10-Inch Confederate Columbiad at the South Carolina Military Museum
10-Inch Confederate Columbiad, one of the cannons recovered from the wreck of the Schooner Philadelphia, is displayed at the South Carolina Military Museum
A 10-Inch Confederate Columbiad is displayed outside of the South Carolina Military Museum in Columbia, South Carolina. The Columbiad was manufactured by Bellona Foundry in 1863. It’s muzzle shows that its weight as manufactured was 13,928 pounds. It is also marked “No. 22” - a foundry number. (The 1863 Bellona 10-Inch Columbiad at Magnolia Cemetery is No. 20.) The trunnions are marked “JLA” for Junius L. Archer, the owner of Bellona Foundry.
On the day of my visit - New Year’s Eve and near closing time - the museum wasn’t able to open the fenced in area around the cannon. The photos in this post were taken through the fence.
Columbiad Number 22 was likely originally mounted in the defenses of Charleston during the American Civil War. By 1877 it was sold with other surplus cannons at Charleston and shipped north on the Schooner Philadelphia for scrapping. Philadelphia sank in a storm off of Georgetown, South Carolina.
Like the 10-Inch Columbiad now displayed at Fort Macon, this Columbiad was one of six recovered by Long Bay Salvage in the early 2010s. Both the Columbiad at the South Carolina Military Museum and the Fort Macon Columbiad are in excellent condition with very sharp markings. I have seen many cannons which have not spent over a century under water in far worse shape.
I took a very brief tour of the South Carolina Military Museum. (My children had limited stamina for history after a great day at Riverbanks Zoo.) The museum houses a wonderful collection - especially of historic small arms and US military vehicles. I will be back.
As far as the schooner Philadelphia, I believe Long Bay Salvage retains rights to the wreck. I would be very interested to know details about the roughly 20 cannons which remain under water off the South Carolina coast!
A YouTube video about the salvage efforts can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1Qv45IpCTs
An article about the salvage can be found here: https://www.coastal.edu/app/newsletter/archived_newsletter/49/1418
The Muzzle of Bellona Foundry 10-Inch Columbiad Number 22.
The Breech of Bellona Foundry 10-Inch Columbiad Number 22.
Bellona Foundry 10-Inch Columbiad Number 22 - viewed through a chain link fence
Bellona Foundry 10-Inch Columbiad Number 22
Both Trunnions are marked “JLA” for Junius L. Archer
Two 10-Inch Confederate Columbiads are mounted at Fort Johnson near Charleston, South Carolina in 1865. (The other two cannons are unidentified Brooke and a 10-Inch Columbiad now displayed at Fort Sumter.) Library of Congress Photo: https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2018666897/
