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The Artilleryman | Summer 2018 | Vol. 39, No. 3
CONTENTS
6
CONFEDERATE ARTILLERY SERVICE
Republished Southern Historical Society Papers article with photographs. By E. P. Alexander.
22
AMERICAN CANNON IN CUBA
32
1ST GALLANT PELHAM SHOOT
38
COLUMBUS, GA., 12-POUNDER NAPOLEON
44
THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS COLLECTION
46
“GREAT GUNS” OF THE USS CAIRO
54
C/73 FELDGESCHÜTZ
56
64TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE MARYLAND ARMS COLLECTORS ASSOCIATION SHOW
58
OHIO CIVIL WAR & ARTILLERY SHOW
61
NEWS FROM THE U.S. ARMY ARTILLERY MUSEUM
64
CLASSIFIEDS
A rare glimpse of cannon in Cuba. By Thomas D. Batha and Glen Williford. Burroughs’ Battery sponsored the 1st Gallant Pelham Artillery Shoot. By Steve Cameron. Identified Stephens Light Artillery cannon. By Lawrence E. Babits. CDV of Lieutenant Solomon Stanbrough.
The guns of the Cairo—History, Recovery, and Preservation. By Elizabeth Hoxie Joyner. The first successful Krupp design for domestic and foreign markets. By Jim Schoenung.
Show news and Best of Show Winner.
The 41st Annual Ohio Civil War & 26th Artillery Show in Mansfield, Ohio. By Teresa Drushel. Recent events at the U.S. Army Artillery Museum in Fort Sill. By Gordon A. Blaker.
Subscribe by calling 800-777-1862 or online at www.ArtillerymanMagazine.com 2
The Artilleryman
Consultants:
Lawrence Babits, Ph.D, Thomas Bailey, Craig D. Bell, Jack Bell, Jim Bender, Col. John Biemeck (Ret.), Stephen Davis, Ph.D., Leonard Draper, Glenn Dutton, David Gotter, Richard Hatcher, Butch & Anita Holcombe, Les Jensen, Gordon L. Jones, Ph.D., Mike Kent, Lewis Leigh Jr., William E. Lockridge, Donald Lutz, John Morris, Michael J. O’Donnell, Hayes Otoupalik, Bernie Paulson, Bruce Paulson, Lawrence E. Pawl, M.D., Craig Swain, Matthew Switlik, Bill Tracy and Mike Ward.
Black Powder Explosive Ordnance Assistance Colonel John Biemeck, Ret.
Black Powder Explosive Ordnance Assistance (Identification, threat assessment, handling, storage, technical and deactivation assistance) for Government, State and Municipal Agencies. Contact Colonel John Biemeck, Ordnance Corps, U.S. Army (Retired), cell 804-366-0562. This service is offered as a courtesy to government agencies by The Artilleryman in an effort to preserve antique explosive black powder projectiles for future generations. Printed proudly and responsibly in the United States of America. All rights reserved under International and PanAmerican Copyright Conventions. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic, digital or mechanical means, screen shots, phone photos, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review. The information contained herein is for the general history and background of our readers and The Artilleryman assumes no liability for loading or shooting data which may be published in this magazine. The circumstances surrounding the loading and discharge of firearms mentioned are beyond our control and are unique to the particular instance being described. We hereby disclaim any responsibility for persons attempting to duplicate loading data or shooting conditions referenced herein and specifically recommend against relying solely on this material. Readers are cautioned that black powder varies according to grain size, type, date of manufacture and supplier, and that firing of antique or replica ordnance should not be undertaken without adequate training and experience in procedures and loads. Articles, Photographs and Image Submittals: The Author(s), Photographer(s) will indemnify the Publisher against any loss, injury, or damage (including any legal costs or expenses and any compensation costs and disbursements paid by the Publisher) occasioned to the Publisher in connection with or in consequence or any breach of the Author’s warranties and which the Publisher is not able to recover. Author agrees to allow Publisher to re-print any work submitted.
Publisher: Jack W. Melton Jr. Founding Publisher: C. Peter Jorgensen Editor: Larry Babits Book Reviews: Peter A. Frandsen Advertising: mail@ArtillerymanMagazine.com Webmaster: Carson Jenkins Jr. Graphic Designer: Squeegie Studios InDesign Guru: Neil Stewart
Contact Information: Historical Publications LLC The Artilleryman 520 Folly Road, Suite 25 PMB 379 Charleston, SC 29412 800-777-1862 Email: mail@artillerymanmagazine.com Website: ArtillerymanMagazine.com Hours 9-5 EST, Monday-Thursday The Artilleryman Magazine (ISSN: 088404747) Copyright © 2018 by Historical Publications LLC is published quarterly by Historical Publications LLC, 520 Folly Road, Suite 25 PMB 379, Charleston, SC 29412. Quarterly. Business and Editorial Offices: 520 Folly Road, Suite 25 PMB 379, Charleston, SC 29412, Accounting and Circulation Offices: Historical Publications LLC, 520 Folly Road, Suite 25 PMB 379, Charleston, SC 29412. Call 800-777-1862 to subscribe. Application to mail at Periodicals postage prices at Charleston, SC, and additional mailing offices (if applicable).
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About the Cover: Cover shows 1833 12-Pdr. Field Howitzer firing at the Gallant John Pelham Artillery Competition, Pelham, Tenn. Photo by Randy Seals, Mooresburg, Tenn. (jakaranphotos@gmail.com). Cannon belongs to Steve Cameron, Burrows Battery/1st Tenn., Battery E. ArtillerymanMagazine.com
| Vol. 39, No. 3
3
Jack W. Melton Jr. Publisher
Steve Cameron hosted his 1st annual 1st Gallant Pelham Artillery Shoot and it was well received. The Gettysburg Reenactment will have 75 cannon at the event. This year’s Grayling Shoot has been canceled. LETTER TO THE EDITOR: I am a new subscriber to this magazine and hope I am not assuming too much by asking this question. Has any work been done to discover if the “Yankees” purposely made inferior molds for the Bormann Fuze that were sold to the State of Virginia? Edward Porter Alexander wrote for the Southern Society Papers [see “Confederate Artillery Service” article by Alexander in this issue] an article concerning the problems the South had with their Bormann fuzes. Alexander wrote that the first batch of fuzes failed. The Confederate ordnance men completely overhauled the equipment and made a second batch that also failed. Now the molds and equipment the South used were made in the Washington Arsenal for the State of Virginia just prior to the war. This is recorded in the Official Records Series III, vol. 1, pages 10-11. It is curious to me that the South would have had difficulty manufacturing the fuze if the equipment sold to them had been the same as what the North was using. I am wondering if any of the experts 4
The Artilleryman
on Civil War artillery had come across any references that might suggest sabotage. I thank you for whatever help you may be able to provide. Thomas Tate Orefield, Penn [Editor’s note: the following content is included to help understand Thomas Tate’s question.]
been issued, they are now due to the State. I beg your attention to this, and that the Ordnance Department may be directed to have them delivered to my address at this place. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, WM. H. RICHARDSON, Adjutant-General.
Adjutant-General’s Office Richmond, Va., December 6, 1860.
Ordnance Office, December 10, 1860. Respectfully returned. The implements, &c., for making the Bormann fuse may be made, on the terms within stated, at Washington Arsenal. In relation to the account between the State of Virginia and the United States for arms under the law of 1808, it has been fully explained to General Richardson in a letter from this office, a copy of which is herewith inclosed. WM. MAYNADIER, Captain of Ordnance.
Hon. John B. Floyd, Secretary of War: Sir: I am instructed by the Governor to request that the implements and machinery for manufacturing the Bormann fuse may be made for the State at one of the Government arsenals, say Washington, to be paid for by the State commissioners having charge of this subject. Pursuant to orders from the War Department the State has received 450 smooth-bore percussion muskets, with accouterments, leaving, according to statement of the Ordnance Office, the following suspended items to be adjusted hereafter: 120 long-range rifles; 200 rifled muskets, alleged to have been issued from Harper’s Ferry Arsenal upon the verbal order of Governor Wise, but not receipted for by any State officer; 120 Hall rifles, delivered without orders to Col. J. T. Gibson by the superintendent of Harper’s Ferry Arsenal, instead of 120 rifled muskets and accouterments for which there was a requisition. These Hall rifles ought not to be charged to the State, because never called for, and because we had a number of them in depot at Richmond. This charge can never be admitted. But the 120 rifled muskets and accouterments mentioned are charged to the State on the 26th of October, 1859. Never having
War Department, December 10, 1860. The implements, &c., for making the fuses may be made, on the terms within stated, at the Washington Arsenal. J. B. FLOYD, Secretary of War. Source:
The War of the Rebellion A Compilation Of The Official Records Of The Union And Confederate Armies, Series III-Volume I. United States. War Department, Henry Martyn Lazelle, Leslie J. Perry. U.S. Government Printing Office, 1899, pp. 10-11.
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Historical Publications LLC 520 Folly Road, Suite 25 PMB 379, Charleston, SC 29412 Phone: 800-777-1862 • Email: mail@artillerymanmagazine.com
Grant Presidential Library News STARKVILLE, Miss.—At the recent annual meeting of the Mississippi Historical Society in Jackson, a curator of an outstanding Civil War museum, a leader in the living history community, and a founder of the Golden Triangle Civil War Roundtable, was honored with an Award of Merit. Jeffrey (Duffy) Neubauer, longtime owner and curator of the Starkville Civil War Arsenal, received the Mississippi Historical Society Award of Merit honoring his exceptional work in establishing and operating the Starkville Civil War Arsenal and making outstanding contributions to living history. Unable to attend the meeting, Neubauer’s award was accepted for him by Dr. John F. Marszalek, executive director and managing editor of the Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library on the campus of Mississippi State University. Making the formal presentation to Neubauer at the Grant Presidential Library was W. Brother Rogers, Director, Programs and Communication Division of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History and Secretary-Treasurer of the Mississippi Historical Society. In making his presentation, Rogers said: “Duffy is indeed one of the state’s leading Civil War historians. His museum is a hidden treasure in our state, and we hope this award will alert Mississippians to its significance.” Neubauer, whose museum holds one of the greatest collections of Civil War artillery and weaponry anywhere, was thankful for the Historical Society’s recognition. “People from all over the nation visit, and I am always ready to welcome anyone, no matter how near or how far they’ve come, to my museum. I am always particularly happy to welcome Boy Scouts and school classes. I consider myself, above all else, a teacher.” The Starkville Civil War Arsenal is
located in Starkville. To plan a visit call Duffy Neubauer at 662-617-9962. Admission is
free. You can visit online at www. starkvillecivilwararsenal.com.
L. to R. John F. Marszalek, Duffy Neubauer (in uniform), and W. Brother Rogers.
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| Vol. 39, No. 3
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Carte-de-visite of E. P. Alexander in the Edward Porter Alexander Papers, #7, Southern Historical Collection, The Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. [The following interesting and valuable paper was written in 1866 as an appendix to a proposed history of Longstreet’s corps by its able and accomplished Chief of Artillery.]
A
s the Confederate artillery labored throughout the war under disadvantages which have scarcely been known outside of its own ranks, and which can hardly be fully appreciated except by those who have served with that arm, I have thought it better to give in this form a connected account of the difficulties encountered, and the gradual improvements made in this branch of the service. The drawbacks upon its efficiency at the beginning of the war were very serious, and came both from its organization and from its equipment. The faults of its organization were recognized, and gradually overcome, within eighteen months. The deficiencies of equipment, the result of causes
many of which were beyond control, continued with but partial mitigation to the end of the war. The batteries were generally composed of but four guns, which is not an economical arrangement; but as no objection was made to it, either at army headquarters or at the War Department, and as the scarcity both of horses and ordnance equipment made it difficult to get, and more so to maintain a six-gun battery, it resulted in that few six-gun batteries were put in the field, and nearly every one of these was eventually reduced to four guns. During the first year of the war each brigade of infantry had a battery attached, which was under the orders of the brigade-commander; while the remaining batteries with the army were organized into one or more regiments, or battalions, under the command of the Chief of Artillery on the staff of the Commanding General. The infantry at this period was organized in divisions, the commanding officer of which each
had, or was supposed to have, on his staff a Chief of Artillery, who was to exercise a general supervision over the brigade-batteries of the division. This organization was very inefficient, for the following reasons. The brigade-batteries depended for their rations, forage, and all supplies, upon the brigade-staff, and received from brigade-headquarters all orders, and thus acquired an independence of the division Chief of Artillery, which was often fostered by the Brigadier Generals resenting any interference with parts of their commands by junior officers, and took from the Chiefs of Artillery the feeling of entire responsibility which every officer should feel for the condition and action of his command. In action the Brigadier could not give proper supervision both to his infantry and artillery; and the Chief of Artillery with the best intentions could himself manage the batteries but inefficiently, as they were so scattered in position along the line of battle. Now it is well known that, for artillery to
Confederate Generals
Major Gen. William Mahone. (National Archives)
Lieut. Gen. Thomas Jonathan “Stonewall� Jackson. (Valentine Richmond History Center, Cook Collection)
Gen. Robert E. Lee. (Library of Congress)
Lieut. Gen. James Longstreet, postwar image. (Library of Congress)
Brig. Gen. Josiah Gorgas. (Library of Congress)
Major Gen. Benjamin Huger. (Library of Congress)
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| Vol. 39, No. 3
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produce its legitimate effects, its fire should be concentrated; and it is plain that under the above organization there could be but little concentration of batteries, except by bringing in the general reserve, which was commanded by the Chief of Artillery of the army. This body, however, not being in intimate relations with the infantry, who always develop the situation, and being invariably put on the march either behind the infantry commands or on some road to itself, was never promptly available on an emergency. Indeed, if the history of the general reserve artillery during its entire existence be investigated, it will be found that although excellent in material, and comparatively so in equipment, the service that it rendered was greatly disproportionate to its strength. It resulted, therefore, that although the numerical strength of the Confederate artillery was as great in the first year of the war as ever afterwards, its weight in the scale of actual conflict is never seen to affect the result, until the second battle of Manassas. For instance, during the Seven Days’ battles around. Richmond, General [Robert Edward] Lee’s artillery numbered about three hundred guns (nearly four guns to every thousand men), ninety-eight of these being in the general reserve; but in the history of the fighting this powerful organization has only left the faintest traces of its existence. Now the wretched character of the ammunition which filled its chests may well be charged with many of its shortcomings; but an examination of the official reports of the battles will show, that scattered, and either uncommanded or too much commanded, as it was, there was an entire absence of that ensemble of action necessary to the efficiency of all arms, but peculiarly so to the artillery; and that when fought at all, it was put in only in inefficient driblets. I select two or three examples where the most important consequences were involved. On the morning of the 30th of June, 1862, General [Thomas Jonathan 8
The Artilleryman
“Stonewall”] Jackson, leading four divisions in pursuit, struck the enemy’s rear-guard at White Oak Swamp about 9.30 A.M., and decided to force the crossing with artillery. It was 1.45 P.M. before twenty-eight guns could be concentrated and opened.1 The only battery of the enemy in sight was at once driven off, but in a short while eighteen guns were opened in reply from behind a wood, and a brisk contest was maintained until dark, when the enemy withdrew, having kept Jackson’s whole force out of the critical action fought by [Lieut. Gen. James Longstreet] Longstreet and A. P. Hill [Lieut. Gen. Ambrose Powell Hill Jr.] late in the afternoon at Frazier’s Farm. The superior ammunition and guns of the enemy made this contest about an equal one; but even had the Confederate equipment fully equalled the Federal, the odds were by no means sufficient to warrant the expectation of
Lieut. General A. P. Hill. Hill was killed on April 2, 1865, just seven days before Lee’s surrender at Appomattox Court House, during a Union breakthrough in the Third Battle of Petersburg,
View of White Oak Swamp, during the Peninsular Campaign, May–August 1862. (Library of Congress)
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USS Galena (1862-1872). Photograph looking forward along the ship’s port side, shortly after her May 15, 1862 action with Confederate batteries at Drewry’s Bluff, on the James River, Virginia. NH 53984 courtesy of Naval History and Heritage Command. Image colorized by Nick Edwards.
ArtillerymanMagazine.com
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Non-excavated McEvoy fuse igniter with copper time fuse plug and paper time fuse. Written on the wood is: “Picked up at Battle of Baton Rouge, La. to fire into and explode casions [sic].” Pictured on page 63 in the book, Artillery Fuses of the Civil War, by Charles H. Jones, (2001). always liable to explode in the gun, to “tumble,” or not to explode at all. The last defect was partially corrected by the use of “McAvoy’s [sic] Fuse Igniter,” a very simple and ingenious little contrivance attached to the fuse when loading, and later by fuses with strands of quickmatch for “priming.” The first two defects were very serious and of very frequent occurrence, not only with the three-inch rifles, but still more so with the Parrott guns. The “tumbling” was due to imperfect connection between the copper ring and the shell, which in its turn was due to the inferior quality of iron necessarily used (the best iron was saved for gun metal), to unskilled workmen, and to the fact that the demand greatly exceeded the supply, and even those which a careful inspection would have condemned were better than none. The causes of the premature explosions were never fully understood. They were generally attributed to defects in the casting, which either allowed the flame of the discharge to enter the shell, or by weakening the shell caused it to crush under the shock of the discharge and the “twist” given by the grooves of the gun. As a single illustration of the extent to which these defects of the Parrott projectiles sometimes went: at the siege of Knoxville, Captain [William W.] Parker’s battery of four captured Parrott rifles fired one hundred and twenty shell at the enemy’s batteries and pontoon-bridge, of which only two failed to “tumble,” or to burst
Excavated McEvoy’s fuse igniter with the iron pin and lead weight. C.A. McEvoy received a Confederate Patent on Jan. 7, 1863, for his fuse igniter. (Carl Sitherwood)
McEvoy’s fuse igniter consisted of a wood cylinder and a lead weight held in place by an iron pin. The lead weight‘s interior contained a fulminate compound, surrounding the serrated wire, which ignited when the propellant charge forced the weight towards the paper time fuse.
U.S. 3-inch Ordnance rifle, No. 644, at Barnes’ Battery C, at Gettysburg National Military Park. ArtillerymanMagazine.com
| Vol. 39, No. 3
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appeared simpler and of greater strength. On trial, however, it failed in every particular. Every projectile fired “tumbled” and fell nearer the gun than the target, and at the seventh round the solid breech-piece was cracked through and the gun disabled. One muzzle-loading six-pounder and six breech-loading twelve pounder Whitworths were distributed through
the army, and often rendered valuable service by their great range and accuracy. They fired solid shot almost exclusively; but they were perfectly reliable, and their projectiles never failed to fly in the most beautiful trajectory imaginable. Their breech-loading arrangements, however, often worked with difficulty, and every one of the six was at some time disabled by the
English 12-pounder Whitworth breech-loading rifle. Stenciled on the carriage trail is “RICHMOND ARSENAL / 1864.” (Library of Congress)
breaking of some of its parts, but all were repaired again and kept in service. As a general field-piece its efficiency was impaired by its weight and the very cumbrous English carriage on which it was mounted, and while a few with an army may often be valuable, the United States three-inch rifle is much more generally serviceable with good ammunition. The Blakely guns were twelve pounder rifles, muzzle-loaders, and fired very well with English ammunition (“built-up” shells with leaden bases), but with the Confederate substitute, they experienced the same difficulties which attended this ammunition in all guns. The only advantage to be claimed for this gun is its lightness, but this was found to involve the very serious evil that no field carriage could be made to withstand its recoil. It was continually splitting the trails or racking to pieces its carriages, though made of unusual strength and weight. Of the Armstrong shunt-guns, six were obtained just before the close of the war, and they were never tried in the field. They were muzzleloaders, and nothing could exceed their accuracy and the perfection of the ammunition. Their heavy English carriages
Armstrong
Britten
Clay
Whitworth
3-inch muzzle-loading Armstrong rifle. (The Dickey Collection)
3.5-inch, 12-pdr. Blakely rifle. (The Dickey Collection)
Clay breech-loading rifle. (Mike Ward Collection)
6-pdr. Whitworth rifle. (West Point Museum Collections, U.S. Military Academy)
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were more unwieldy than those of the American rifles, but taking all things into consideration, the guns are probably the most effective field-rifles yet made. Besides these English rifles, a few captured James rifles (brass sixpounder smooth-bores, grooved to fire the James projectile), and some old iron four-pounders grooved, were tried in the field for a short while, but were found to be very poor, and as a multiplicity of calibres rendered the supplying of ammunition very difficult, they were soon turned in. In fact, the variety of calibres comprised in the artillery was throughout the war a very great inconvenience, and materially affected the efficiency of the ordnance-service both in the quantity of ammunition carried and the facility with which it was supplied. At the commencement of the war this variety was often almost ludicrously illustrated by single batteries of four guns, of four different calibres, and it was only after the battalions were well organized in the winter of 1862 that anything was done to simplify this matter. The heavy guns which defended the James river against the enemy’s fleet were principally the ordinary eight-inch and ten-inch columbiads,
and “Brooke’s rifles” of six and fourtenths and seven inches calibre. These rifles only needed telescopic sights (which could not be made in the Confederacy) to be perfect arms of their class, their trajectories being more uniform than the sighting of the guns could be made by the eye. In addition to these rifles Captain [John Mercer] Brooke also furnished some heavily banded smooth-bores of ten and eleven inches calibre, to fire wrought iron balls with very high charges against the ironclads, which would doubtless have been extremely effective at short ranges. On several occasions during 1863 and 1864 where mortar-fire was desirable in the field, the twelve and twenty-four pounder howitzers were used for the purpose very successfully, by sinking the trails in trenches to give the elevation, while the axles were run up on inclined skids a few inches to lift the wheels from the ground and lessen the strain of the recoil. The skids would not be necessary where the desired range is not great. During the siege of Petersburg a number of iron twelve and twenty-four pounder Coehorn mortars were made and rendered excellent service. Wooden mortars were also made and tried for short
M1841 6-pdr. bronze field gun rifled using the James pattern. Alger, Reg. #755, dated 1861. (Shiloh National Battlefield Park) 18
The Artilleryman
ranges, but even when they did not split, the ranges were so irregular that they could not be made useful. In the location of batteries to defend lines of intrenchment, the campaign of 1864 gave the Confederate artillerists and engineers much experience, and a few of the deductions therefrom may not be out of place. Embrasures for the protection of the guns and men became unpopular, and were considered very objectionable, except for the rare cases where guns are to be reserved entirely for a flank defence of important points. The objections to them are that they restrict the field of fire, and thus render it difficult to conform the defence to unforeseen attacks. They are liable to be choked by the enemy’s shot, and can only be repaired with much exposure of the men, and they do not accomplish their intended object, the protection of the men and guns. Sharpshooters’ balls coming obliquely through the embrasures, or glancing off the gun or carriage, and artillery projectiles piercing the angles of the cheeks, make the limits of the dangerous space in rear of the embrasures very vague, and men are often unnecessarily exposed and hit without being aware of their danger. The barbette-gun not only has a greater field of view, but is more rapidly made ready, can be concealed from view until wanted, can only be silenced by being hit, offers a less conspicuous mark than an embrasure, and can be worked with less exposure of the artillerists. To accomplish this, trenches were dug in front of the gun and on each side about a yard from the wheels, in which the artillerists stood while loading and manoeuvring the gun, their heads being below the parapet, and only the hands of those ramming being exposed. The dangerous space was well defined and easy to be avoided, and only the head of the gunner while in the act of aiming was at all endangered. Mantlets for the gunners’ protection while aiming were proposed, and some were constructed of thick oak-plank to rest upon the
not only always equal to the demand upon it, but, in spite of continually increasing demands and decreasing resources, (from the gradual loss of blockade-running facilities and of valuable territory,) and in spite of serious interferences with the skilled labor of the arsenals and workshops by continued conscriptions, its efficiency continually increased, and all of its functions were faithfully performed as long as there was an army to need them. It is true that the Confederate armies were never in condition to use ammunition as lavishly as the enemy frequently did, but the supply never failed to be equal to the actual emergency, and no disaster was ever to be attributed to its scantiness. Wherever insufficiency was apprehended and economy imposed, in fact the scarcity arose far more from the lack of transportation to carry it with the army than from inability of the arsenals to furnish it. E. P. ALEXANDER.
1. 2.
3.
4.
Source: “Flanner’s N. C. Battery at the Battle of the Crater.” Southern Historical Society Papers, May 1878, pp. 247-248.
Endnotes:
Official Report of Colonel Crutchfield. Reports of Army of Northern Virginia, p. 525.) This was the intent of paragraph 2, General Order No. 7, Adjutant-General’s Office, Richmond, January 19, 1863, though the language is ill-chosen, viz: “Hereafter, all field-artillery belonging to any separate army will be parked together under the direction of the general or other chief officer of artillery having control of the same, to be distributed when required according to the judgment of the Commanding General of such army.” In Longstreet’s corps one battalion carried twenty-six guns, three carried eighteen each, and one carried but twelve; total, ninety-two. This shell, called the Mullane or Tennessee shell, was the invention of Dr. Read of Tuscaloosa, Ala., the well-known inventor of what are usually but improperly called Parrott shell. Parrott made the best guns adapted to these shell [sic], and the gun properly goes by his name, but Dr. Read’s invention of the shell cannot be questioned. His first patent was granted Oct. 28, 1856, and specifies cupped cylinders fastened on to the shell by screws, rivets, &c. A patent was refused the Mullane shell by the Confederate Patent Office, on the ground that it was anticipated by this patent of Dr. Read. The modifications and improvements on this shell, described further on, also all fell under Dr. Read’s patent.
Article Source: “Confederate Artillery Service,” E. P. Alexander, Southern Historical Society Papers, Volumes 11-12, 1883, pages 98-113. The text in [brackets] were added by the publisher for clarity. Images were added to help visualize General Alexander’s article. ArtillerymanMagazine.com
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N
early everyone has seen images from Cuba of all the old 1950’s American automobiles still in daily use there. A poor country to begin with, and all its assets confiscated by the central government, Cubans have had to make do with little. An effective, but not successful U.S. embargo in place since 1960 has placed Cuba in a kind of “time warp.” Nothing is wasted; nothing is scrapped (at least not on the scale of industrialized countries). As Cuba sought new sources of outside revenue after their Soviet benefactors folded, tourism became an up and coming industry. Old forts have been refurbished, their masonry repaired, and their armament cleaned and painted. Various occupiers (Spanish, U.S., etc.) left behind ordnance. Then benefactor countries left foreign aid: United States during Batista’s regime, followed by the Soviets. It seemed to be that the Cubans kept as much as they could. While we saw hundreds of pieces of foreign artillery: Spanish Trubias and Ordonez, German Krupps, etc. our focus was on U.S. ordnance. Hopefully another writer will chronicle the foreign equipment in a future report. Last summer we participated in a week-long tour of historical Cuban military sites. Armed with a list of some thirteen pieces of U.S. Civil War artillery known to have been in Cuba and rumors of some Spanish American War U.S. artillery, we set out to view as much as we could. We were pleasantly surprised to find a variety of U.S. made ordnance on public display and discovered several additional pieces. The first day of our tour began in Havana with a visit to Fort Fuerta de Real. In addition to a number of 12-inch bronze Spanish mortars and rifled bronze ML cannon (all in excellent condition), there was, of all things,
a large Rodman. Closer inspection disclosed it was a 12-inch rifle. I counted 21 lands and grooves. According to Olmstead and Stark, Cyrus Alger cast one 12-inch rifle from a 15-inch gun block in 1868. Fort Pitt cast one in 1861 and another in 1868. One of the three burst but two were still on hand in 1869. They were rifled from the casting, not sleeved. We now know where one of them ended up. Next was Castillo de San Salvador de la Punta. In addition to its annex mounting a two gun Spanish 15cm
BL battery, there were two mounted 10-inch, 300-pdr. Parrott rifles. These Parrotts were unique to us in that they were cast in 1866 by West Point Foundry apparently for export sales rather than the U.S. military. As such, they had no U.S. property marks or other typical markings. On one tube’s left trunnion was stamped 886 and 889 on the other gun. Both were in good condition and mounted on abbreviated front pintle barbette carriages. A number of 10-inch bolts were also displayed.
Located at Castle de San Salvador de la Punta, Havana, are two 10-inch, 300pdr. Parrott rifles on front pintle barbette carriages.
Cuba Castillo Real Fuerza entrance. ArtillerymanMagazine.com
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12-inch Rodman Rifle A 15-inch Rodman cast and rifled as a 12-inch rifle is located on the grounds of Fort Fuerta de Real. Cyrus Alger & Co., Boston, Mass., cast one 12-inch rifle from a 15-inch gun block in 1868. Fort Pitt Foundry, Pittsburgh, Penn., cast one in 1861 and another in 1868. This is one of two survivors. These massive guns were rifled from the casting, not sleeved.
A 12-inch bolt in front of the Rodman rifle.
Muzzle of the 12-inch Rodman rifle.
This 12-inch rifle has 21 lands and grooves. 24
The Artilleryman
Breech of the 12-inch Rodman rifle with the elevation notches.
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M1861 8-inch Siege Mortars, Fort Pitt Foundry, all dated 1864. Top left: No. 59, above: No. 72, and left: No. 58. No. 59 muzzle reads: No 59. 1026 lbs. S.C.L. FORT PITT, PA. 1864. (Note how the foundry name is spelled out in capital letters rather than the common initials)
4. FPF No. 72, 1015 lbs., 1864. It is believed that these were also sent from the U.S. in the 1920’s for memorial decoration.
original finish. While the U.S. origin was acknowledged, they seemed to be attributed to one of the endless Cuban revolutions.
This concludes our inventory of known U.S. ordnance in Cuba. There may be (and probably are) more in the numerous military bases in Cuba that have very restricted access. It is suspected that there may be some WWII material there as well. As a side note, we noticed several museums we toured displayed M1892 Krag rifles, some Krag Carbines, M1895 Win-Lee Navy rifles, trapdoor rifles, and Remington rolling block rifles. All were in complete original configuration although with little
A limited number of autographed copies of American Breechloading Mobile Artillery 1875–1953 are available. This is the only reference book that covers all U.S. field artillery between the Civil War and the Viet Nam War. To order send $50 post-paid to: Thomas Batha, 75 Montgomery St., Rouses Point, NY 12979. Email: tdbatha@gmail.com
30
The Artilleryman
Glen M. Williford is a long time historical researcher of American field and coast artillery who has written extensively on the subject including nearly a dozen books.
Tom Batha, a retired federal employee, has been a student of military history with emphasis on ordnance for over 40 years. He has published one book on the subject.
M1835 U.S. 12-pdr. Mountain Howitzer (one of three), El Morro Castle, Havana.
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• Cannon • Projectiles • Fuses & Tools
Contact Glenn Dutton at: glennjdutton@aol.com or 770-351-7565
In the foreground is Mike Potucek’s 3-pdr. Whitworth rifle. Mike is watching the fall of his shot. (Randy Seals)
T
he hills are alive with the sound of……cannon fire! Burroughs’ Battery sponsored the 1st Gallant Pelham Artillery Shoot this past March in Pelham, Tenn. Fifteen cannon and four mortar crews attended. The Good Lord blessed us with perfect weather, cool mornings and mild days, bright and sunny.
Different Format
had three dozen or so. Words fall short of describing the gun’s recoil and return to battery. I am very glad Matt shared that with us. He extrapolated a load that would give 1,150 FPS with his projectile. We had another treat; Destin Sandlin brought his high speed video equipment to make a record of various guns being shot. He got lots of great footage on Friday and Saturday. You can view this on YouTube.com at Smarter Every Day. As of this writing it is not yet up, but should be soon.
When Harry Uffalussy and I discussed the possibility of sponsoring a shoot, we set out to do a few things differently. Instead of just having a competition, we would allow attendees the opportunity to engage different targets at various ranges from close in out to 1,000 yards. I like reactive targets, so we bought about 100, 55-gallon barrels. They make a nice noise when hit and fall over. It’s just like shooting cans with a .22 rifle, but on a much larger scale.
Saturday’s shooting was the open format discussed above. Barrels were placed and stacked at various ranges out to 1,000 yards. Many rounds were fired; lots of smiles ensued. We started at 10 a.m. and shot till we lost the light about 5:30. We put six guns on a relay and ran five relays during the day.
Friday’s Activities
Sunday
Friday was sort of a bonus day. Matt Switlik brought his French 75 down and we got the wonderful treat to see him shoot it for the 1st time with smokeless powder. I knew of eight or ten folks who would be there. I think we actually
Sunday was the competitive portion of the shoot. The first relay was mortars. This was also laid out a little differently. The course of fire was nine rounds, with three rounds fired at three different targets placed at unknown ranges.
Saturday
Ericka Hoffman watches Jim Schoenung’s 3.2-inch bag gun send its projectile down range. 34
The Artilleryman
(Tina Bruce)
Gunner Hunter Freed of Penick’s Co., Virginia Light Artillery, orders Julie Bradbury to fire the 12-pdr. Field Howitzer along with Jason Verdugo on the worm and Scotty Bradbury on the sponge rammer. (Randy Seals)
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If you want to read the full articles please subscribe. Online at: www.ArtillerymanMagazine.com
Gun Types We had several types of cannon at our shoot. We had a 3-pdr. breech loading Whitworth, two 2.25-inch Confederate mountain rifles, a WWI French 75, a pack Parrott, two 10-pdr. Parrotts, a 3-inch Ordnance rifle, a U.S. M1897 steel breech loading 3.2-inch rifle gun, an original iron 6-pdr. gun, two mountain howitzers, two 12-pdr. field howitzers, a Confederate iron Napoleon, and an Austrian 24-pdr. field howitzer. This was a great mix.
Going Forward We were extremely well pleased with the entire event. We had attendees from as far away as California, Arizona, Ontario, and New York. Competitors from Michigan, Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Mississippi fielded artillery pieces. We put a lot of rounds down range, learned a lot, met old friends, and made some new ones. I had a wonderful time and have heard the same from many people who attended. Plans are in the works for next year, stay tuned. We have set as one goal of our event to promote our very unique sport. We wish to advance the live firing of antique artillery in any way possible. One of those ways is spreading the word. Harry Uffalussy established our Facebook Page, Historic Artillery Competition, not only to promote our shoot, but the sport as well. We plan to promote various shoots as they come up. Follow us on Facebook and, if you have a shoot, please let us know. We would be happy to list it on our site. I would like to thank everyone who made this event possible.
Matt Brothers firing Burroughs Battery 24-pdr. Austrian Field Howitzer. Matt generously allowed use of his land for the Gallant John Pelham Artillery Competition. (Randy Seals)
Harry Uffalussy, Gunner for Burroughs Battery, watches the fall of the shot down range. (Randy Seals)
Steve Cameron is a long time artillery enthusiast. He owns Trail Rock Ordnance in Blaine, Tenn.
Steve Cameron, Burroughs Battery, aiming the Austrian 24-pdr. C.J. Riesenbeck assists Steve and Dillon Crowder on the trail. (Randy Seals) ArtillerymanMagazine.com
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Stephen’s
Light
Their C olumbus,
This cannon is located in the visitor’s center at Fort Frederick, Md. (Peggy Melton)
Artillery
Georgia, 12-Pounder Napoleon By Lawrence E. Babits
Columbus Arsenal 12-pounder with Shot and Shell Range Data
A
Columbus, Ga., 12-pounder Napoleon used to sit behind a hole knocked in the walls of French and Indian War Fort Frederick, Md. It was posted there because early in 1861, the fort was temporarily garrisoned to guard against a possible Confederate raid on the C&O Canal that flows nearby. The real story behind this cannon lies in the field expedient markings punched into the breech face by someone familiar with the capabilities of this particular artillery piece. The markings are in three clusters, one centered under the sight mounting that reads 3d SLA. The second cluster is in the top left quadrant of the breech face and reads:
SHOT 325 (323) 0 620 1 875 2 1200 3 1320 (1325) 4 1481 (1680) 5 These numbers reveal something of the “gunner’s art,” as expressed by someone in the battery. The cluster labeled shot apparently gives the observed ranges obtained with the elevation listed in the right hand column. The number shown in parenthesis is the “official” number stated in the “Table of Fire for the Light 12-pounder, Model 1857” (Peterson 1969:90). The third cluster, marked “shell,” is on the right side of the breech face: 40
The Artilleryman
SHELL Yd El Tr 300 0 ¾ 425 ½ 1¼ 616 (615) 1 1¾ 700 1 ½ 2 ¼ 787 (785) 2 2¾ 925 2 ½ 3 ½ 1080 3 4 1300 3 ¼ 5
Right side of the breech face.
Top left quadrant of the breech. The cluster marked shell also shows some differences from the manual’s stated ranges. Elevation is clear as are the changes noted for the longest range. The marking “Tr” almost certainly means “Train” for the fuse time and where it should be cut. Despite the problems with Confederate fuses, there is no suggestion of changes different from the ideal. There is more to this story than just the gun tube because markings under the sight mount seem to suggest the cannon belonged to the 3rd S.L.A. Searching records of Confederate artillery units revealed that this probably represents Stephens Light
Artillery, a unit also known as the Third Maryland Battery (Manakee 1961:140-41). It is also possible the “3d” represents the third gun. The Third Maryland mustered into Confederate service Jan. 12, 1862, in Richmond. The battery was ordered to the Western Theater where it served in sections in Tennessee and Kentucky. In service along the Mississippi River, the Marylanders manned guns aboard Queen of the West when it captured the Indianola. The section under Lt. William L Ritter fought at Jackson while the other section was surrendered at Vicksburg. The battery was reformed in Alabama in September and October 1863 and fought at Lookout Mountain. Given the date on the muzzle face, it is likely the battery lost one gun around Chattanooga. That one was replaced by Fort Frederick’s cannon. The battery fought at Resaca, New Hope Church, and the defense of Atlanta. At some point, the battery was designated as Stephen’s Light Artillery. As Stephens Lt. Arty. the battery fought at Nashville. It was finally surrendered at Meridian, Miss., May 10, 1865 (Manakee 1961:140-41).
How the cannon came to be at Fort Frederick, Md., is unknown. There is some 1960’s mythology that Western Theater cannon ended up on Eastern Theater battlefields while eastern guns went to the west during interpretive efforts on National Park Service battlefields. The gun barrel was apparently turned over in the cheek pieces and then someone drilled a hole in what was once the underside to simulate the vent. At present this cannon is now in the visitor’s center at Fort Frederick. •
• •
References cited:
Hazlett, J. C. “The Napoleon Gun: Markings, Bore Diameter, Weights, and Costs.” Military Collector and Historian XVIII(4):112. Manakee, Harold R. 1961, Maryland in the Civil War. Maryland Historical Society, Baltimore, Md. Peterson, Harold L. 1969, Round Shot and Rammers. New York.
Larry Babits is the former Director of the Program in Maritime Studies at East Carolina University. A long time reenactor and shooter, battlefield archaeologist, and now retired rugby player, he was a member of the First Maryland Regiment. The group served as Maryland’s Bicentennial unit and presented living history programs at Fort Frederick starting in 1966. During 1968, Ross Kimmel, another member, pointed the cannon’s details out to the author.
Top of barrel showing the copper vent with two holes.
The N-SSA is America’s oldest and largest Civil War shooting sports organization. Competitors shoot original or approved reproduction muskets, carbines and revolvers at breakable targets in a timed match. Some units even compete with cannons and mortars. Each team represents a specific Civil War regiment or unit and wears the uniform they wore over 150 years ago. Dedicated to preserving our history, period firearms competition and the camaraderie of team sports with friends and family, the N-SSA may be just right for you.
For more information visit us online at www.n-ssa.org. ArtillerymanMagazine.com
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COLL ECT ION
Signed CDV of Lieutenant Solomon Stanbrough of Co. C, 5th Indiana Cavalry Regiment, Co. F, Battery D Tennessee Light Artillery, and from the 148th Indiana Infantry Regiment. Photographer Theodore M. Schleier, Nashville, Tenn. Liljenquist Family Collection of Civil War Photographs (Library of Congress). 44
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S
pectators lined the Yazoo River in the 1960’s curious for a glimpse of the sunken Civil War gunboat, USS Cairo, that traversed the river nearly a century before. When news of her discovery spread, locals flocked to the area wielding lawn chairs and blankets prepared for an afternoon of sightseeing as the ironclad lay below awaiting her raising. The shallow draft vessel designed for river navigation was torpedoed and sunk on Dec. 12, 1862, becoming the first armored vessel in the history of warfare to have been sunk by such a device. USS Cairo, was one of seven ironclad gunboats constructed by the Union in 1862 to control the Mississippi River. Designed by Samuel Pook and built by James Buchanon Eads, the vessels were designated the “City Class,” named for cities along the upper Mississippi and Ohio Rivers. Although built in Mound City, Ill., the ironclad was named for Cairo. The seven ironclads, designed as forward fighting vessels, were capable of floating in as little as six feet of water and constructed to navigate inland waters. On September 14, 1960, visitors to the site got their first sample of the vessel with the successful raising of the Cairo’s pilot house and her Number 2 Starboard gun, an 8-inch, Navy smoothbore. The weight of the waterlogged ironclad precluded the vessel being lifted at that time. It was determined that to decrease the gunboat’s weight, all thirteen cannon should be removed. It was discovered that the vessel’s cannon had survived with at least five guns still mounted on their original white oak four-truck naval carriages. Guns still mounted on their gun carriages were the Number 4 port, Number 2 starboard, Number 3 starboard, Number 4 starboard, and the stern starboard. Historians also learned that her Number 1 port gun had been dislodged from its gun carriage by the torpedo explosion’s impact. Another finding was that hemp lines used to control recoil were intact until loosened during raising operations. As the gunboat’s recovery progressed, more surprises were revealed as it was learned that her crew thought that they were under attack and ten of her guns were still loaded! On the port side, Number 4 was loaded with shot, Number 2 was loaded with grape, and Number 1 was double shotted with canister.
The USS Cairo was commissioned in January 1862 and sunk in December of the same year. This is the only known photograph of Cairo. (NH 61568 Photograph courtesy Naval History and Heritage Command) Below: Present day view of USS Cairo in permanent dry dock exhibit at Vicksburg National Military Park. (Jack Melton)
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At the bow, the port rifled 42-pdr. was loaded with a shell, the starboard 42-pdr. was charged with a Dyer shell, and the center 8-inch smoothbore was loaded with double grape shot. At the stern, the port 30-pdr. Parrott was loaded with a shell. On the starboard side, Number 4 and Number 2 were loaded with canister, while Number 1 contained a Dyer shell. Demolition experts from the Army and Navy were dispatched to the site to disarm the guns.
Procuring Guns for the Seven Sisters Commander John Rodgers was assigned the task of obtaining guns for the seven sister ships. Penning a letter to Captain A.A. Harwood, chief of the navy’s Bureau of Ordnance, Rodgers requested thirty-five
Pilot house breaking the surface of the Yazoo River. Among artifacts recovered from the pilot house was the ship’s wheel. (NH 55178 Photograph courtesy Naval History and Heritage Command)
View of the torpedo impact site on the port bow. Guns from left to right: rifled 42-pdr., 8-inch smoothbore and rifled 42-pdr. The two rifled guns fired 7-inch caliber, Dyer shells. (Jack Melton) 48
The Artilleryman
rifled 42-pdrs. and seventy IX-inch Dahlgren smoothbore shell guns. Captain Harwood temporarily denied Rodgers’ request. Undaunted by the refusal, Rodgers then wrote General Meigs to see if the army could provide the IX-inch Dahlgrens and 42-pdr. rifles. The war department supplied thirty-five, 42-pdr. rifles with their projectiles. The navy provided VIII-inch smoothbores and 32-pounders. Commissioned in January 1862, Cairo was outfitted with thirteen “great guns” as reported by her youngest crewman, 14-year-old 1st Class Boy, George Roberts Yost. Armament of the vessel consisted of six 32-pdrs., three 8-inch Navy smoothbores, three rifled 42-pdrs., and one 30-pdr. Parrott rifle. Armament aboard Cairo also included a fourteenth gun, a 12-pdr. Dahlgren boat howitzer mounted on a field carriage and positioned on the hurricane deck. The gun had the capability to be carried on the Cairo’s three cutters and a launch if crew went ashore or up rivers and creeks too shallow to float the gunboat. The gun can be spotted in the only known photograph of Cairo. The howitzer was removed at Memphis prior to the ironclad’s final run down the Mississippi and consequently is not among the original armament today.
An original white oak navy four-truck carriage removed from the gun deck of USS Cairo prior to the vessel’s raising and before conservation. (Courtesy Vicksburg National Military Park)
Drilling on the Guns A principal portion of each day’s routine was spent in drilling on the guns not only for swiftness but also for safety. Each cannon required from six to ten, or more, men for firing. Each member of a gun crew had his own duties to perform and was required to perform them flawlessly. Firing a gun could be as dangerous for the ones firing as to those being fired upon. An incorrectly loaded, aimed, or fired gun, particularly in the confines of a gunboat, could burst severely injuring or killing those around it. Cairo’s Commander, Lieutenant Commander Thomas Oliver Selfridge believed in 50
The Artilleryman
When the historic wooden four-truck naval carriages began to exhibit weathering due to the fluctuating temperature and relative humidity, the National Park Service acquired funding to replace the carriages with reproductions so that the carriages could be placed in an environment that would be more conducive to their long-term preservation and protection. One of the original, the starboard stern carriage, has been placed inside the adjacent climate-controlled museum for public viewing. (Courtesy Vicksburg National Military Park)
Starboard Number 1 rifled 42-pdr. This gun was cast in 1837 at the Columbia Foundry as a smoothbore gun. During the Civil War the gun was rifled to fire elongated projectiles that are sometimes referred to as 84-pdrs. The weight of the Dyer shell (empty) for this rifle is 79 pounds. James projectiles were also fired from these rifled smoothbores. The rifling is still crisp in the bore. (Jack Melton)
Many projectile ammunition boxes of all sizes, as well as box fragments were recovered from within the powder magazine of the USS Cairo. This box is held together with pegs. There is illegible block stenciling on one side. (Vicksburg National Military Park) Elizabeth Hoxie Joyner is former museum curator (retired) for Vicksburg National Military Park, Vicksburg, Miss., where she managed the park’s museum collections including the artillery on the battlefield and the guns and carriages aboard USS Cairo. She is the author of three books and numerous articles. Her latest book, A Field Guide to the Artillery of Vicksburg National Military Park (Vicksburg, MS, GUNNS BAYOU, LLC, 2017) documents the 150 cannon that comprise the artillery collection of the park including those aboard Cairo. The book is available for purchase by contacting: gunnsbayou@att.net
On display inside the museum are various artillery projectiles, cannon locks, sights, covers, hand grenades, 32-pdr., 8-inch grape and canister. (Jack Melton) ArtillerymanMagazine.com
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T
his is the model C/73 Schweres (heavy) Feldgeschütz (field gun), sometimes abbreviated 9 cm FK C/73. This was the first genuinely successful Krupp design for domestic and foreign (in slightly smaller calibers) markets. The design remained essentially unchanged through the 1880s, being updated with cosmetic changes in the C/73/88 and C/73/91 models. The C/73 replaced the earlier Krupp gun (C/64— i.e., “64” the year (1864) adopted for military service) was used in the Austro-Prussian War (1866). In that conflict Krupp’s field artillery was ineffectively used and played no role in the Prussian victory. An improved Krupp C/67 model, with a slightly altered breech, was introduced a few years later—just in time for the start of the Franco-Prussian War (1870–1871). Despite having a vastly superior infantry rifle (Chassepot), the French fielded a poorly disciplined, led, and trained army. (Not so different than 70 years later in 1940 against the same enemy.) It soon became apparent that artillery was the decisive factor in winning the Franco-Prussian War. Krupp’s guns far outranged the French and they were astonishingly accurate. Both gun and carriage were constructed of the best steel and stood up well to hard field usage. Ironically, and some would argue one of the few things he got right, France’s Napoleon III was so impressed with Krupp’s design that he had ordered several hundred field guns in the late 1860s. Insufficient funds resulted in a cancellation of the Emperor’s order.
The next great advancement in Krupp field guns was the C/73, developed because the German army needed a higher velocity and hence longer-range gun that would allow its gun crews to stay out of range of enemy rifle fire. At this time there was a movement by other European countries to introduce longer-range, smaller-caliber infantry rifles. The C/73 is a classic “bag gun.” The gun’s projectile, propellant charge, and means of ignition (primer), are stored separately until loading and firing. This arrangement is opposed to fixed round ammunition where all 3 components are combined for speed and ease of loading, such as found in a 9mm pistol round. A third approach uses semi-fixed ammunition where the projectile is detachable from the cartridge case but, when ready for fire, can be inserted loosely into the top of the case. The latter allows for the addition/removal of propellant charge elements (premeasured discs)
depending on the needed range of the fire mission. With the breech in its open position [i.e., extended fully to the left], the lead-coated projectile was inserted through a loading hole in the breech block. That hole had a brass inner ring to prevent sparks when the cloth bag containing the service charge was inserted behind the projectile. The block is tapered slightly and, when closed with the operating handle, rode on raised steel ways into its firing position. When fully inserted, a small lever on the handle locked the block into place. Obturation was accomplished using the Broadwell ring, a circular copper band located at the end of the chamber. No gases are leaked during the gun’s firing. The powder charge was ignited via friction primer, brass tubes about an inch and one-half longer than a standard CW-era primer. A hand wheel on the gun carriage controlled barrel elevation/depression and a collapsible turning spike built
The author stands behind a Krupp C/73 (88 mm) field gun in the exhibits area at the 2018 Baltimore Antique Arms Show. (Jack Melton)
T
he show was held at the State Fairgrounds at Timonium, Md., on March 17 & 18, 2018. This gun show, more commonly known as “The Original Baltimore Antique Arms Show” or just “The Baltimore Show,” is acknowledged by most people as the premier east coast antique gun show, and by many as the best antique gun show in the world. Whichever way you view it, you would have to admit that it is one of the best shows for dealers, collectors, the general public, and anyone interested in gun collecting or military history. It is a true labor of love for the collectors who make up the Show Committee. The show opened to the usual rush of customers on Saturday and quickly filled the Cow Palace. Those who attended were treated to almost 1,000 sales and display tables of antique and historic arms and arms-related items that showed some of the best this country has to offer—not the least of which was the tremendous expertise found on both sides of the tables. Exhibitors came from 44 states and 10 foreign countries including Canada, the United Kingdom, Israel, Switzerland, Belgium, and Germany. As is usual with the show, old friends were revisited, new friends were made, and treasures found new homes. The weekend seemed to fly by and all too soon it was Sunday afternoon and time to announce awards for the show. When displays win awards at the Baltimore Show, you can be assured that they are world class. Best of Show Award was presented to Ken Knoll for his “Skates & Co.” display. We all look forward to next year’s show which will be held March 16 & 17, 2019, at the Timonium Fairgrounds. See you there at the best antique arms show in the country. 56
The Artilleryman
Mitch Landin, Frank Alessi and Denny Pizzini take time for a pose with Pizzini’s three original cannon. A 9-pdr. Columbus, Ga., a 24-pdr., and a Connecticut 3.8-inch James rifle.
Winner of Best in Show – Ken Knoll’s exhibit “Skates & Co.,” with his Confederate 3.8-inch bronze Skates & Co. rifle, Serial No. 1. His son Brad is on the left.
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The 10th Massachusetts Battery participates in competitive shooting matches in the North-South Skirmish Association and the American Artillery Association. During the 2018 season, we plan to compete at the N-SSA National Matches, and AAA Ponderosa shoot and Westerlo shoots, with a 2.25” Confederate Mountain Rifle, a 3-inch Ordnance Rifle, and a 12-pounder Coehorn Mortar. In addition, we plan to compete with Small Arms at the Nationals, and Regional matches in NY/New England. For more information: Ed Moore cannoneerfour@hotmail.com 508-528-3951
ArtillerymanMagazine.com
| Vol. 39, No. 3
57
Ken Knoll and his “Skates & Co. Serial #1” award winning display in the Artillery building.
Ken Baumann received Best Artillery for his cannon display “Ellsworth & Prairie Limber.”
Carl Sitherwood and Mike Ward had an impressive selection of artillery projectiles for sale at the show.
Union artillerist getting ready for action.
Ron Cleveland poses with his U.S. 3-inch Ordnance Rifle #194 that is a Custer Battlefield Trophy.
Confederate artillerist surveying cannon row. ArtillerymanMagazine.com
| Vol. 39, No. 3
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Buying, Selling Purveyor of Original Artillery Items Let me help connect you with a buyer or seller. I specialize in cannon, projectiles, fuses and wrenches, implements, sights, gunner’s equipment, tools, and other artillery related equipment. From single items to collections. Finders Fees Paid.
Jack Melton 520 Folly Rd, Suite 25 PMB 379 Charleston, SC 29412
and Brokering
jack@jackmelton.com 843-696-6385
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CANNON FRICTION primers: 95 cents. Lanyards $20. Gimlets $15. Bronze vent picks $12. Bronze vent brush, wood handle $12. Primer extractor $7. Shipping $15, $1 each additional 100. UPS Ground. Phil “Boom Boom” Sieglein, 5026 Mile Stretch Dr., Holiday, FL 34690. 727934-4330. Summer 2018 BUYING, SELLING AND BROKERING original artillery items: cannon, projectiles, fuses, implements, sights, gunner ’s equipment, tools, fuse wrenches, and other artillery related equipment. Contact Jack Melton at 843-6966385 or email jack@jackmelton.com. Finders Fees Paid.
WANTED: A copy of the Table of Fire for a 6-pdr. Wiard rifle. Contact: Henry Shaw, 740-369-3722 or hshaw@columbus.rr.com. Summer 2018 ARTILLERYMAN MAGAZINE subscription. $34.95 for one year and $64.95 for two year subscription. Quarterly publication. Subscribe online at ArtillerymanMagazine. com. $150.00 REWARD for the return of lost homemade sponge bucket that was left behind by a film crew in Canada or was sent home to wrong crew in the fall of 2015. Call 734-478-5151 or Email Brasscannon12@aol.com
M1841 6-PDR FOR SALE. Complete with trailer, iron tube with liner, brand new PB wheels, excellent condition, many extras. $18,000 or b/o. Made by Coolley. Email Carl Rice at cfrice58@gmail.com for more info, photos. Summer 2018
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WWI Field Cannon Model 1906
Civil War Ordnance Rifle
4.7-inch, with limber. Hard-to-find Northwestern Ordnance Co. Ready for easy restoration. U.S. Army’s standard medium field gun in 1917, with 60 in service. Production was increased when the U.S. entered WWI. Northwestern Ordnance Co. produced 98 more of them in Madison, WI, during 1918. Limber has stamp on it that reads Rock Island Arsenal. w $16,000.
We believe this to be one of the original six Ordnance rifles converted. No. 11 P.I.C. 1861, 813 lbs. TTSL, complete with original U.S. base. Manufacturer: Phoenix Iron Co. Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, Model 1861. Maximum Range 1,830 yards. Barrel/Tube length 69 inches. Original Bore: 3 inches converted to 3.18 inches. This gun was altered to a breech loader at Fort Mackenzie, Wyoming. (Source: Wayne Stark’s notes) One of the first Ordnance rifles made. $10,500.
Located in California. Call Jeff for more information (916) 410-3993