CIVIL WAR BOW

February 11, 2010 12:18

Were bows used in the civil war. If not, why not? If I had to charge a line I would rather have a bow and 20 arrows than a musket. Would you?

Comments

4 comments

jaegermister

February 13, 2010 03:04
As an individual yes.... but in the mind set of the Civil war times it was to mass a group effort ( some individuals less proficient than others), under the leadership of a military mind to go and kick someone's butt.
I think someone , maybe Franklin,actually suggested bows to fight the British during the Revolution.
Another interesting speculation: what if the Indian Nations around the time of 1700, were somehow supplied with laminated recurves/long bows/aluminum shafts/dacron string & snuffer broadheads? Wouldn't been no Civil War, no Revolution....
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Bamavol

February 13, 2010 12:47
JM, thanks for the reply. I agree that it was a mind set. If the technology of the day had been applied to developing a war bow and arrows and training an elite corp of archers it could have been effective.
However I disagree about the Indians. The Indians were doomed from the start because they had no navy. They could not protect their shore from the European invasion. However steel points and recurves would have been a big help.
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jaegermister

February 16, 2010 03:12
Yes your right and I forgot about the European illness that killed more than guns.
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wpage

February 18, 2010 09:28
Certainly they were. Not much if any documented on it.
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