"British Introduction of Off-set Twin Shaft Limbers" Topic
8 Posts
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Durban Gamer | 02 Jan 2023 3:58 a.m. PST |
I am painting British 15mm armies for India in the 1790s and also for India 1800-1804. Should my British artillery for either or both of these have the off-set double shaft limbers? Or would such limbers only be used for galloper type guns moving with the cavalry? And perhaps only after 1800? Any info on the date of introduction and use of the offset twin shaft, as opposed to single-shaft limbers, relevant to India 1790s & early 1800s (and also British invasion of Egypt) would be appreciated since I would like my British limbers to be of the correct type. |
Brechtel198 | 02 Jan 2023 5:02 a.m. PST |
The New Limber of 1793 had the offset shafts and this became the standard artillery limber. This was used with block trail gun carriages and the older limber was used with split trail gun carriages. In the colonies, combination of both types were used, such as in Canada and India. General Lawson designed a single pole limber for use in the 1800 Egyptian campaign. This was designed as a double draft limber using pairs of gun team horses. See British Napoleonic Field Artillery by CE Franklin, Chapter 4. |
enfant perdus | 02 Jan 2023 1:41 p.m. PST |
FYI, for those dates in India all of your artillery will be from the HEIC Presidency armies rather than the Royal Regiment of Artillery. Off the top of my head I don't remember when they began to adopt block trail carriages and the off-set limbers (Kevin might), but they were still using a mix of newer and older (i.e., double bracket type carriages) into at least the 1820s. Also, foot artillery was drawn by teams of bullocks. Horses were only used for horse artillery and the gallopers of the cavalry regiments. |
Durban Gamer | 03 Jan 2023 4:09 a.m. PST |
Brechtel and Enfant many thanks for that helpful information. Would I be correct in assuming that for India and Egypt 1790-1804 I can then use limbers with a single central shaft? It just so happens I have purchased a lot of these and would be happy not to have to convert them – but I do want my British/HEIC limbers to be historically plausible. |
Brechtel198 | 03 Jan 2023 5:40 a.m. PST |
Yes you can. I would also recommend highly that you get Franklin's well-illustrated book to help you. |
enfant perdus | 03 Jan 2023 7:38 a.m. PST |
I agree re:Franklin's book. If you want to do a deep dive, Google books has digitized a lot of good material for the HEIC artillery in India. Most of it is from the 19thC and draws on primary sources. |
Brechtel198 | 03 Jan 2023 9:54 a.m. PST |
Another excellent source(s) is/are the three artillery books by BP Hughes: -Firepower: Weapons Effectiveness On The Battlefield, 1630- 1750. -Open Fire: Artillery Tactics from Marlborough to Wellington. -British smooth-bore artillery: The muzzle loading artillery of the 18th and 19th centuries. And there is also this one: -The Bengal Horse Artillery, 1800-1861: The 'Red Men' -- a nineteenth century corps d'élite. |
Durban Gamer | 04 Jan 2023 7:44 a.m. PST |
Many thanks guys, I am thrilled at not having to convert my large stock of single-shaft/ single-pole limbers! I will also try to find those sources mentioned. Due to a lack of space, I will have to seek electronically available reading. |
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