Gettysburg smoothbores?

RustyRelics

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Apr 5, 2019
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I am going to make a purchase soon. It's only $10 so t's not life changing, but I am very curious about it. It's a .69 cal. roundball, dug near the Emmitsburg Road, pre-national park era. My dad dug several, years ago in the reserve area (private property of course!). He said that only two regiments used the smoothbore muskets in Gettysburg. Both were Pennsylvania units. Does anybody know which regiments carried smoothbores? Once I figure out who, I can narrow things down from there.
 

fyrffytr1

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According to the reference manual "Ready...Aim..Fire. Small arms ammunition in the battle of Gettysburg" the 69 smoothbore was used by several units. Just to name a few:
1stCorps, 2nd Division, 2nd Brigade 88th Pennsylvania
2nd Corps, 1st Division, 1st Brigade 81st Pennsylvania
2nd Corps, 1st Division,2nd Brigade 63rd New York, 69th New York,88th New York, 116th Pennsylvania
2nd Corps, 1st Division, 4th Brigade 145th Pennsylvania.
There are 17 more units listed in the Army of the Potomac that used the ,69 smoothbore as well.
And, there were many Confederate units that also used the .69smoothbore. But, this reference does not list them by individual unit.
 

l.cutler

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Yes, there were many units Nprth and South that used the smoothbore at that point in the war. The Irish Brigade for instance not only used them, but they were preferred by their commander over the rifle musket.
 

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