Historical tidbits

[Mister D]

I ate lunch on the spot where the last Cathars were burnt to a crisp. I posted the pic before.

I think I remember that pic with a sandwich and wine.

[Peter1469]

I think I remember that pic with a sandwich and wine.

That was it. On the spot where Cathars walked into a fire rather than convert to the Church.

[Mister D]

A Roman governor of Britain, one Cnaeus Julius Agricola, considered an expedition to Ireland but decided against it because he thought the potential revenue would not cover the cost of committing a legion and auxiliary units to garrison the island. I did not know this.

[Mister D]

This is the breastplate of a French carabinier (a cavalryman armed with a carbine) who suffered a direct hit by a cannonball at the Battle of Waterloo.



The British artillery used 6 and 9 pound balls, I believe. This was probably the latter.

[Peter1469]

That killed him instanly. I would think.

This is the breastplate of a French carabinier (a cavalryman armed with a carbine) who suffered a direct hit by a cannonball at the Battle of Waterloo.



The British artillery used 6 and 9 pound balls, I believe. This was probably the latter.

[Mister D]

That killed him instanly. I would think.

I would think so too. It probably made quite a mess while it was at it. Moreover, I doubt being close behind that man was a good place to be at the time.

[Peter1469]

I would think so too. It probably made quite a mess while it was at it. Moreover, I doubt being close behind that man was a good place to be at the time.

Cannon balls could get several people if they were tightly packed. It might even have dropped and got a horse.

[Peter1469]

It was an interesting time in military affairs. Every now and then there are changes in either defensive or offensive tactics / weapons that change everything. In fact gunpower and the advances that lead to cannons and mortars helpped end the era of kingdoms and usher in the nation-state. It was took expensive for a mere king to have lots of (then) modern artillery.

[Mister D]

Cannon balls could get several people if they were tightly packed. It might even have dropped and got a horse.

From what understand they would try to get it to ricochet after a couple hundred yards. The impact of artillery was as much psychological as it was physical in those days. It was loud, it made a mess and you could actually see it coming at times.

[Mister D]

It was an interesting time in military affairs. Every now and then there are changes in either defensive or offensive tactics / weapons that change everything. In fact gunpower and the advances that lead to cannons and mortars helpped end the era of kingdoms and usher in the nation-state. It was took expensive for a mere king to have lots of (then) modern artillery.

The art of fortification certainly needed some adjustments. It gradually made castles and other Medieval fortifications obsolete.