1850
Introduction of rifled breach-loaded guns
1850-1860
1856
Widespread introduction of the conoidal bullet and the rifled musket "which was to
have the greatest immediate and measurable revolutionary impact on war of any new
weapon or technological development or war before or since" (Dupuy, The Evolution
of Weapons and Warfare, 191). The expansible feature of the conoidal bullet made
it easy to load yet capable of fitting tightly into the grooves of a rifled barrel.
Range and accuracy were also increased by the aerodynamics of the bullet.
The Bessemer process improves the quality of steel production and reduces its cost
1853-1856 Crimean War
The military begins to take advantage of new technology: Minie ball and rifled muskets increase range Telegraph allowed governments in Paris and London to communicate with commanders in the field; reporters able to get their stories to their papers in days rather than weeks French and English use steamships to transport troops French used military rail line to supply troops French use ironclads to batter Fort Kinburn The Battle of Sinope (1853): The vulnerability of wooden warships to new weapons is proven when a squadron of Turkish ships is destroyed by a squadron of Russian ships with Paixhan guns. All but one of the Turkish ships were sunk and 4000 men were killed.
1856
1858
Prussians form field telegraph units
U.S. adopts the conoidal bullet, fired from a muzzle-loading rifled musket -- the
longer range reverses the lethal capability between infantry weapons and artillery
