The Caissons Go Rolling Along

US Army Horse Drawn Artillery

In the 19th century:
During the Civil War, six horses pulled the field cannon and ammunition wagons. A LIMBER, one type of ammunition wagon, carried one ammunition chest. A CAISSON carried two ammunition chests and a spare wheel. The limber was always attached directly to the horses, and was followed by the cannon or the caisson.

Field guns were grouped into BATTERIES. Four or six guns made up a battery. Each gun had its own caisson and two limbers. Each battery had a traveling forge, or blacksmith shop, to repair metal parts of the caissons, guns, and other wagons. A wagon carrying tents and supplies and several extra caissons were included with the battery.

Each gun crew was usually made up of 15 men who, when traveling, either rode on the ammunition chests, walked beside the guns, or rode the horses as they pulled the guns. 

Today (courtesy of the US Army):
"A bright summer sun splashes over the sandlots and red brick barns belonging to the Army's only mounted caisson unit -- the Caisson Platoon of the 3rd U.S. Infantry, The Old Guard, at Fort Myer, Va. It's early morning, and the 40-member platoon tackles its daily chores. In about five hours, another caisson team will ride its horses down the shaded, tree-lined street that ends at Arlington National Cemetery.

At the Fort Myer Chapel the horses' clip-clopping will cease and a silence will fall until a funeral detail emerges and carries a flag-draped casket to the waiting black caisson. Then, the half-dozen soldiers and horses will follow a solemn procession led by the U.S. Army Band, platoons of Old Guard soldiers, clergy, loved ones and friends meandering along the quiet, curving road that passes row upon row of headstones."

Perhaps the best known funeral of this type was that of President John F. Kennedy in November 1963.

The song "The Caissons Go Rolling Along" was composed Brig. Gen. Edmund L. Gruber in 1921. It was later incorporated into the "Army Song" ("The Army Goes Rolling Along") by Paul E. Ramseyer.

The Music
The Caissons Go Rolling Along
[ 1:16 ] [ 30k ]

The Song
The song in this book which is sung to the tune of
"The Caissons Go Rolling Along"

1. When the End of the Month Rolls Around

The Caissons Go Rolling Along

Over hill, over dale,
As we hit the dusty trail
And those Caissons go rolling along
In and out, hear them shout,
Counter march and right about
And those Caissons go rolling along!
Then it's hi, hi, hee,
In the field artillery
Shout out your numbers loud and strong
Where'er you go,
You will always know
That those Caissons go rolling along!

In the storm, in the night,
Action left or action right
See those Caissons go rolling along
Limber front, limber rear,
Prepare to mount your cannoneer
And those Caissons go rolling along!
Then it's hi, hi, hee,
In the field artillery
Shout out your numbers loud and strong
Where'er you go,
You will always know
That those Caissons go rolling along!
That those Caissons go rolling along!
That those Caissons go rolling along!