"Does everyone know what an Espignol is?" Topic

Because I didn't until just now (and I think I'm pretty well up on C.19 warfare). I'm reading Helion's BISMARCK'S FIRST WAR The Campaign of Schleswig and Jutland 1864 and they're mentioned with no explanation. From context it was clear they're a form of artillery; it turns out they're multi-barreled volley guns, similar to the Mitrailleuse. The barrels were apparently factory-loaded, and dropped onto the carriage as required. Here are some photos: link Freikorps actually makes one in 15mm!: link

The term didn't ring a bell, but looking at the link made me realise I'd seen those very examples in Copenhagen Royal Armoury… an amazing collection, worth the trip in itself.

I thought it was a type of peanut.

Yeah I knew about them.

I thought it was a Spanish musket.

That's how you write Spanish in spanish…
:-)

Se habla Espignol?

Spanish/Pig Latin hybrid. Shatner used it in the film he made after Incubus.

I know a man who does.

And I'm sure he'll pop up soon with a detailed explanation.

A kind of shoe?

No, wait. That's an espadrille.

An Espingole (fr) is a kind of blunderbuss.

The name is Espingol. It is an early danish version of a machinegun. It consist of barrels loaded with bullets and powder, which when ignited come out as a stream of bullets. The barrels has to be loaded at a mobile laboratory behind the front. It was used with some succes in the 1848 – 50 war.
German eyewitnesses talk about a distinct sound and a volume of smoke.
The barrels could be fired lying on the ground. It wasnt used in the 1864 war.
Especially effective along roads and suppressing artillery in the rather close terrain in southern DK.

An english article:
sunewad.dk/espingol_eng.htm

The name is Espingol.

Ha! Sorry, I'm a cack-handed idiot! Maybe the Editor could correct my typo?

Thanks for the link, hornblaeser! Although it says: "Therefore, on July 10th, four organ espingols and the espingol musket were distributed among different defending Danish infantry units in the outlying trenches in front of the Dybbøl fortifications. Little is known about the actual performance of the espingol during the successful Prussian assault on Dybbøl on April 18th, but one Danish officer, who was captured by the enemy, observed one of the organ espingols inflicting heavy losses on a Prussian assault column."

Yes i saw that, but all the danish histories and the specialist works state that it wasnt used. And as far as i know the isnt any stories from the prussians. But when you wargame the storm at Dybbøl, it would be an interesting option.

Gentlemen,

Hi Jeff. and please accept my apologies. I should have put a footnote in at the time!

Mike

Cool post, Jeff.

Nope, I had never heard of 'em.

Chick