Parrott Breech-Loading Rifles and A Frigate with 75 Years Service

[seacoastartillery]

      We captured this image at a small upstate New York museum.  Does anyone recognize these unique guns and this famous ship?
We really like the look of these naval rifles on their Marsilly carriages.  Dominick, are you seeing these?  Anything like this in the future, maybe? 

Regards,

Tracy and Mike

[Double D]

Is that the U.S.S. Sumpter?

[seacoastartillery]

     No, it is not, however you have named one of the most interesting, if short-lived ships of the war with an absolutely first class Captain and First Officer.


That's Captain Rafael Semmes, seated in the center and his First Officer, Lt. John Kell, standing in the center.  Names sound familiar??




DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060

Online Library of Selected Images:
-- SHIPS of the CONFEDERATE STATES --

CSS Sumter (1861-1862)

     CSS Sumter, a 437-ton bark-rigged screw steam cruiser, was built at Philadelphia as the merchant steamship Habana. Purchased by the Confederate Government at New Orleans in April 1861, she was converted to a cruiser and placed under the command of Raphael Semmes. Renamed Sumter, she was commissioned in early June 1861 and broke through the Federal blockade of the Mississippi river mouths late in the month.
     Early in July, the pioneering Confederate Navy commerce raider captured eight U.S. flag merchant ships in waters near Cuba, then moved to the South American coast where she took another pair. Two more merchantman fell to Sumter in September and October 1861. While coaling at Martinique in mid-November, she was blockaded by the Federal sloop of war Iroquois, but was able to escape to sea and resume her activities. Sumter captured another six ships from late November into January 1862, while cruising from the western hemisphere to European waters.
     Sumter then took refuge at Gibraltar. Unable to obtain needed repairs, she was laid up in April and remained inactive, watched through the year by a succession of U.S. Navy warships, among them the sloop of war Kearsarge and gunboat Chippewa. Semmes and many of her officers were reemployed in the new cruiser Alabama. CSS Sumter was sold to private owners in December 1862. Renamed Gibraltar, she worked as a blockade runner in 1863. The ship was reportedly lost in an English Channel storm in about 1867.

T&M

[RocklockI]

it looks like that ship where the powder monkey kid was standing by an older gun than shown .

theres also some open cutlass lockers shown .....with cutlasess ?

[Double D]

U.S.S Kearsarge.

[seacoastartillery]

     No, it's not the Federal frigate Kearsarge, but the Kearsarge is am extremely interesting ship and it's crew had many adventures during the Civil War chasing various Confederate raiders like the CSS Alabama and others. 

     No, it's not the Federal supply ship New Hampshire, the well armed ship in the famous photo of the "Powder monkey"standing in front of a Parrott 100 pounder on a large Marsilly carriage, built as a 74 gun ship of the line, but served only briefly on blockade duty off the coast of the Carolinas, and then became the stores ship, rather inglorious duty.

     OK guys, think of that famous ship that attempted to block the "Fenian Invasion" of Canada.

Oh my, this should not take too long.       What a generous clue!!!   But, then again, we are the very nicest of cannon makers.   

Tracy and Mike







DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060

Online Library of Selected Images:

EVENTS -- THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR -- CRUISER ACTIVITIES --
USS Kearsarge vs. CSS Alabama, 19 June 1864 --
Selected Views

     After nearly two years of highly successful cruising at the expense of the United States' commercial shipping, CSS Alabama returned to European waters in early June 1864. Badly in need of a refit, she put into Cherbourg, France, on 11 June. News of her presence soon reached the USS Kearsarge , which promptly steamed to Cherbourg, arriving on the 14th. Seeing that he was blockaded, with repairs delayed and with the probabability that his ship would not be able to resume her raiding activities, Alabama's Captain Raphael Semmes challenged Kearsarge's Captain John Winslow to a ship-to-ship duel. That suited Winslow very well, and he took station offshore and waited.

       After four days of coaling, drill and other preparations, Alabama steamed out of Cherbourg harbor in the morning of 19 June 1864, escorted by the French ironclad Couronne, which remained in the area to ensure that the combat remained in international waters. On paper, Kearsarge and Alabama were well-matched, with the Union warship having a slight advantage in gun power and speed. As the Confederate approached, Kearsarge steamed further to sea, to ensure that Alabama could not easily return to port.

       At 10:50 AM, Captain Winslow put his ship around and headed for the enemy. Alabama opened fire a few minutes later, at a distance of about a mile, and continued to fire as the range decreased. As the ships closed to about a half-mile, Kearsarge turned and began to shoot back. Both ships had their guns trained to starboard, and the engagement followed a circular course, with the ships steaming in opposite directions and turning to counter the other's attempts to gain an advantageous position. Superior Federal gunnery, and the deteriorated condition of Alabama's powder and shells, soon began to tell. Though Alabama hit her opponent several times, the projectiles caused little damage and few casualties. One shell hit Kearsarge's sternpost, failed to explode and survives today as a relic of the battle.

     After about an hour's shooting, Alabama was beginning to sink, with several men killed and many others wounded. Among the injured was Semmes, who turned and tried to run back toward Cherbourg. However, when Kearsarge headed him off and the rising water stopped his engines, Semmes struck his flag. As Alabama sank, some twenty minutes after firing ceased, most of her crew were rescued by the victor and by the British yacht Deerhound. Those saved by the latter, including Semmes and most of his officers, were taken to England and thus escaped capture and imprisonment. One of the Civil War's most significant naval actions was at an end, as was the career of the Confederacy's most destructive ocean raider.

Regards,

Mike and Tracy

[Double D]

USS Micighan

[seacoastartillery]

     BINGO!!  A correct answer from the gentleman who once wrote, "Google is my friend." after he won the very first, 'What is it? Where is it? Contest'.   Does anybody know anything about the naval guns shown?

T&M

[Double D]

I think the guns are part of the  breech loading conversions done to the Naval Parrots in the 1880's.  I think the ones in the pictures might be 60 PDR's they don't look quite big enough for 100 PDRs.

[Max Caliber]

Here is a picture of a section of the sternpost from the Kearsarge at the Washington Navy Yard with Confederate shell in place.

A very good recent book on Raphael Semmes and the CSS Alabama is "Wolf of the Deep", by Stephen Fox.

Max

[dominick]

      We captured this image at a small upstate New York museum.  Does anyone recognize these unique guns and this famous ship?
We really like the look of these naval rifles on their Marsilly carriages.  Dominick, are you seeing these?  Anything like this in the future, maybe? 

Regards,

Tracy and Mike

YES! now we are talking!  Parrott on an iron Marsilly carriage.  I think AOP has plans for it.  The plans are on my order list and I am going to build one for myself.  Some day  .   I also saw a drawing in one of my Civil war books of a trunnion-less Parrott barrel.  It has a lug underneath similar to the Dahlgren Boat Howitzer barrel.  Have you seen or read of any barrels like this.   Thanks for the photo!

[Cannoneer]

CSS Teaser bow gun




The CW artillery website lists a CSA 2.9-inch 10-pdr with an underlug instead of trunnions; no 12-pounder.

Encyclopedia of Civil War Artillery

[RocklockI]

thats nice but what ordnance is at the other end of that battle weary armored tug CSS Teaser?

 on the great lakes ship i see cutlasses in a fanish shaped holder......upper far right!

[seacoastartillery]

   Mike and I discovered the bow of the USS Michigan and the unique and fascinating story of it’s 75 years of service to the nation when we visited the small, but excellent Erie Naval Museum in Erie, Pennsylvania.

    “If ever a vessel on the Great Lakes that could have been preserved, it was the American gunboat, USS Michigan. This iron hulled side-wheel steamboat was launched at Erie, Pennsylvania, in December, 1843. The USS Michigan was the first iron hulled vessel in the U. S. Navy. It's purpose was to patrol the U. S. and Canadian border. She was rigged with three masts if the engine failed. She was originally powered by wood, instead of coal, in the early years. This powerful, fast 165 foot gunboat was used all over the Great Lakes in it's long career. It was only 21 years in service at the end of the Civil War, having participated in that great conflict when it reached the shores of the Great Lakes. In 1905 it was renamed USS Wolverine, then decommissioned in 1912. However, it continued to be used for training until 1923, when engine problems put an end to her 80 years of sailing. It was hoped to have it preserved, but political disputes and inaction caused it to deteriorate beyond restoration. This faithful veteran was scrapped in 1950 in it's 107th year.”  ……from USS Michigan.

     Double D is right; these guns are 1880s conversions of Parrott rifled muzzleloaders.  The size of these is difficult to determine, but the sign next to the photo matches the Navy's list of ordnance for the Michigan in 1885 which is below:

                        1885      4,breech-loading Parrott rifles, (4.2 inch)
                                    1, breech-loading rifled howitzer, (3.0 inch)
                                    1, .45 caliber Gatling gun

                  .....from The USS Michigan, Guardian of the Great Lakes

The other Photo.



   
     Max Caliber,   Thanks for that tip on the new book about the CSS Alabama, it sounds really good.  One of the books we picked up in the Fort Fisher book store in Kure Beach, NC says that they were so busy on the Alabama that sometimes they overtook 3 or 4 prizes in one day!!  We saw that big Britten Shell lodged in the USS Kearsarge's rudder post 5 years ago when we visited the Washington Navy Yard.  You can imagine what a quick reversal of fortune would have occurred if that big 100 pound shell from the Alabama's only Blakely rifle had exploded. 

     Dominick,   I thought you would like those.  Marshall Steen made one of those 30 Pdr, Parrott rifles (M/L version) for our favorite fort, Fort Pulaski, near Savannah, Georgia recently. Just contact him, have one shipped to you and knock out one of your full-size 8 hole, iron, Marsilly carriages and voila! ....a little breech conversion and you have one of the most unique cannon in the U.S. today!

     Another one of our favorite pics, Boom J.  We have seen that gun labeld as a 100 pdr. Parrott, a 100 pdr. Blakely and a 10 pdr. Parrott.  Always looked like a 10 to us!  The damage on the side of the pilot house and deck is displayed in a fairly common photo, just can't find it now.
The gun at the rear is larger and I have a pic somewhere........where??  Maybe later.

Found the gun photo, love that shell!  Info on this one was researched during the "Seacoast and Naval Gun I.D. Contest" of April 2009.

   " DoktorD,  You have been busy I see, and doing well despite continued gibberish from the internet.  Rifled 32 pdrs. (conversion guns), YES, 12 pdrs. ? NO.  At the time of the altercation on the James River which tore up her wheel house and boiler and blew a portion of the deck into the muddy James, CSS Teaser was sporting the gun we showed here, and, at the other end, a 10 pdr. Parrott Rifle on a slide carriage.  Don't fret, Ive seen that 10 pdr. Parrott called a 100 pdr. Parrott, a 100 Blakely and something else so bizarre I can't even remember it."



Tracy and Mike

     

[Double D]

I have to admit, things were slow night before last when M&T posed this question.  So I went googling and found what I found.  Finding the info that Parrot's were converted to breech loader was very interesting.  I wasn't aware that was done. 

Does anyone have any information on the type of breeching used?

[KABAR2]

Looks like an interrupted thread design which became standard in naval guns as time progressed.

 I did a search hoping to find something with no luck.

[dominick]

 
     Dominick,   I thought you would like those.  Marshall Steen made one of those 30 Pdr, Parrott rifles (M/L version) for our favorite fort, Fort Pulaski, near Savannah, Georgia recently. Just contact him, have one shipped to you and knock out one of your full-size 8 hole, iron, Marsilly carriages and voila! ....a little breech conversion and you have one of the most unique cannon in the U.S. today!

     
Tracy and Mike

     

Wait a minute!  TOO LARGE.  I am trying to heed the words of the wise.  "Think smaller"  remember  "think smaller".  

[rampa room artillery]

There are two such guns at navel weapons staition yorktown va.  10 lb breech loading parrots. on navel carriages. the next time i get out there i will take some pics and post them on here,

 rick bryan
   NSSA
   

[Victor3]

 RRA,

 If you would, please try to get closeup pics of the breech mechanism. It would be interesting to see how it worked.

 I wonder if the breech-loading versions were more, or less likely to blow up than the muzzle-loaders?

[GGaskill]

It has been reported that the casting of Parrotts was changed to the Rodman process about halfway through the production run, but we have not been able to determine if the reputation for bursting followed the change or was only present in the early version.

It would be interesting to see if the record shows which guns burst by number so we could make this assessment ourselves.

[Cannoneer]

  "Another one of our favorite pics, Boom J.  We have seen that gun labeld as a 100 pdr. Parrott, a 100 pdr. Blakely and a 10 pdr. Parrott.  Always looked like a 10 to us!  The damage on the side of the pilot house and deck is displayed in a fairly common photo, just can't find it now."

T & M,

There is a pic of the damage done to the Teaser, in that first link I posted; the projectile went through the deck, and damaged the Teaser's boiler, which caused her surrender.




Thanks for posting the photo of the Teaser's aft gun, a banded and rifled 32-pounder conversion. Not long ago, I was searching for that picture to put on another thread, and I couldn't come up with it.

[seacoastartillery]

    That's the one, Boom J., thanks!  George is right, we still have not found anything definitive on the comparison of durability between cannon cast with convention casting methods and "WATER CORE" or 'Rodman' process casting.  Rick and Victor, we remember seeing two of these when we visited Fort Independence in Boston Harbor when we were there two years ago.  Unfortunately, they have formal tours there, no wandering around like Mike and I always do.  Ours was led by someone who can only be described as a "Fortress Nazi".  We had to march at almost double-time to keep up with this dork!  So long distance shots of the Rodman, terraplein guns and the two Breech Loading Conversion Rifles, 3.67", Navy Parrotts which were being painted at that time was all we could get.  Could not get a good angle, even with max zoom.  Next time, maybe.....and we will put on maintenance uniforms too, so we can go where we want!  A few pics below show what little we saw of the place.

     Rick, we are depending on you to get some good shots! 

Tracy and Mike


Harbor entrance seaface curtain wall is to left of the flag pole.




The two 3.67" Navy Parrott B. L. conversion rifles on the parade.




Landing force view of the seaface wall with seven 10" Rodman guns, (replicas, probably fiberglass).




A revealing shot of the Gorge wall with some well sited defensive architecture including a flank howitzer embrasure to the left of the large tree, a double flank howitzer position over the armored Sally Port doors, and numerous rifle loops left and right of the Sally Port AND next to the bastion howitzer embrasure as well.




Positions for two of these large 15" Rodman Guns were planned for each bastion, (see model of fort, pic no. 1), but very few of these were mounted, of course.  They did have 3 or 4, though, and this is one of them showing a gibbet and block and tackle hoisting a 370 lb. shell up to the muzzle.  Notice too, the ropes tied to the eccentric axle hand spikes.  This was a safety feature, in that it allowed the artillerymen with their hand spikes to rotate the axle hubs from the earth-covered bastion roof instead of while balanced on top of the high chassis.

[Victor3]

"There is a pic of the damage done to the Teaser."

 Teaser? Who was in charge of naming these war machines? Pee Wee Herman?

 Was there a sister ship named Tippy-toe?

[GGaskill]

From wikipedia (Siege artillery in the American Civil War):

4.2-inch (30-pounder) Parrott rifle

The 4.2-inch (30-pounder) rifles were the most widely used of the Parrott siege guns. It was mounted on a conventional siege carriage. The early pattern guns had the elevating screw under the breech, while newer pattern gun had a long screw running through the cascabel. The long elevating screws of the newer models was subject to breaking (Abbot 1867, p. 90). The 4.2-inch Parrott rifles were preferred over the 4.5-inch siege rifles because of the superiority of Parrott shells over the various shells available for the 4.5-inch siege rifle. The 4.2-inch Parrott rifles did not have the same problems with bursting that were with found with the larger Parrott rifles. During the siege of Petersburg 44 4.2-inch Parrot rifles fired 12,209 rounds (Abbot 1867, pp. 160,170). Only one gun burst when a shell detonated before clearing the muzzle (Abbot 1867, p. 87). One 4.2-inch Parrott rifle also burst during the campaign against Charleston harbor, but only after it had fired 4,606 rounds (Abbot 1867, p. 87).

Another interesting publication.

[seacoastartillery]

 I wonder if the breech-loading versions were more, or less likely to blow up than the muzzle-loaders?

    Victor,    We honestly don't know, and this is just a guess, but we wonder if this info might be really hard to find, because there probably were not a terrific number of these conversions done.

Thanks for that info on the 4.2" Parrott siege guns George; we did not know that they fared quite that well.  Good link too.

     A much larger body of evidence is waiting out there somewhere for somebody to find on the subject brought up previously by GGaskill.  Almost a year ago we were discussing the inordinate number of larger Parrott rifles that energetically disassembled, ( we hate to say, "Blew Up"  when talking about Parrott Seacoast and Naval guns) themselves during the War Between the States.  Because we know from reading everything we can get a hold of on Robert Parrott and his West Point Foundry, that about 550 M1861 100 Pdr. Parrott rifles were made in all and that he applied the Rodman, 'Water Core', hollow-cast process to roughly the latter one-half of the order, we and George were wondering if there were some endurance records out there somewhere which could shed some light on the facts concerning this quandry.  How much better were the Rodman process castings over the older "Solid Cast then bored out out" castings? 

     While researching this very question, we came across the following from Watervliet Arsenal:

   The following statement is from the U.S. Army Armament Research Development and Engineering Center-Close Combat         Armament Center;  Benet Laboratories   Watervliet, New York 12189-4050  This statement was approved for release; distribution unlimited, in January of 2001.

     "The use of residual bore compression to strengthen cannon barrels can be traced back to an 1856 test conducted by Captain Thomas Rodman using ten-inch Columbiads.  His residual stress was produced by a hollow casting method, and it is clear that Rodman did not understand the true reason for the nine-factor improvement in fatigue life over a solid cast gun."

     It would be very nice to have the testing data and the record of observations from which the Army's, 'Watervliet Conclusion' was drawn.  We will keep looking!  Maybe Rock Island Arsenal would be a good place to check out, after all Thomas Rodman supervised the building of the arsenal and finished his Army career there and his final resting place is there as well.

Regards, and Dominick, think bigger!!

Tracy and Mike

Yellow change to blue so it could be read!--DD

P.S.  Thanks  DD.