The 32-Pounders of 57 Hundredweight at Fort Fisher
Two US Navy 32-Pounders of 57 Hundredweight which were banded and rifled by the Confederates are displayed at Fort Fisher in North Carolina
Two US Navy 32-Pounders of 57 Hundredweight are displayed at Fort Fisher in North Carolina. The cannons were originally manufactured by Tredegar - one in 1848 and the other in 1852 (Olmstead et. al pg. 213). They were among the nearly 1,200 heavy cannons captured by Virginia at the Gosport Navy Yard in April of 1861. Both were banded and rifled by the Confederates, and by the end of the war these two cannons were at Fort Caswell across the Cape Fear River from Fort Fisher. They seem to have remained at Fort Caswell until 1902 when they were moved to Raleigh, North Carolina to flank a monument there. In 2020 they were moved to Fort Fisher. Initially they were placed in front of the earthworks of the land face of the fort. In 2024 they were moved to the portico of the new Visitor’s Center at Fort Fisher State Historic Site.
The Type: The 32-Pounder of 57 Hundredweight was the heaviest 32-Pounder of the 1845 reform of US Navy armament for its ships. This cannon was intended to form the main battery of heavy frigates and ships of the line. Lighter 32-Pounders which would fire the same projectile but with reduced propellent charges were designed for upper decks and smaller ships. The 1845 system was superseded by the heavy shellguns designed by John Dahlgren after 1855, but many remained in Navy hands, and large numbers were captured at Gosport. Rifling the cannon and reinforcing the breech with a wrought iron band created a 6.4-Inch Rifle. Projectile weight varied but was often at least twice that of the original 32-Pounder, and the rifled cannons were capable of greater accuracy than the old smoothbores. They would fire solid shot or explosive shell as required. The type was used both by the Confederate Navy (like the examples of CSS Teaser and CSS Georgia) and by the Army in fortifications on land like the example displayed at Fort Branch and the two at Fort Fisher. For the Confederate defenders of Fort Fisher, the converted rifles may not have been as effective or reliable as purpose made Brooke Rifles, but they were available.
The 32-Pounders of Fort Fisher: Even though these two specific cannon were not at Fort Fisher during the the Battles of Fort Fisher, 32-Pounders formed a significant portion of the fort’s armament. Several were smoothbore, but many were rifled, and a significant portion of those are likely to have had reinforcing wrought iron bands added as well. (In the list of cannons captured with the fort, many are listed as 6 and 3/8 inch rifles.)
Restorations of the land face batteries at Fort Fisher have placed three replica cannons of this type at the fort. One which may be fired for demonstrations has been in place for several years now, and two additional replicas were placed in the 2024 reconstructions at the fort. I believe all three replicas are modeled after the two original cannons.
Fort Fisher State Historic Site will host a Commemoration of the 160th Anniversary of the Second Battle of Fort Fisher on Saturday, January 18th, 2025. See Fort Fisher’s Facebook page for more information: https://www.facebook.com/fortfishershs
32-Pounder of 57 Hundredweight displayed in Hudson, New Hampshire. As originally manufactured, the 32-Pounders at Fort Fisher would have been identical to this cannon.
The armament of Fort Fisher at Capture from the Official Records. Series 1. Volume 46. Pt. 1. Pg. 409.
The rifling of the 32-Pounder of 57 Hundredweight Manufactured in 1852
The top of the spike driven into the vent to disable the cannon may be seen in the band of the 1848 32-Pounder
Banded and Rifled 32-Pounder of 57 Hundredweight captured with CSS Teaser. The projectile for this type of cannon may be seen as well as a naval pivot carriage. This cannon, very similar to those at Fort Fisher, may be seen at the Washington Navy Yard. Library of Congress Photo: https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2018671446/
Images of the 1848 32-Pounder of 57 Hundredweight Manufactured by Tredegar
Images of the 1852 32-Pounder of 57 Hundredweight Manufactured by Tredegar
Fireable “Banded and Rifled” (Actually cast steel) 32-Pounder of 57 Hundredweight at Fort Fisher
New Replica Banded and Rifled 32-Pounder of 57 Hundredweight at Fort Fisher
A different angle on the same replica 32-Pounder Rifle as above.
New Replica Rifled and Banded 32-Pounder of 57 Hundredweight at Fort Fisher. At the time of my visit (October 2024) it had not yet been emplaced.
