Genealogy and History Fan

When the Civil War began on April 12, 1861 firearms for both the Union army and the Confederates were in short supply. Many of the early volunteers were given old weapons that were very ineffective.

Eventually about 2 million single shot, muzzle-loading muskets were made at the U.S. Armory in Springfield, Massachusetts and at a few other locations. The troops referred to these rifles as “Springfields”. The Springfield’s barrel was 39 inches long and could hit targets 500 yards away. It’s large bullets were actually capable of reaching 1500 yards!

These large bullets were called minnie balls and were developed in 1849 by Captain Claude Minie for the French Army. This bullet was made of soft medal which expanded under pressure, then tended to deform upon firing and disintegrate upon striking the target. It is believed that about 90% of all battle wounds in the Civil War were caused by minnie balls. (The Enfield, a less popular rifle used in the war also fired minnie balls.)

At it’s first introduction, generals on both sides of the war saw the Springfield as a revolutionary piece of equipment that would change the way the war was being fought. Nevertheless, massive frontal attacks, cavalry charges and front line placement of cannons continued throughout the war.

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that. Hate multiplies hate, violence multiplies violence, and toughness multiplies toughness in a descending spiral of destruction… The chain reaction of evil, hate begetting hate, and wars producing more wars must be broken, or we shall be plunged into the dark abyss of annihilation.”

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 1929-1968