The Battle of Palo Alto
SGT Appel, SGT Hill, SGT Young,
Class 005-16 ALC NCOA
An analysis of how the flying Artillery of Palo Alto has changed the modern battlefield: The creation of light and mobile field artillery had given the United States Army a potent weapon. By employing the use of light and mobile artillery, it has changed today’s battlefield by how we use Artillery to fully decimate or counter fire an enemy. Horse drawn cannons have paved the way for the modern day M109A6, medium, self propelled howitzers. Maj. Ringgold did not know how effective the tactics he used in the Mexican-American War would become and change the course of artillery on the modern battlefield. Major Ringgold’s idea of horse drawn artillery …show more content…
The Mexican army comprised of roughly 4000 men formed a line stretching from the road to a tree covered rise in the east. Thorny underbrush and marsh land protected his flanks limiting any movement through those areas. Ensuring the only way to Fort Texas was through his Army. Taylor only had about 2300 men formed up at Palo Alto Pond on the North side of the Prairie. The battle commenced at 1430 but the Mexican Artillery lacked the range necessary to engage the American Army. Ringgold and Duncan moved there artillery into range and began counter fire. The 18 pdrs used grape shot and the 6 pdrs shot exploding shells over the heads of the enemy infantry. The Mexicans aimed solid shot at the Americans attempting to destroy their artillery. A horrible tactic would have taken multiple shots even under perfect …show more content…
Introducing the fly artillery has developed the shoot, move, and communicate to our tactical and strategic advantage to what we use to this day. Major Samuel Ringgold was an artillery officer in the United States Army that developed the flying artillery. The flying artillery created a typhoon of changes that resonates to the procedures that are conduct to this present day. The horse drawn artillery carriages placed a new level of strategic advantage to which caused a great deal of damage to the opposing forces. During the battle of Palo Alto the demonstration of power, skill and the ability to move to a new location to reengage the enemy was the staple of light artillery. The ability to continually have the enemy on the move and guessing the point of attack made it difficult for enemies to counter attack the precision and accuracy of the cannon fires. The battery had the ability to respond to rapidly after being openly engaged by the Mexican Army. The precision of the cannon fires was capable of deadly force which was displayed when a Mexican General attempted to flank the position of the cannons to disrupt the battery. The fly artillery was capable of stopping the flanking Mexican cavalry in their tracks with precise cannon fire causing the flank unsuccessful and caused the Mexican cavalry to retreat. Although at the time of
SGT Appel, SGT Hill, SGT Young,
Class 005-16 ALC NCOA
An analysis of how the flying Artillery of Palo Alto has changed the modern battlefield: The creation of light and mobile field artillery had given the United States Army a potent weapon. By employing the use of light and mobile artillery, it has changed today’s battlefield by how we use Artillery to fully decimate or counter fire an enemy. Horse drawn cannons have paved the way for the modern day M109A6, medium, self propelled howitzers. Maj. Ringgold did not know how effective the tactics he used in the Mexican-American War would become and change the course of artillery on the modern battlefield. Major Ringgold’s idea of horse drawn artillery …show more content…
The Mexican army comprised of roughly 4000 men formed a line stretching from the road to a tree covered rise in the east. Thorny underbrush and marsh land protected his flanks limiting any movement through those areas. Ensuring the only way to Fort Texas was through his Army. Taylor only had about 2300 men formed up at Palo Alto Pond on the North side of the Prairie. The battle commenced at 1430 but the Mexican Artillery lacked the range necessary to engage the American Army. Ringgold and Duncan moved there artillery into range and began counter fire. The 18 pdrs used grape shot and the 6 pdrs shot exploding shells over the heads of the enemy infantry. The Mexicans aimed solid shot at the Americans attempting to destroy their artillery. A horrible tactic would have taken multiple shots even under perfect …show more content…
Introducing the fly artillery has developed the shoot, move, and communicate to our tactical and strategic advantage to what we use to this day. Major Samuel Ringgold was an artillery officer in the United States Army that developed the flying artillery. The flying artillery created a typhoon of changes that resonates to the procedures that are conduct to this present day. The horse drawn artillery carriages placed a new level of strategic advantage to which caused a great deal of damage to the opposing forces. During the battle of Palo Alto the demonstration of power, skill and the ability to move to a new location to reengage the enemy was the staple of light artillery. The ability to continually have the enemy on the move and guessing the point of attack made it difficult for enemies to counter attack the precision and accuracy of the cannon fires. The battery had the ability to respond to rapidly after being openly engaged by the Mexican Army. The precision of the cannon fires was capable of deadly force which was displayed when a Mexican General attempted to flank the position of the cannons to disrupt the battery. The fly artillery was capable of stopping the flanking Mexican cavalry in their tracks with precise cannon fire causing the flank unsuccessful and caused the Mexican cavalry to retreat. Although at the time of