Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sun-barr!rutgers!att!cbnews!military From: oxley@pdn.paradyne.com (Don Oxley) Newsgroups: sci.military Subject: Re: Civil War technology Message-ID: <1990Oct15.033533.12100@cbnews.att.com> Date: 15 Oct 90 03:35:33 GMT References: <1990Sep24.001114.22188@cbnews.att.com> <1990Oct11.050904.29368@cbnews.att.com> Sender: military-request@att.att.com Organization: AT&T Paradyne, Largo, Florida Lines: 32 Approved: military@att.att.com From: oxley@pdn.paradyne.com (Don Oxley) In article <1990Oct11.050904.29368@cbnews.att.com> emery@linus.mitre.org (David Emery) writes: >The use of railroads, and the resulting growth of technical troops >(such as railroad troops) and planning staffs (such as the German >General Staff railroad division) was probably the greatest >technological contribution to the war. Technology only counts (IMHO), >when it results in a change in organization and/or doctrine. Clearly >the use of railroads had significant operational and strategic impact. >The increased effectiveness of Minie balls, etc, had more tactical impacts. > A few weeks ago, my local PBS station broadcasted a show called "The Civil War". The show was shown two hours a night for 5 straight nights. In addition to the two technologies mentioned above, they also referred to the ironclad fleets as the strongest naval force ever assembled on earth to that day. They definately got the attention of the European community. Also mentioned was the use of trench warfare around the cities of Richmond and Petersburg, Va. towards the end of the war. Approximately 50 miles of trenches were dug around Petersburg and halted the oncoming Union soliders into a stalemate. The Union countered by digging a tunnel under the trenches and filled it with explosives. The expolsion caused a crater several hundred yards in diameter and the Union charged after the Confederates. But the crater walls were so steep, that the Union soliders could not climb the wall before the Confederates picked them off. The show overall was very well done and very interesting. DonO -- Don Oxley AT&T Paradyne Internet: oxley@pdn.paradyne.com 8545 126th Ave. N. UUCP : uunet!pdn!oxley P.O. Box 2826 Phone : (813) 530-8282 Largo, FL 34649-2826