Also known as: gun howitzer.
| Combines | The gun's flat fire and the howitzer's shell |
|---|---|
| Classic example | The 12-pounder Model 1857 Napoleon |
| Advantage | One versatile piece in place of two |
One piece for both roles
The gun-howitzer was a single piece meant to do the work of both the gun and the howitzer, firing solid shot with a flat trajectory yet also throwing shell and case with a lighter charge at higher angles, and canister for close defense.
The Model 1857 Napoleon was the great example, replacing the older system of separate 6-pounder guns and 12-pounder howitzers with one versatile, mobile bronze piece that became the standard smoothbore of the war.
On this site
Sources & further reading
- United States Army, Ordnance Department. The Ordnance Manual for the Use of the Officers of the United States Army. 2nd ed. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott, 1862.
- Gibbon, John. The Artillerist's Manual. New York: D. Van Nostrand, 1860.