462 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



riages, launches, and all the equipment, except the steamboats, which there 

 was no time to prepare before his expedition sailed, and he hoped to make 

 up this deficiency from some of the light-draught steamboats that he might 

 be able to procure at his place of destination. 



The organization of the marine artillery, for continuous active duty with 

 light-draught steamboats, instead of the heavier ships of the navy, for 

 coast, river, and land service, has created the necessity for a manual, in 

 which a full and detailed description of the outfit and equipment of the 

 guns, steamboats, and launches should be incorporated with instructions 

 for the service of the guns on the steamboats, in launches and on shore, 

 which, however, has not yet been provided. I have such a manual in pre- 

 paration, and hold myself ready to complete it whenever the war depart- 

 ment may request it, without charge for my services. 



By adopting so much of the equipment and service of the piece as is 

 available from the naval boat gun service, we have a light artillery that 

 much excels other light artillery yet adopted by the ordnance departments 

 of the United States or foreign nations. For instance, five regiments of 

 marine artillery would be supplied with sixty guns, sixty launches, and 

 ten light-draught steamboats. Let us suppose such an armament attached 

 to the army of the Potomac, for operation on Chesapeake bay and the 

 rivers and creeks of Virginia; the men can be enlisted more readily than 

 for any other branch of the service, from sailors in the lake and seacoast 

 ports who are not fit for soldiers, and who will not enlist in the regular 

 navy. From this source large additions to the forces would be received 

 that would not otherwise be had. To insure its utmost efficiency, how- 

 ever, this branch of the service should receive complete official indorse- 

 ment and recognition; then much dash and e^prU-du-corps may be expected 

 from it. The steamboats would be superior transports, when required for 

 that purpose, and, when they are not engaged in active duty, could run up 

 rivers and creeks that other steam crafts could not enter, for the}' draw but 

 thirty inches of water when loaded. No wharves or docks would be 

 required; such transports could run up the river bank or beach, to take on 

 or put off their load. When the corps is not on active duty the men may 

 go into camp on shore. Each boat can, upon an emergency, take five 

 hundred men, and the launches easily fiftj^ more each, to be towed; thus 

 eight hundred men by this means could be transported along or across 

 a river at each trip. The launches could be used for expeditions up rivers 

 with oars; for an army crossing a river, or, as pontoon bridges; and 

 the guns can be fired on the steamboats, and in one minute fired from 

 a launch, manned and ready to dash ashore; the gun can be fired from 

 the launch as the beach is reached, and in one minute changed to its field 

 carriage, run ashore and fired from the beach; this feat has been repeat- 

 edly performed. When on shore, the guns on their light iron carriages 

 are drawn by the crew, and if the roads are impassable for other guns, 

 can be taken to pieces and carried in parts by the crew, by the use of the 

 spars and straps provided as part of the equipment. If a raid is to be 

 made far inland, limbers are provided, by which the gun and ammunition 

 are drawn by horses. No arm of the service could be so effective as marine 

 artillery in their launches manned with fifty sailors, armed with cutlass, 



