"artillery on the march" Topic

Hi Friends,

What was the position of the gunners while on the road ?
Did they walk on the side of their guns, or in the intervals between them ?

In the Grande Armee the foot artillery gunners marched behind their piece. The horse artillery gunners rode behind their piece.

Did the crew march in a specific formation?
Let's say 3 ranks deep, like infantry ?

On parade there was a specific formation (I think in 'threes') but on the march on campaign it would be looser with the gunners ready to double forward and help move a piece in difficult terrain. I represent the gunners 'on the march' with the most appropriate figures I can find standing or marching 'at ease'.

And the foot artillerymen would undoubtedly get out of the way of the gun teams when going into action and double time it to the gun line.

There are contemporary regulations for French artillery. From memory, they deal with sub-units down to the level of gun section (two pieces).

If it's wet out I wouldn't expect to see anyone directly behind the wheels.

If it's wet out I wouldn't expect to see anyone directly behind the wheels.

True.

If the roads are bad, on the slopes are steep, they'd be on the wheels pushing the guns forward.

Remember, an artilleryman works twice as hard as a cavalryman and three times as hard as an infantryman.

And when the fighting is over, there are guns to clean and repair, along with limbers, caissons, etc.

An artilleryman's work is never done…

But, at the end of the day, his personal chances of emerging in one piece in those days…even if deafened at frequencies above 2kHz….were better than his infantry or cavalry brethren.