ARMAMENT
ROBERT PARROTT’S
BIRD’S-EYE VIEW
Members of the 3rd Massachusetts Heavy Artillery at Fort Totten outside of Washington, D.C. Their massive 100-pounder Parrott cannon could fire a “Hollow Shot” nearly five miles, and the shell would stay in flight for an astonishing 36 seconds. 62
THE ADVENT OF RIFLED BARRELS caused abrupt changes in the manufacture of cannons. In 1861, the U.S. Army needed rifled cannons and contracted with Robert Parrott to have his West Point Foundry in Cold Spring, N.Y., manufacture the unique cast-iron guns that carry his name. Parrott developed a process whereby a red-hot forged reinforcing band was forced onto the breech of a watercooled, previously cast barrel. The band reinforced the breech to withstand the pressure caused by firing rifled shells. It wasn’t foolproof, as Parrott Rifles were known to crack just in front of the band. Nonetheless, his design gave Mr. Lincoln’s armies and navy an adequate, quickly produced rifled cannon. Parrott’s foundry employed 1,400 workers during the war and cast about 2,000 Parrott Rifles of various calibers by 1865. The guns were proofed by firing across the Hudson River into the slopes of Storm King Mountain.
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
A FOUNDRY OWNER DESIGNED ONE OF THE CIVIL WAR’S MOST COMMON CANNONS
CIVIL WAR TIMES APRIL 2022
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1/19/22 1:19 PM
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: WEST POINT MUSEUM; SUPERSTOCK/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO; HERITAGE AUCTIONS, DALLAS; PHOTO BY MELISSA A. WINN
GUN
