Cannoneer

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Re: Hessian Artillery Plans 1737-1819
« Reply #7 on: September 06, 2011, 10:46:55 AM »
Okay, now that Allen has pointed me in the right direction, I understand what Jeff was getting at. Even with that metal canopy over my head, I don't know that I'd feel all that comortable piloting that war wagon.
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RIP John. While on vacation July 4th 2013 in northern Wisconsin, he was ATVing with family and pulled ahead of everyone and took off at break-neck speed without a helmet. He lost control.....hit a tree....and the tree won.  He died instantly.

The one thing that you can almost always rely on research leading to, is more research.
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