Civil War Weapons and Technology

Matt Bowen, Ben Slivka, and Thomas DLauro

Shell-gun cannon developed by France in 1857. Compatible with shells, balls, and canisters. Over 1,100 models were manufactured Used because of its safety reliability, and killing power. Better used at close range. Main type of cannon used.

Common sword used by Union officers in the Civil War.

Sword used by Union Cavalry in the Civil War. The blade is like the Officer's Sword except it has a curve to it.

Less curved than the 1860 Cavalry Sword, because of the straightness it was nicknamed the "Wrist Breaker" because the men would always break their wrists when they'd strike something.

Used in the Civil War, Spanish-American War and WWI. Has a brass cup-hilt guard and pommel. Rarely used early on in the Civil War because there were not really any naval battles.

Approximately 16 inches long. More popular among Confederate Soldiers.Used in clos quuarters

The colt 1860 was the most widely produced handgun It was also very popular in the US Calvary, coming with a .38 and .44 caliber bullet.

Three different models were used during the civil war, but today all are known at 1858 Remington. Very good handgun with more strength and easier to reload than the Colt. The models the confederate were made with brass because the south was short on steel.

Had two barrelsMade by the English with double triggers to shoot both barrels. This gun was mostly used in the Confederates since they could not use Northern weapons anymore.

Produced by Springfield armory in Massachusetts. Over 1,000,000 made for the war First rifle to be distributed on such a large scale. The most used rifle in the civil war.

The Enfield pattern 1853 musket-rifle was first used by the British before the United States. It was the second most used rifle all together for the civil war, with number one being the Springfield. It was especially liked by the confederates who imported more of them than any other weapon.

An Austrian made rifle manufactured in the mid 19th century. The rifle was a similar design to the Enfield Rifle in ways of length and the three barrels. The Lorenz rifles were however inconsistent, some of them were high quality and worked quite well.

Union spies used giant balloons filled with helium to float over the Confederate bases and collect information and report it back to Union bases.

Warships that have iron or steel mounted to it. These ships are steam propelled. It was a huge technological advancement for the time.

The telegraph gave instant communication with front line generals and the War Department and then in turn the telegraphic message was sent to Abraham Lincoln. A telegraph worked by sending a series of electric pulses through a long wire, to another telegraph device which then interprets the pulses into a series of clicking sounds. Depending on how long the lengths of the clicks are, there is an "alphabet" called Morse code that the person on the other side of the telegraph can use to understand.