Development of the Gun Part II
Europe (14th-16th century)
Whilst Europe would become the predominant gunpowder developer over the following centuries, how it came to the continent is still debated by historians today. Some believe that its founding came from the silk road through the Middle East, others believe that Mongolian invaders brought over cannon during their invasion of Eastern Europe. The first case of gunpowder being used in battle was during the Siege of Calais (1346-47) by English forces using stationary cannon against the French defenses. Some other notable uses can be seen in Russia during the Defense of Moscow (1382) where Turkic guns (meaning hand cannons on staffs) were used against the Golden Horde, which was a Mongolian offspring khanate. Also, records of the development of personal smoothbore hand cannons by Italian gunsmiths in the 14th century to make usage less labor-intensive shows how even in the outset, Europeans strived to out-develop other nations in firearms.
Pike and Shot (14th- 17th century)
The development of techniques and tactics over the next few centuries melded melee soldiers with firearms to create what is known as pike and shot methods of warfare. Long speared soldiers known as pikemen would hold either a line or square formation behind the firearm troops who would retreat in successive rows to reload their hand cannons or arquebusiers. Inching ever closer to each other’s line, whilst cannon was set off around them eventually enemies would develop into a melee. These tactics along with other projectile infantry (crossbows or bowmen) and other melee infantry (swordsmen) of the era were used together across the world, from England to Japan. In shows the inability of the old world to remove the style of warfare they had become accustomed to for centuries.
Use and Evolution (17th-19th century)
The pike and shot transition tactics evolved quickly as well, into the use of mass infantry firing from and into singular volleys. While using guns at the time might have taken longer to load or properly organize, the development in faster tactics and timing made the use of firearms far more approachable. By the late 17th and early 18th century, the formations of pike & shot disappeared and had been replaced with lines of men firing at each other in volleys with artillery at their backs.
This advantage of less time needed to be put into training the individual soldier and the amount of money spent on outfitting allowed the sizes of armies to grow as well. The whole company of firearm wielding soldiers now with flintlock muskets were much cheaper than training and outfitting a squadron of longbowmen. It would be under generals like Napoleon Bonaparte that this system would thrive, grand armies marching across continental Europe. Yet even under ex-colonial subjects like George Washington, with little companies of soldiers and marksmen this tactic was successful. This style of line battle warfare persisted until the late 19th century, even with military arms development advancement. It saw its final breaths during the Franco-Prussian War (1870-71) where lines of French and German soldiers fell due to extremely accurate artillery and rifles.
