John R Blair Jr
Active Member
Thanks for the Birthday salutations as of 2,2,09 (2,2,55; ground hog day, I saw my shadow) and in return I would like to provide this disjointed tomb on a American civil war shell that is in my possession!
I have a deactivated 10-inch shell (88Lbs+-) of the civil war era. Although it was acquired in Vicksburg from a pawnshop that was going out of business (I had watched this shell for 20 years) it was said that it was recovered from Grand Gulf. The only 10-inch at Grand Gulf that I can find was on the USS Brooklyn in a May 26th 1862 bombardment of the forts Wade & Cobun! The Ice tongs were on it for as long as I have known of it so there they shall remain! Enjoy!
John
US Naval action reports April 29 1863 (most likely 26 May1862) Grand Gulf
May 1 6(maybe 26th conflicting!?) , 1862 Grand Gulf shelled by Union naval task force of six gunboats led by Commander S. Phillips Lee
In May 1862, cannoneers of the Brookhaven Light Artillery, commanded by Captain James Hoskins, reached Grand Gulf. Hoskins had gunners emplace and mask four 6-pounder on the bluff behind the village. The task was to harass the Federal Fleet commanded by Flag Officer Commodore David G. Farragut. On May 26th, 1862, the confederates artillerist wisely let three warships pass undisturbed, but as unarmed transports drew abreast, the four 6-pounders roared into action scoring hits on the Laurel Hill. Before the warships could get into position to return fire, the flying battery was gone. Captain Thomas Craven, the commander of the warship Brooklyn, determined to teach the Confederates a lesson by bombarding the town of Grand Gulf. Captain Craven, intent on burning the town, conferred with Brigadier General Thomas Williams and agreed to spare the town, but to send Feral force to levy a forced contribution of cattle, pigs, poultry, and wood upon the populace. Under cover of darkness on the night of June 8th, 1862, the Confederates moved 6 and 12 pounders into position on the ridge behind Grand Gulf. The next morning, crews of these guns struck the Wissahicken and Itasca while these vessels were passing the batteries.
Then in 1862, Farragut's flotilla burned the town Grand Gulf during its expedition up to Vicksburg.
. http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/gunboats/
U.S.S. sloop-of-war Brooklyn, frigate - steam sloop, bombardment of Grand Gulf, Misssissippi (26 May1862 )General Characteristics http://www.4reference.net/encyclopedias/wikipedia/USS_Brooklyn_1858_.html
Displacement: 2,532 tons
Length: 233 ft (71 m)
Beam: 43 ft (13.1 m)
Draft: 16.3 ft (5 m)
Speed: 11.5 knots
Complement: 335 officers and men Armament: 1 x 10-inch (254 mm) smoothbore gun, 20 x 9-inch (229 mm) smoothbore guns
The 10-inch pivot guns are Considered shell guns http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/civ_ord.txt
In 1854, Congress authorized the Secretary of the Navy to build
six first-class steam frigates. These six were the famous Merrimack
class [4] and Dahlgren's new shell guns were to constitute the armament,
the 9-inch being adopted for the gun decks. However, the Bureau refused
to adopt the 11-inch pivot insisting instead upon a lighter 10-inch pivot.
Subsequently, a 10-inch shell gun of 86 cwt. also was brought into service.
Below Vicksburg there was only one sloop of war -- the Brooklyn - - and Porter's mortar schooners and a number of steam transports.
Then in 1862, Farragut's flotilla burned the town Grand Gulf during its expedition up to Vicksburg.
U.S.S. Brooklyn, Captain T. T. Craven, and gunboats U.S.S. Kineo
, Lieutenant George M. Ransom, arid U.S.S. Katahdin, Lieutenant Preble, shelled Grand Gulf, Mississippi. http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/gunboats/
U.S.S. sloop-of-war Brooklyn, frigate - steam sloop, bombardment of Grand Gulf, Misssissippi (26 May1862 )General Characteristics http://www.4reference.net/encyclopedias/wikipedia/USS_Brooklyn_1858_.html
Displacement: 2,532 tons
Length: 233 ft (71 m)
Beam: 43 ft (13.1 m)
Draft: 16.3 ft (5 m)
Speed: 11.5 knots
Complement: 335 officers and men Armament: 1 x 10-inch (254 mm) smoothbore gun, 20 x 9-inch (229 mm) smoothbore guns
The 10-inch pivot guns are Considered shell guns http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/civ_ord.txt
In 1854, Congress authorized the Secretary of the Navy to build
six first-class steam frigates. These six were the famous Merrimack
class [4] and Dahlgren's new shell guns were to constitute the armament,
the 9-inch being adopted for the gun decks. However, the Bureau refused
to adopt the 11-inch pivot insisting instead upon a lighter 10-inch pivot.
Subsequently, a 10-inch shell gun of 86 cwt. also was brought into service.
Gunboat U.S.S. Kineo Armament. 1x11" D. smoothbore, 1 20-pdr. P.r., 2 24-pdr. hows. Gunboat U.S.S. Katahdin Armament 1x11" D. smoothbore, 1 20-pdr. P.r., 2 24-pdr. how.;
Below Vicksburg there was only one sloop of war -- the Brooklyn -
. Fort Cobun mounted one 8-inch Dahlgren, one 30-pounder Parrott, and two-32 pounders.
Downstream was Fort Wade, which stood about twenty feet above river level and approximately 300 yards back from the river. Fort Wade boasted one 100-pounder Blakeley rifle, one 8-inch Dahlgren, and two 32-pounder rifles
http://www-cgsc.army.mil/carl/resources/csi/gabel5/gabel5.asp
I have a deactivated 10-inch shell (88Lbs+-) of the civil war era. Although it was acquired in Vicksburg from a pawnshop that was going out of business (I had watched this shell for 20 years) it was said that it was recovered from Grand Gulf. The only 10-inch at Grand Gulf that I can find was on the USS Brooklyn in a May 26th 1862 bombardment of the forts Wade & Cobun! The Ice tongs were on it for as long as I have known of it so there they shall remain! Enjoy!
John
US Naval action reports April 29 1863 (most likely 26 May1862) Grand Gulf
May 1 6(maybe 26th conflicting!?) , 1862 Grand Gulf shelled by Union naval task force of six gunboats led by Commander S. Phillips Lee
In May 1862, cannoneers of the Brookhaven Light Artillery, commanded by Captain James Hoskins, reached Grand Gulf. Hoskins had gunners emplace and mask four 6-pounder on the bluff behind the village. The task was to harass the Federal Fleet commanded by Flag Officer Commodore David G. Farragut. On May 26th, 1862, the confederates artillerist wisely let three warships pass undisturbed, but as unarmed transports drew abreast, the four 6-pounders roared into action scoring hits on the Laurel Hill. Before the warships could get into position to return fire, the flying battery was gone. Captain Thomas Craven, the commander of the warship Brooklyn, determined to teach the Confederates a lesson by bombarding the town of Grand Gulf. Captain Craven, intent on burning the town, conferred with Brigadier General Thomas Williams and agreed to spare the town, but to send Feral force to levy a forced contribution of cattle, pigs, poultry, and wood upon the populace. Under cover of darkness on the night of June 8th, 1862, the Confederates moved 6 and 12 pounders into position on the ridge behind Grand Gulf. The next morning, crews of these guns struck the Wissahicken and Itasca while these vessels were passing the batteries.
Then in 1862, Farragut's flotilla burned the town Grand Gulf during its expedition up to Vicksburg.
. http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/gunboats/
U.S.S. sloop-of-war Brooklyn, frigate - steam sloop, bombardment of Grand Gulf, Misssissippi (26 May1862 )General Characteristics http://www.4reference.net/encyclopedias/wikipedia/USS_Brooklyn_1858_.html
Displacement: 2,532 tons
Length: 233 ft (71 m)
Beam: 43 ft (13.1 m)
Draft: 16.3 ft (5 m)
Speed: 11.5 knots
Complement: 335 officers and men Armament: 1 x 10-inch (254 mm) smoothbore gun, 20 x 9-inch (229 mm) smoothbore guns
The 10-inch pivot guns are Considered shell guns http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/civ_ord.txt
In 1854, Congress authorized the Secretary of the Navy to build
six first-class steam frigates. These six were the famous Merrimack
class [4] and Dahlgren's new shell guns were to constitute the armament,
the 9-inch being adopted for the gun decks. However, the Bureau refused
to adopt the 11-inch pivot insisting instead upon a lighter 10-inch pivot.
Subsequently, a 10-inch shell gun of 86 cwt. also was brought into service.
Below Vicksburg there was only one sloop of war -- the Brooklyn - - and Porter's mortar schooners and a number of steam transports.
Then in 1862, Farragut's flotilla burned the town Grand Gulf during its expedition up to Vicksburg.
U.S.S. Brooklyn, Captain T. T. Craven, and gunboats U.S.S. Kineo
, Lieutenant George M. Ransom, arid U.S.S. Katahdin, Lieutenant Preble, shelled Grand Gulf, Mississippi. http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/gunboats/
U.S.S. sloop-of-war Brooklyn, frigate - steam sloop, bombardment of Grand Gulf, Misssissippi (26 May1862 )General Characteristics http://www.4reference.net/encyclopedias/wikipedia/USS_Brooklyn_1858_.html
Displacement: 2,532 tons
Length: 233 ft (71 m)
Beam: 43 ft (13.1 m)
Draft: 16.3 ft (5 m)
Speed: 11.5 knots
Complement: 335 officers and men Armament: 1 x 10-inch (254 mm) smoothbore gun, 20 x 9-inch (229 mm) smoothbore guns
The 10-inch pivot guns are Considered shell guns http://www.hazegray.org/danfs/civ_ord.txt
In 1854, Congress authorized the Secretary of the Navy to build
six first-class steam frigates. These six were the famous Merrimack
class [4] and Dahlgren's new shell guns were to constitute the armament,
the 9-inch being adopted for the gun decks. However, the Bureau refused
to adopt the 11-inch pivot insisting instead upon a lighter 10-inch pivot.
Subsequently, a 10-inch shell gun of 86 cwt. also was brought into service.
Gunboat U.S.S. Kineo Armament. 1x11" D. smoothbore, 1 20-pdr. P.r., 2 24-pdr. hows. Gunboat U.S.S. Katahdin Armament 1x11" D. smoothbore, 1 20-pdr. P.r., 2 24-pdr. how.;
Below Vicksburg there was only one sloop of war -- the Brooklyn -
. Fort Cobun mounted one 8-inch Dahlgren, one 30-pounder Parrott, and two-32 pounders.
Downstream was Fort Wade, which stood about twenty feet above river level and approximately 300 yards back from the river. Fort Wade boasted one 100-pounder Blakeley rifle, one 8-inch Dahlgren, and two 32-pounder rifles
http://www-cgsc.army.mil/carl/resources/csi/gabel5/gabel5.asp