Civil War Inventions?

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Question:

During the Civil War, were grenades invented!? I know ironclads, rapid firing guns, and some other things were (it would be helpful if you could list those too), but I was wondering if it was true that grenades were a Civil War invention!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

grenades were not a Civil War invention!. The Chinese has been using them for a long time!. The Gatling gun however was brought to Lincolns attention near the end of the war!.also the rebels were fond of placing floating torpedo type bombs in rivers etc!.also popular were repeating rifles that were starting to replace the single shot muskets!.These became the weapon of choice of-the Calvary, especially when fighting dismounted!.Many had to purchase these on their own!.The turret gun was built for the one gun boats like the Monitor and Merrimack!.Rifled cannon, and muskets were used during this war, rendering forts like Pulaski( stone built) to be useless!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Grenades actually date back to the first uses of gunpowder!.
The first grenade was partly invented in China during the Song Dynasty (960—1279 AD), known as Zhen Tian Lei when Chinese soldiers packed gunpowder into ceramic and/or metal containers!. In 1044, a military book Wujing Zongyao ("Compilation of Military Classics") described various gunpowder recipes in which one can find the prototype of the modern hand grenade!.[2]

At the same time the Greeks of the Byzantine empire made hand grenades with Greek fire in the 10th to 12th centuries!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

If Grenades were invented then, you wouldn't be asking this question!.

Grenades were used to some extent in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905 and used extensively in World War I (1914-1918) and World War II (1939-1945)!. Today grenades are common weapons of infantry troops!.

American Civil War, a military conflict between the United States of America (the Union) and the Confederate States of America (the Confederacy) from 1861 to 1865!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

OK, the Ironclads that you mentioned there, ONE had the 1st rotating turret on a sea vessel!. When they were launched, they instantly made every warship in the world obsolete!. Rifling was invented, which is the reason for so many casualties (650 thousand) because the technology was too advanced for the military tactics of the era!. They were TOO accurate!. They used the 1st submarine to successfully sink an enemy war ship (CSA Hunley) The first land MINES were used but were called "torpedoes"!.
TOTAL WARFARE was invented by the "father of total war" William Tecumseh Sherman!.Www@QuestionHome@Com