At the time the thunder-barrel Corps was mentioned the only targets that these weapons would have been used was against were Union troops in siege trenches being made closer daily on the downward slopes. Hitting these trenches just right was a must. There were not a lot of these weapons according to the inventory so their intent must of had been specific and limited. Even if they were used against mass troops you still could miss if the barrel went faster or slower than expected down hill, either blowing up before or beyond the attack force.

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David Upton