Also known as: Mexican War artillery, flying artillery.
| Period | 1846-1848 |
|---|---|
| Hallmark | Mobile light field batteries, the flying artillery |
| Guns | Bronze smoothbore field guns and howitzers |
The flying artillery
The Mexican-American War showed the power of well-drilled light field artillery. American batteries, trained in the mobile tactics associated with Samuel Ringgold, moved quickly about the field, unlimbered, and delivered rapid, accurate fire, then shifted position before they could be answered.
This flying artillery played a decisive part in battles such as Palo Alto and Buena Vista, and its example shaped the field artillery that both sides fielded a dozen years later in the Civil War.
Sources & further reading
- CivilWarArtillery.com research archive: manuals, reports, and historical references.