Posted on 04/21/2005 12:42:08 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
Well, thanks to the Internet: freedomdocuments.com
Never bring a musket to a rifle-fight.
15. The final production run is completed. In addition to the First Edition of on thousand special Prints, an additional three thousand Educational Distribution Prints were produced. These Prints will not be available to individuals and are scheduled to be shipped at no charge to School Systems, Museums and Libraries in the State of Texas,and to key depositories throughout the United States of America.
Hugin wrote:
Never bring a musket to a rifle-fight.
--> Well, Mexico's army still behind the times. Only their criminals and gangs/organized crime have the latest and greatest. And their presidents are still the suckiest.
I'll be in la-la land for another decade, call me if anything changes. :P
...Trapped between attacking Texans and a treacherous marsh, Mexican troops — rudely awakened from their afternoon siesta by a withering rebel fusillade — had nowhere to go but their deaths......You snooze, you loose.
The Battleship Texas is anchored there too.
I'm inclined to believe that at least two other factors prevailed. Santa Anna was arrogant and over estimated the determination of his opponents who had had enough of being shoved around. Santa Anna's army was used to shoving unarmed or poorly armed "insurgents" around. The Texans did have a good position. They also knew that they would die if they did not prevail as they were well aware of what had happened at the Alamo.
Yes. I'm sure all where relevant in the Texans' victory.
Interesting reading...thanks.
Keel laid 1912.
Entered service 1916-17.
Main Battery: Ten 12-inch by 50 caliber rifles in 5 two gun turrents, two turrents forward, three turrents abaft.
Secondary Battery: ten 5-inch X 50 caliber rifled single mounts arranged amidships on the main deck. The "B" deck five-inch guns were removed to improve the bulwarks in heavy seas at the same time that the 16 inch "torpedo belt" was bolted to the sides.
Suffered two hits from German shore batteries at Normandy, one casualty, a seaman in the forward "crow's nest" that was hit, the other round, a dud, penetrated below deck and ended up on an officer's bunk.
Captain ordered the port side ballasts flooded to gain elevation for the 12 inch rifles, as they fired upon a German position just beyond range. The order resulted in a direct hit.
The Main Electrical Panel is still in place with "JB Cutter Electric" circuit breakers in working order (What I really wanted to see).
It was one of the most enjoyable visits to a museum I ever took, and I visit every one I come near.
I know what you mean.
San Jacinto ping.
That said, with properly disciplined troops firing in volley -- which is what was expected of musket armed troops in the Napoleonic era -- well-maintained Brown Bess muskets could be very effective at 25-50 yards. They could be fired much faster than the Kentucky rifles, which because of the slow loading necessitated by the rifling (a problem not solved until the Minie ball), made rifles unsuitable for volley fire.
The bottom line is that technology should not have been decisive at San Jacinto; rather the decisive factors were leadership and motivation. The Mexicans might want to feel better about themselves because the evil Yanquis had better guns, but it won't wash. And, it doesn't answer the question in Guns, Germs, and Steel (a stupid book that gives the wrong answer even if it asks the right one): WHY did the Texans have more cargo (better guns)?
Isn't it just funny that Texans would have better rifles than their opponents. It's like a family tradition. Guns don't make it right, but they sure help the argument.
Like I explained to my daughter when we saw a Native American "Passion Play" about the Trail of Tears from the Carolinas out to the West... the man with the gun makes the rules. That's why we have the Second Amendment.
Life isn't fair, deal with it or be dealt with and defend yourself.
There is no question some of the Texians were better armed, but the fact is, Santa Anna was arrogant and did not use basic tactical caution. The Texians had run for weeks, and he didn't think they had the guts to stand up in the open field, so he didn't take them seriously when Houston deployed his men in the WIDE OPEN FIELD.
More here at:
By the way, I never forget my own birthday because it's "Battle of San Jacinto" day! (Much better than Ap. 20, Hitler's birthday!)
I'd hate to be on the receiving end of 0.75" ball at 25 yds. Can you say "big hole!"
50 Yds compared to 200 yds is pretty bad for the Mexicans.
I watched "Kentucky Rifles" the other day. Interesting. The rifles were more than a match for the Indians in the hands of a proficient user.
...on the Histroy Channel's Battlefield Detectives, They revealed another shortfall of Mexicans' Technology: the poor quality of Mexican gunpowder. ...I suspect the Texans had better/more access to better gunpowder (american/but, more expensive) and they maintain their (personal) weapons better.
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