During the American Civil War, artillery sergeants had command of, and responsibility for, the men and equipment of a platoon. A full strength battery normally had between 4 to 6 guns with each gun having a sergeant. The sergeant made sure that all of the cannoneers and drivers were properly trained in each role necessary to service a piece so that they could switch roles on an individual basis if casualties occurred. He was to: follow, repeat, and carry out the section chief ’s orders promptly; insure that the gunner selected the correct target and used the proper range and projectile; and check that the chief of caisson was prepared to bring forward ammunition as necessary.