Reading the Tables
Civil War range tables were compiled from controlled firing tests conducted at government proving grounds and documented in official ordnance manuals. Tables list the maximum range achievable at a given elevation with a standard propellant charge. Actual battlefield ranges were almost always shorter due to terrain, gun wear, powder quality, and non-standard charges.
Range tables for a mixed artillery unit — one employing solid shot, shell, and spherical case together — had to include separate elevations, ranges, and flight times for each projectile type, so that fuzes could be cut accordingly. A shell and a solid shot fired at the same elevation from the same gun reached different distances.
The tables below are drawn from The Confederate Ordnance Manual (pp. 367–373), The Artillerist's Manual (pp. 455–462), and the U.S. Ordnance Manual, 1862, as compiled and published at historicalpublicationsllc.com.
Smoothbore weapons were designated by the weight of the solid projectile they fired ("pounder"), while rifled cannon were often designated by bore diameter in inches. Both systems were in use simultaneously, and the same gun sometimes carried both designations. The 3-inch Ordnance Rifle, for example, was also called the "10-pounder Ordnance" — though it actually fired shells weighing closer to 9.5 lbs.
The Parrott rifle adds further confusion: the same 8-inch Parrott was designated "200-pounder" by the army and "150-pounder" by the navy, reflecting two different projectile weights that were both used in the gun.
Smoothbore Field Artillery — Range Table
Maximum range in yards at stated elevation, standard propellant charge, firing solid shot unless noted.
| Gun | Bore | Proj. Wt. | Charge | 1° Elev. | 3° Elev. | 5° Elev. | Max. Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6-pdr Field Gun (M1841) | 3.67" | 6.1 lb | 1.25 lb | 663 yd | 1,195 yd | 1,523 yd | 1,523 yd |
| 12-pdr Napoleon (M1857) | 4.62" | 12.3 lb | 2.50 lb | ~700 yd | 1,200 yd | 1,619 yd | 1,680 yd |
| 12-pdr Field Howitzer (M1841) | 4.62" | 8.9 lb shell | 1.00 lb | — | 840 yd | 1,072 yd | 1,072 yd |
| 12-pdr Mountain Howitzer | 4.62" | 8.9 lb shell | 0.50 lb | — | — | 900 yd | 900 yd |
| 24-pdr Field Howitzer | 5.82" | 18.4 lb shell | 2.00 lb | — | 1,050 yd | 1,322 yd | 1,322 yd |
| 32-pdr Field Howitzer | 6.41" | 25.6 lb shell | 2.50 lb | — | — | 1,504 yd | 1,504 yd |
| Source: U.S. Ordnance Manual, 1862; C.S. Ordnance Manual, 1863; historicalpublicationsllc.com — Cannon Range Tables | |||||||
Rifled Field Artillery — Range Table
Rifled cannon had significantly greater range and accuracy than smoothbores. At ranges over 1,000 yards, rifles were markedly superior. However, smoothbores remained preferable in close-action situations due to their effectiveness with canister and their lower burst risk.
| Gun | Bore | Proj. Wt. | Charge | 5° Elev. | 10° Elev. | Max. Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3" Ordnance Rifle | 3.00" | ~9.5 lb | 1.00 lb | 1,835 yd | 3,202 yd | ~4,000 yd | Union standard; wrought iron tube |
| 2.9" Parrott Rifle (10-pdr) | 2.90" | ~9.5 lb | 1.00 lb | 1,800 yd | ~3,000 yd | ~3,500 yd | Replaced by 3" bore, 1863 |
| 3.67" Parrott Rifle (20-pdr) | 3.67" | ~20 lb | 2.00 lb | ~2,000 yd | ~3,500 yd | 4,400 yd | Largest field Parrott |
| 4.5" Siege Rifle | 4.50" | ~30 lb | 3.25 lb | ~2,200 yd | ~4,000 yd | 5,000 yd | Largest field rifle, CW |
| 1.7" Whitworth Rifle | 1.70" | ~12 lb | 1.75 lb | — | — | ~5,000 yd | Hexagonal bore; longest-range field gun |
| 3" CS Mountain Rifle | 2.25" | ~7 lb | 0.75 lb | — | — | ~2,500 yd | Confederate; mule-portable |
| Source: The Artillerist's Manual (pp. 455–462); C.S. Ordnance Manual (pp. 367–373); historicalpublicationsllc.com | |||||||
Siege, Garrison & Seacoast — Range Table
| Gun | Bore | Proj. Wt. | Elevation | Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbiads & Rodman Guns | |||||
| 8-inch Columbiad | 8.00" | ~65 lb | 27° | 5,654 yd | Fort Sumter / seacoast defense |
| 10-inch Rodman | 10.00" | ~128 lb | 25° | ~5,000 yd | Primary Union seacoast gun |
| 15-inch Rodman | 15.00" | ~440 lb | 25° | ~5,000 yd | Largest smoothbore of the war |
| Parrott Rifles — Heavy | |||||
| 100-pdr Parrott (6.4-inch) | 6.40" | ~100 lb | 25° | 6,900 yd | Used against Fort Sumter, 1863 |
| 200-pdr Parrott (8-inch) | 8.00" | ~150–200 lb | 25° | 7,810 yd | "Swamp Angel"; shelled Charleston |
| 300-pdr Parrott (10-inch) | 10.00" | ~250 lb | 25° | ~8,000 yd | Rarest Parrott; fort reduction |
| Mortars | |||||
| 10-inch Siege Mortar | 10.00" | ~88 lb shell | 45° | 2,100 yd | Standard siege mortar |
| 13-inch Seacoast Mortar | 13.00" | ~200 lb shell | 45° | 4,325 yd | "The Dictator" — Vicksburg, Petersburg |
| 8-inch Siege Mortar | 8.00" | ~45 lb shell | 45° | 1,200 yd | Short-range siege use |
| Sources: C.S. Ordnance Manual pp. 370–373; U.S. Ordnance Manual 1862; historicalpublicationsllc.com — Cannon Range Tables | |||||
Confederate Artillery — Range Data
Confederate ordnance consisted largely of captured Federal guns, imported British weapons, and Southern-produced pieces — primarily from Tredegar Iron Works in Richmond. The C.S. Ordnance Manual (Richmond, 1862) listed range data for guns actually in Confederate service, including captured pieces marked with an asterisk (*) and Virginia State rifles.
| Designation | Bore | Type | Max. Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12-pdr Napoleon (CS-cast) | 4.62" | Smoothbore gun | 1,680 yd | Bronze; Tredegar; multiple CS variants |
| *3" Ordnance Rifle (captured) | 3.00" | Rifled gun | ~4,000 yd | *Captured Federal; most prized CS rifle |
| *10-pdr Parrott (captured) | 2.90" | Rifled gun | ~3,500 yd | *Captured Federal |
| Brooke Rifle (7-inch) | 7.00" | Rifled siege/naval | ~5,000 yd | Confederate-designed; iron banded |
| Blakely Rifle (British import) | various | Rifled gun | ~4,000 yd | First shot at Fort Sumter; violent recoil |
| Whitworth Rifle (British import) | 1.70" | Rifled gun | ~5,000 yd | Hexagonal bore; longest range field gun of the war |
| Virginia State Rifles | various | Cast iron, rifled & banded | ~3,000 yd | Virginia state pieces; quality variable |
| CS 2.25" Mountain Rifle | 2.25" | Rifled gun | ~2,500 yd | Fit M1841 mountain howitzer carriage; mule-portable |
| *Captured Federal guns. Source: The Field Manual for the Use of Officers on Ordnance Duty, Richmond, 1862, p. 121; C.S. Ordnance Manual p. 526. Via historicalpublicationsllc.com | ||||
Projectile Specifications — Principal Field Guns
Each field gun carried multiple projectile types: solid shot for long-range work and breaching; shell for explosive effect; spherical case (shrapnel) as an anti-personnel long-range load; and canister for close action. The table below summarizes standard loads for the principal field pieces.
| Gun | Solid Shot | Shell / Fuze | Spherical Case | Canister Load |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6-pdr Field Gun | 6.1 lb | ~6 lb; paper fuze | 41 musket balls | 27 balls, 1.09" iron |
| 12-pdr Napoleon | 12.3 lb | ~8.5 lb; paper fuze | 78 musket balls | 27 balls, 1.48" iron |
| 12-pdr Field Howitzer | — | 8.9 lb shell | 78 musket balls | 48 balls, 1.00" iron |
| 12-pdr Mtn. Howitzer | — | ~8.9 lb shell | — | 148 balls, .69" lead |
| 3" Ordnance Rifle | 9.5 lb bolt | ~9.5 lb; Bormann fuze | ~78 lead balls | 48 balls, .69" lead |
| 10-pdr Parrott | ~9.5 lb bolt | ~9.5 lb Parrott shell | ~78 lead balls | 27 balls, .87" iron |
| 20-pdr Parrott | ~20 lb bolt | ~20 lb Parrott shell | — | 27 balls, 1.09" iron |
| A typical Union Napoleon battery going into battle carried: 288 solid shot, 96 shells, 288 spherical case, and 96 canister rounds. Sources: U.S. Ordnance Manual 1862; Union Field Artillery Instructions 1864; historicalpublicationsllc.com | ||||
Caliber-to-Pounder Conversion
The relationship between bore caliber and "pounder" designation was consistent for smoothbores but highly inconsistent for rifled cannon. The correct term is "pounder" for the weapon and "pounds" for the shot — though these were often interchanged in period documents and battlefield accounts.
| Designation | Bore Dia. | Proj. Wt. (typical) | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smoothbores (consistent caliber/pounder relationship) | ||||
| 6-pounder | 3.67" | 6.1 lb | Smoothbore gun | Standard early-war field gun |
| 12-pounder | 4.62" | 12.3 lb | Smoothbore gun / Napoleon | Most common CW field gun |
| 24-pounder | 5.82" | 24 lb | Siege gun / howitzer | Siege and garrison service |
| 32-pounder | 6.41" | 32 lb | Siege / seacoast gun | Garrison and coast defense |
| 42-pounder | 7.02" | 42 lb | Garrison gun | Pre-war seacoast defense |
| Rifled Cannon (inconsistent; both bore diameter and pounder used) | ||||
| 10-pounder Ordnance / 3" Rifle | 3.00" | ~9.5 lb | Rifled gun | Also "3" Rodman"; ~9.5 lb actual |
| 10-pounder Parrott | 2.90" or 3.00" | ~9.5 lb | Rifled gun | Two bore sizes; ammo confusion in field |
| 20-pounder Parrott | 3.67" | ~20 lb | Rifled gun | 3.67" shells also fired from 6-pdr smoothbore carriage |
| 100-pounder Parrott | 6.40" | varied | Rifled siege / naval | Shot weight varied; "100-pdr" approximate |
| 200-pounder Parrott (Army) / 150-pounder (Navy) | 8.00" | 150–200 lb | Rifled siege / naval | Same gun, two designations from shortened projectile |
| 300-pounder Parrott | 10.00" | ~250 lb | Rifled siege | Designated "300-pdr" though actual shot ~250 lb |
| Source: historicalpublicationsllc.com — Caliber to Pounder Relationship | ||||