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An overview of Napoleonic era artillery – Interview with Kevin Kiley
Check out this book here https://amzn.to/3gIAEnM
Interview Timeline
Kevin F. Kiley is a retired US Marine Corps artillery officer and a graduate of West Point. He has a master’s degree in Military History from and has written extensively on historic artillery and other topics. We spoke about his latest book, a dictionary of Napoleonic artillery. Artillery of the Napoleonic Wars: A Concise Dictionary, 1792-1815 (Frontline Books, 2021)
0:38 – Kevin talks about why he started writing about the Napoleonic Wars.
3:13 – Kevin talks about the focus of the book on technical artillery terms.
4:35 – Kevin contrasts field artillery and all other types of artillery.
8:01 – Kevin talks about Napoleon’s rise because of being an artillerist.
10:46 – Kevin talks about where the artillery pieces were made.
13:04 – Kevin talks about overheating artillery guns.
14:07 – Kevin talks about the gun foundries at the time.
15:30 – Kevin talks more about foundries.
16:06 – Kevin talks about naval artillery.
16:51 – Kevin talks about the artillery engineers of the time.
18:17 – Kevin talks about meritocracy in the French military.
19:29 – Kevin talks about moving artillery around.
21:35 – Kevin talks about horses and artillery teams.
22:06 – Kevin talks about horses knowing artillery commands.
22:53 – Kevin talks about how quickly gun crews could set up.
24:13 – Kevin talks about the elements needed to load and fire a gun.
25:59 – Kevin talks about the cartridge, siege loading, and the sabot.
26:41 – Kevin talks about fuses.
27:23 – Kevin talks about loading lit bullets.
28:59 – Kevin talks about the French system after 1815.
29:19 – Kevin talks about the research he did for the book.
32:42 – Kevin talks about counter-battery action.
34:05 – Kevin talks about incendiary shells.
35:43 – Kevin talks about standing up to artillery attacks.
36:30 – Kevin talks about the French at the American Revolution.
37:27 – Kevin talks about Washington’s use of artillery.
38:28 – Kevin talks about national approaches to artillery.
42:35 – Kevin talks about building cannons.
44:27 – Kevin talks about artillery in French battles.
46:54 – Kevin talks about the War of 1812.
48:04 – Kevin talks about an odd-sounding artillery term
50:52 – Kevin talks about Russian changes in artillery.
51:40 – Kevin talks about the best artillerists.
52:55 – Kevin talks about the cavalry and the artillery.
53:53 – Kevin talks about how the artillery protected itself.
54:31 – Kevin talks about artillery unit make-ups.
56:26 – Kevin talks about his various books.
1:02:49 – Kevin talks about temperature and artillery.
1:05:34 – Kevin talks about hearing loss and artillery.
1:10:20 – Kevin talks about Napoleon’s interest in naval artillery.
1:12:33 – Kevin talks about important qualities of an artillery officer.
1:13:19 – Kevin talks about interest in the Napoleonic Wars.
1:16:28 – Kevin talks about myths about the Napoleonic Wars.
1:17:47 – Kevin talks about the Russians and Napoleon.
1:22:03 – Information on the book can be found at amazon.
1:23:48 – Kevin talks about the Eastern Roman Empire.
1:25:15 – Kevin talks about how he got published.
Links of interest
Contact Information
For more “Military History Inside Out” please follow me at www.warscholar.org, on Facebook at warscholar, on twitter at Warscholar, on youtube at warscholar1945 and on Instagram @crisalvarezswarscholar. Or subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify Please see historyrabbithole.com for a list of my dozen or so blogs and podcasts. You’re sure to find something you like.
Guests: Kevin Kiley
Host: Cris Alvarez
Tags: Books, audio interviews, author, podcast, Frontline Books, editor interview, General military history, 19th century war, Napoleonic Wars, 18th century war, United States, Germany, Russia, France, Britain,
Check out this book here https://amzn.to/3gIAEnM
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