German Artillery Limber Boxes 1870

Started by Oat, 09 July 2017, 06:54:35 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

Oat

Good Evening Everyone,

I know we've had some great discussion on German artillery in 1866 and 1870. So I figure I just add some more observational notes to the forum based on what I've found.

A few days back I found two different photos of Bavarian artillery limbers in 1870. In them I noticed a few differences (unless I'm totally mistaken) from the Prussian and North German troops. It wouldn't surprise me if I'm right because at this time Bavaria still wanted to be as different as possible, from their uniform color, raupenhelm over pickelhaube, and using the Werder rifle over the Zundnadelgewehr.

Most of the limbers for German artillery seems to be what I'm going to call Prussian design. This design had a proper looking bench on the artillery limber for three crewmen.




The crew of this piece are saxons as per the star burst on their pickelhaube


This is a scene from Saxon artillery in 1866






In this image, the limber is in the middle of picture, with the seat up to access the storage of shells


Ignore the right most wagon, that's a Munitionswagen C/64, what's being highlighted here is the left hand limber seat design.


Now the Bavarian one I've noticed looks like this


Note, the crew are all seated on the limberbox and not what is typical of having 2 sitting on the axle seats. Also note the rope at the feet of the rear 2 crew.  The scene is depicting part of the battle of Artenay, 11 Oct 1870



In this fragment of a Panorama of the battle of Sedan, you can see Bavarian artillery in action, with the limber boxes at the rear. You can clearly see the rope, so I'd think there must be something to this type of limber box, either that or two different artists copied some design that isn't right. Also curious is the lack of axle seats on on the  guns as you see from this carriage design for the C/64



Based on the shells at their feet, I'd say its a 8cm C/64 shell. Probably the 6pdr because it doesn't look like there's a square breechblock, but I could be wrong. Also you can see the lack of axle seats, which would help suggest that they all rode on the limberbox instead. Unfortunately there isn't a date, but it's from around the period.



This image also looks as though there are no axle seats. The scene is depicting the battle of Chateaudun

A typical Prussian artillery carriage would look like this

This image comes from Hauptmann in der Artillerie Wille " Leitfaden der Waffenlehre"-Berlin 1874



So hopefully all of you enjoy this photo essay or thesis of the bavarians having their own unique style of limberbox to carry the artillery crew. I know the proof is shaky and needs way more research but I thought it was curious enough to bring to the attention of others. I'm more than happy to be proven wrong and if so I hope at least everyone enjoyed the photos.

sunjester


fsn

None of those seats look very safe.

Think I'd prefer riding.

Lord Oik of Runcorn (You may refer to me as Milord Oik)

Oik of the Year 2013, 2014; Prize for originality and 'having a go, bless him', 2015
3 votes in the 2016 Painting Competition!; 2017-2019 The Wilderness years
Oik of the Year 2020; 7 votes in the 2021 Painting Competition
11 votes in the 2022 Painting Competition (Double figures!)
2023 - the year of Gerald:
2024 Painting Competition - Runner-Up!

Leman

Thanks for that fascinating insight. Confirmation that Bavarian guns had bronze rifled barrels and that the top of the limber chest looks a lightish brown colour. This has come along at the right time as I have yet to paint my Bavarian forces. Also very interesting aw I have just finished Barry's chapter on the capture of Orleans by the Bavarians, which included the fights at Artenay and Chateaudun.
The artist formerly known as Dour Puritan!