The Cannons of Fort Macon
Fort Macon on Bogue Banks in North Carolina is a beautifully preserved and restored Third System fort which has been operated as a state park since 1924. Over the last decades the Friends of Fort Macon have raised money to rearm the fort and in so doing has made a very significant contribution to the historical interpretation of the fort. For those who are interested in American Seacoast Artillery, Fort Macon is a fascinating site to visit.
“Report on Rifled Guns” - 1865 Report on Parrott Rifles by the US Navy Bureau of Ordnance
After 5 US Navy Parrott Rifles failed causing some 45 casualties during the First Battle of Fort Fisher in December of 1865, the Bureau of Ordnance was tasked with determining the cause of the failures and whether Parrott Rifles continued to be suitable for use by the United States Navy. The report is transcribed in this post.
The 9-Inch Dahlgren and 8-Inch Rodman at Fort Sill
The US Army Artillery Museum at Fort Sill offers the unique opportunity to directly compare an 8-Inch Rodman to an 9-Inch Dahlgren. In presenting these two cannon side by side, the visitor to the museum is able to see the approach of both the US Navy and the US Army to produce shell guns capable of also firing solid shot. The Photos in this post were taken by Flickr User “rcaustintx” in 2019. They are used with his permission. Many, many thanks!
30-Pounder US Army Parrott Rifles at Fort Pulaski
US Army 30-Pounder Parrott Rifles were successfully used in the Siege of Fort Pulaski in April of 1862. Several 30-Pounder Parrott Rifles (also called 4.2-Inch Parrotts) are displayed at the Fort. The US Army Model is both longer and heavier than the Navy 30-Pounder.
20-Inch Rodman of Fort Hamilton, New York
A 20-Inch Rodman Gun is displayed at Fort Hamilton in Brooklyn, New York. This type was the largest cannon manufactured by the United States during the American Civil War. These photos were provided by another individual and are used with permission.
The Naval Cannons of Fort McClary, Maine
Three US Navy cannons are displayed at Fort McClary near Kittery, Maine: a 9-Inch Dahlgren Shell Gun, a Bureau of Ordnance 8-Inch Shell Gun of 6,500 Pounds, and a 32-Pounder of 57 Hundredweight. Fort McClary shows several stages of US Army seacoast fortifications and is beautifully situated overlooking Portsmouth Harbor.
The 6.4-Inch Parrott Rifle of Fair Haven, Vermont
A 6.4-Inch (or 100-Pounder) Parrott Rifle is displayed on a pedestal in Fair Haven, Vermont.
10-Inch Rodman of Middlebury, Vermont
A 10-Inch Rodman is displayed in Middlebury, Vermont.
8-Inch Parrott Rifle in Westerly, Rhode Island
An 8-Inch Parrott Rilfe is displayed outside the old Armory in Westerly, Rhode Island.
6.4-Inch Parrott Rifle in Bristol, Vermont
A 6.4-Inch (or 100-Pounder) Parrott Rifle is displayed on the town square in Bristol, Vermont.
The Rodmans of Fort McHenry
Displayed at Fort McHenry near Baltimore, Maryland are three types of Rodman guns: 8-Inch Smoothbores, 8-Inch Rifles converted in the 1870s from 10-Inch Smoothbores, and 15-Inch Smoothbores. Taken together this is an impressive display of the Rodman type gun of the US Army during and after the American Civil War.
The Citadel’s Cannons
Displayed on the campus of The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina are two 2.9-Inch Parrott Rifles, two Model 1841 6-Pounders, a 3.3-Inch Parrott Rifle, and a 7-Inch Brooke Rifle.
3-Inch Ordnance Rifle at Fort Monroe
A US Army 3-Inch Ordnance Rifle is displayed at Fort Monroe in Virginia.
The Lincoln Gun - Prototype 15-Inch Rodman at Fort Monroe
The “Lincoln Gun”, the prototype 15-Inch Rodman gun is preserved at Fort Monroe in Virginia.
10-Inch Model 1844 Columbiad, Banded and Rifled, at Fort Sumter
A 10-Inch Columbiad Model 1844 which was banded and rifled by the Confederates is displayed at Fort Sumter.
8-Inch Parrott Rifles of Forts Moultrie and Sumter
Two 8-Inch Parrott Rifles are preserved near Charleston, South Carolina. One may be found at Fort Moultrie and the other at Fort Sumter. Both were brought (along with several others of the type) in 1872 as part of modernizations to the forts. Both were buried around 1900 after they had become obsolete and it was easier to bury them than remove them.
8-Inch Columbiad, Model 1857, at Fort Moultrie
An 8-Inch Columbiad, Model of 1857, which was banded and rifled by the Confederates is displayed at Fort Moultrie near Charleston, South Carolina. This rare cannon is one of only two or three of the type still in existence.
10-Inch Columbiad, Model 1844, in Willoughby, Ohio
A 10-Inch Columbiad, Model 1844, preserved in a park in Willoughby, Ohio.
The 10-Inch Parrott of Fort Moultrie
Preserved at Fort Moultrie near Charleston, South Carolina is at 10-Inch Parrott Rifle.
Cannons of Fort Moultrie
Fort Moultre, on Sullivan’s Island near Charleson, South Carolina, displays two Model 1829 32-Pounders and a Model 1819 24-Pounder. Fort Moultrie, the site of a 1776 victory and much fighting during the Civil War, shows the entire history of American seacoast defense from 1776 to 1945.