The Field Artillery In The Battle Of Palo Alto

The overwhelming firepower, tactics, and maneuverability from the Field Artillery in the Battle of Palo Alto led to the defeat of the Mexican Army. Maj. Samuel Ringgold developed a carriage mounted 18 pounder siege cannon that was far superior to the Mexican Army’s heavy non-mobile guns (Sanchez, 2017). The Americans also used the 1841 6 pounders which weighed only 650 pounds and was extraordinarily easy to maneuver with oxen and horses ("Steel Cannons," n.d.). The 6 Pounder was also capable of firing three rounds a minute at 1500 feet per second with a maximum effective range of 1000 yards ("Military Factory," 2017). Nevertheless, these weapons were far superior to any of the small arms of time. Many of the small arms used took far too