the artilleryman summer 2015

7/25/2019 The Artilleryman Summer 2015

1/52

Vol. 36, No. 3

Summer 2015

$5.95

Keeping Tradition Alive

The Story of the Ohio Civil War Show


2/52


3/52

A Commitment to

Reflected in theFit & Finish

of Our

Product

Honor & Integrity

Historical Ordnance Works

P.O. Box 793 Woodstock, Georgia 30188

770-928-2298 www.HistoricalOrdnanceWorks.com

Historical Ordnance Works are experienced, skilled craftsmen who have studied

and have been trained in the nineteenth century methods of applying the crafts

required. Every item produced meets or exceeds the original Ordnance

Department specifications. Our knowledge, skill and attention to detail consistently

exceeds customer expectations. We offer our services to museum professionals,

as well as, serious collectors and other parties interested in the art of preservation.

Conservation Restoration Reproduction

Specializing in Civil War & Other

Historical Muzzle Loading Artillery


4/52

AbouttheCover:

Don Williams1st Ohio Light Artillery, Battery D from Ashland, Ohio. Members David Gotter,

Wayne Williams, Brandon Warner, Greg Williams (from left to right). Photograph taken at the May 2015 Ohio Civil War

Show by Jack W. Melton Jr. Note the striking resemblance to the Civil War period photograph on page 38.

Readers are invited to send high-resolution photos for consideration on the cover. If we use your photo youllget a free years subscription.

4 PUBLISHERS PLATFORM

5 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

6 THE REFERENCE DESK Functions of the Bormann time fuse and its wrenches by Jack W. Melton Jr.

12 BRITISH ARMSTRONG E TIME FUZE Sir William Armstrong Navy Time Fuze in 1870 color illustrations and article by CW04 (Ret.) John D. Bartleson Jr. USN.

16 KEEPING TRADITION ALIVE The history of the Ohio Civil War Show. Article and photographs by the Don Williams family.

26 IS THIS A CANNONBALL? Col. (Ret.) John Biemecks article on how to determine if you have a cannonball or something else.

30 COLONEL LAMBS FLYING BATTERY: A CONFEDERATE 2.19-INCH WHITWORTH RIFLE Dr. Gordon L. Jones writes about the surviving 6-pounder Whitworth rifle located at the Atlanta History Center.

38 CIVIL WAR IN COLOR The process of colorizing Civil War period photographs by David Richardson.

44 REVEALING THE MAKERS OF THE WIARD RIFLE The makers of the guns of Norman Wiard by Capt. (Ret.) Steven W. Knott, USN.

47 BOOK REVIEWS By Peter Frandsen.

48 CLASSIFIED ADS

The Artilleryman | Summer 2015 | Vol. 36, No. 3

CONTENTS

The Artilleryman2


5/52

2015 Jack W. Melton Jr. LLC, All Rights Reserved.

Printed proudly and responsibly in the United States of America.All rights reserved under International and Pan-American CopyrightConventions. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in anyform or by any electronic or mechanical means, including informationstorage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing fromthe publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passagesin a review.

The information contained herein is for the general history and back-ground of our readers and The Artilleryman assumes no liability forloading or shooting data which may be published in this magazine.The circumstances surrounding the loading and discharge of firearmsmentioned are beyond our control and are unique to the particularinstance being described. We hereby disclaim any responsibility forpersons attempting to duplicate loading data or shooting conditionsreferenced herein and specifically recommend against relying solelyon this material. Readers are cautioned that black powder varies ac-cording to grain size, type, date of manufacture and supplier, andthat firing of antique or replica ordnance should not be undertakenwithout adequate training and experience in procedures and loads.

Founding Publisher: C. Peter Jorgensen

Publisher: Jack W. Melton Jr.

Editor: Peggy M. Melton

Book Reviews: Peter A. Frandsen

Advertising: [email protected]

Webmaster: Carson Jenkins Jr.

Graphic Designer: Squeegie Studios

InDesign Guru: Neil Stewart

New Contact Information:Jack W. Melton Jr. LLCdba The Artilleryman

96 Craig St., Suite 112-333

East Ellijay, GA 30540

(706) 940-2673 (BORE)

Email: [email protected]

Website: ArtillerymanMagazine.com

The Artillerymanis published quarterly by Jack W. Melton Jr. LLCThe office of publication is at 96 Craig Street, Suite 112-333, EasEllijay, Georgia 30540. (706) 940-2673. Contributions of editoriamaterial and photographs are welcomed at the above addressSubscription rates: $25 per year in U.S. and Canada; $42 overseasU.S. bank checks or credit cards. Subscribe online at www.ArtillerymanMagazine.com.POSTMASTER: Send address change to The Artilleryman, 96Craig Street, Suite 112-333, East Ellijay, Georgia 30540.

ConsultantsThomas Bailey, (CWO4 Ret.) John D. Bartleson Jr. U.S. Navy, Craig Bell, Jack Bell

Jim Bender, Col.(Ret.) John Biemeck, Mike Kent, Lewis Leigh Jr., Butch & Anita Hol-

combe, Donald Lutz, John Morris, Michael J. ODonnell, Bernie Paulson, Bruce Paul-

son, Lawrence E. Pawl, Matthew Switlik

ArtillerymanMagazine.com | Vol. 36, No. 3 3


6/52

Te

Magazine

Te Artillerymanis a quarterly magazine founded in 1979 forenthusiasts who collect and shoot cannons and mortars primarilyfrom the Revolutionary War, Civil War to World War II. ArtillerymanMagazine.com

Cannon safety, artillery history,

places to visit, projectiles, fuses,equipment, book reviews, shootreports, how-to articles, and

artillery news U.S. and abroad.

Subscription only $25/year, U.S.

It is with great dedication that I

have accepted the responsibility asPublisher of The Artillerymanmagazine

which begins with this issue. What anhonor is truly will be to carry on thelegacy that was started by C. Peter Jor-gensen over 36 years ago and carried

on by his wife Kay after his passing in2009. Since then, Kay has done a won-derful job with the magazine, but she

has decided that the time has come topass along the torch. I cant thank Kay

and her staff, Beth Godin and LindaHoyt enough for their support during

this transition.This year will mark the 41st

anniversary that I have been collecting,researching and simply enjoying

my passion for history, particularly,Civil War artillery. Over those years,I have visited almost every battlefield

in the South and most of the majorones above the Mason-Dixon Line,

photographing just about everycannon and piece of artillery I could

focus my lens on for documentation

purposes. I look forward to sharingthe images I have captured with ourreaders in the up-coming issues.

I am very excited about this newposition and I take it very seriously.During this transition, there will bemistakes and learning curves along

the way. If you have any suggestions,concerns or comments, please email [email protected].

The Winter 2015 issue will containarticles and photographs of the Sesqui-

centennial Events for the 150th Anni-versary of the American Civil War or

known as the War Between the States.If you have photographs or short

to long articles that youd like to shareplease contact me. The deadline for

submission for the Winter issue is No-vember 1st.

Best regards, Jack W. Melton Jr.

In The News

Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia: Chicka-mauga and Chattanooga National

Military Park invites the public to at-tend artillery programs this summer atChickamauga Battlefield and at PointPark on Lookout Mountain.

Lookout Mountain Battlefield(Point Park): May 30, July 4, & August8. Chickamauga Battlefield: July 25 &

September 5, 2015.

Coming to Atlanta History Center

In July of 2014, the mayor of Atlanta

announced that the Atlanta History

Center would be acquiring the Cyclorama painting The Battle of Atlanta.

The move and restoration of this

historic painting was funded by pri-vate donors and philanthropies withno cost to the Atlanta taxpayers. A23,000 square foot Lloyd and Mary

Ann Whitaker Cyclorama wing isbeing built to reincorporate 3,268square feet of the painting that have

been missing for generations.The famous Great Locomotive Chase

had two locomotive stars: The Generallocated in the Southern Museum of

Civil War & Locomotive History inKennesaw, Georgia, and The Texaswhich will be moved into this state-of-the-art facility at the Atlanta History

Center.The move and restoration project is

expected to be completed by 2017 and

opened to the public.

New Surviving Cannon FoundThe owner of a undiscovered U.S

3.67-inch, 6-pounder Sawyer rifle con-tacted me. Stamped on the muzzle isNo. 13 and the bore is rifled with 6lands and grooves. Captain Pythago-

ras Holcombes 2nd Vermont Batteryhad 3.67-inch Sawyer rifles during theSiege of Port Hudson. There are only

2-3 of these Sawyer rifles known.

The Artilleryman4


7/52

TO THE EDITOR:I found this today and I cannot

determine if this is a cannonball. It

weighs 2 lbs, 3.8 oz. The diameter is2.5 inches. We do not have any minesnear by, so I dont think it is a ore

crusher ball. There are no visual mark-ings to signify something else. I cannotfind a seam or filler marking.

Mike from Michigan.

Dear Mike:

Im the author of the book oncannon ball identification calledEncyclopedia of Black Powder Projectiles

Found in North America: 1759 - 1865.Volume IIhas been published and it

shows every known caliber and typeof cannonball by service (Colonial

America, British, French, Spanish,Mexican and Russian) that has been orcould be found in North America withover one hundred pages of their fuses.

Cannonballs are found in Michi-gan from the War of 1812 and while arare find, they are there. They range in

size from grape shot to 8-inch mortarshells.

Unfortunately, none are 2.5 inches

in diameter and on page 581 I showa picture of a spherical ball made ofsteel. When it is new it is 2.5 inchesin diameter and weighs about 2.3

pounds. It is highly polished steelwhen new and may show some wearmarks if cleaned. This is the typicalrail road wheel bearing and is often

sold on eBay and other sites as a smallcannonball.

From what you have told us you

have almost perfectly described a rail

road bearing. Since steel weighs more

that cast iron, the weigh pretty muchconfirms this is steel and not a cannonball. Cannonballs are almost always

made of cast iron with a few excep-tions of copper (Mexican Army) andwrought iron (Russian and very largeUnion Navy shot used to penetrate

ironclads).I regret I must tell you this as it

would have been wonderful to have

located a War of 1812 cannon solidshot as most fired in Michigan were

indeed solid shot, but they all havedistinct mold marks when carefully

examined. Some British shot arehighly finished, but they all have adistinct mold dimple on top. Ameri-can shot from that era all have a very

crude seam with some slightly offalignment to the degree at times, youwonder if they were safe to shoot. But

they did shoot them for sure.John Biemeck

TO THE EDITOR:In reference to A Little Roar in

the last issue concerning the AmesModel 1835 12-pdr. Mountain Howit-zer displayed at the Kansas Museum

of History in Topeka.Here is some additional informa-

tion about the Abbott Howitzer.

Major James B. Abbott, head of a free-state militia, traveled back East in 1855to purchase arms to defend Kansas

territory against the Pro-slavery Partywhich became known as Bleed-ing Kansas. What makes this littlecannon so special is the provenance

from Its purchase by Abbott in 1855through capture by Pro-Slavery Partyat the sacking of Lawrence in 1856 andits recovery by Free-State militia that

same year and the role it played dur-ing the Civil War. More detailed in-formation is in the fall of 2003 edition

ofThe Artilleryman.If you are travel

ing East of Kansas City on I-70, please

make a point of stopping in Topekaand visiting this wonderful museum.

Bob Meistrell

Plainville, Kansas

TO THE EDITOR:My friends found a very nice Par

rott percussion fuse in the Battle Campof San Juan in Lima, Per.

Un abrazo,

Reynaldo Pizarro Antram

Dear Reynaldo:

Thank you for sharing the informa-

tion and photographs. The Parrott per-cussion fuse was manufactured for thenavy. The brass fuse body and anvicap are less cor-

rosive than thepewter Parrottfuse intended

for the army.Best regards,

The Publisher


This Parrottpercussion fuse

completelydisassembledafter cleaning.


8/52

The Bormann fuse is named after its inventor, Bel-gian Army Captain Charles Guillaume Bormann(1796-1873). Bormann was promoted to Major-

General by 1862. The Bormann time fuse was employed bythe United Stated Ordnance Department as early as 1852.

The time fuse is contained in a lead and tin disk (1). This

disk has time markings indicated in seconds and quarter-seconds graduated up to 5 seconds (U.S. pattern). Theartillerist used a metal punch or gouge to pierce the thinmetal at the desired time marking. This exposed a section inthe horseshoe-shaped horizontal mealed powder train (2).When the cannon discharged, the flame from the explosionignited this powder train. It would burn in a uniform rate in

both directions, but one end would terminate in a dead-endjust beyond the 5 second mark (Confederate copies are5 seconds). The other end would continue to burn pastthe zero-mark, where it would travel through a channelto a small powder booster (3). This powder then ignitedsending the flame through a hole (communication channel)

in the fuse support plug (underplug) (4) to the burstingcharge of the projectile located below this plug. The purposeof the brass or iron fuse support disk or underplug (madeof iron, brass or copper) was to seal the loading hole andto form a solid base of support for the soft metal Bormanntime fuse, which could have easily been damaged duringinitial discharge of the cannon.

Federal 5 second Bormann time fuse Confederate 5 second Bormann time fuse

3

1

4

2

The Artilleryman6


9/52

Bormann

Time Fuse

123

4

This ammunition was all put up with the Bor-mann fuse, and this fuse being adopted by theConfederate Ordnance Department, a factory

was established for its manufacture. Large quantities of am-munition fitted with these fuses were sent to the field in thesummer of 1861, and complaints of its bad quality were im-mediately made. Careful tests being made of it, it was foundthat fully four-fifths of the shell exploded prematurely,and very many of them in the gun. The machinery for their

manufacture was overhauled, and a fresh supply made andsent to the field, where the old ones were removed and thenew were substituted, but no improvement was discern-ible. The trouble was found to be in the hermetical sealingof the under-side of the horse-shoe channel containing thefuse composition. Although this was seemingly accom-plished at the factory, the shock of the discharge wouldunseat the horse-shoe-shaped plug which closed this chan-nel, and allow the flame from the composition to reach thecharge of the shell without burning around to the magazineof the fuse. Attempts were made to correct the evil by theuse of white-lead, putty and leather under the fuse, and inthe winter of 1861 these correctives were applied to every

shell in the army with considerable but not universal success. Repeated attempts were made to improve the manu-facture, but they accomplished nothing, and until after thebattle of Chancellorsville the Bormann fuse continued inuse, and premature explosions of shell were so frequentthat the artillery could only be used over the heads of theinfantry with such danger and demoralisation to the latterthat it was seldom attempted. Earnest requests were madeof the Ordnance Department to substitute for the Bormann

fuse the common paper-fuses, to be cut to the requiredlength and fixed on the field, as being not only more eco-nomical and more certain, but as allowing, what is oftenvery desirable, a greater range than five seconds, which isthe limit of the Bormann fuse. These requests, repeated andurged in January 1863 on the strength of casualties occur-ring from our own guns among the infantry in front duringthe battle of Fredericksburg, were at length successful in accomplishing the substitution. The ammunition already onhand, however, could not be exchanged, and its imperfec-tions affected the fire even at Gettysburg. The paper-fusewas found to answer admirably, and no further complaintsof ammunition came from the smooth-bores.

Quote below from ConfederateArtillery Service, by General E. P.Alexander, late Chief of Artillery ofLongstreets Corps, A. N. V., pages32-33, Transactions of the SouthernHistorical Society, Volumes 1-2.

Horseshoe powdertrain sealed

Tin seal punchedwith small holes

to expose thepriming powder



10/52

The Bormann time fuse is an alloy of equal parts of lead and tin, has 12 threads per inch and is 1.65 inches in diameter.This example has a leather washer for sealing against moisture and the propellant charge flames from penetration aroundthe Bormann time fuse threads. The washer is 1.56 inches diameter and .06 inches thick. The iron support plug or underplugis 1.09 inches in diameter, .42 inches thick and has 12 threads per inch. The spanner holes are .62 inches apart on center. The

horseshoe powder train can be seen in the half sectioned Bormann time fuse to the readers right. Fuse assembly on the upperleft was recovered from the Federal battery position before Coosawhatchie, South Carolina.

Bormann Time Fuse

12-pounder Case Shot

Bormann time fuse

Leather washer

Iron support plug

(underplug) withtwo spannerwrench holes

Black pitch matrixknown as asphaltum

Tin cylinder thatcontained the black

powder bursting charge

.69 caliber leadcase shot ball

Horseshoe shaped powder trainin this sectioned Bormann fuse

Diameter:4.50 inchesBore Diameter:4.62 inchesGun:12-pounder SmoothboreWeight:11 pounds (whole)Construction: Case shot

Fusing System:Time, BormannFusing Material:Lead and Tin AlloyFuse Threads Diameter: 1.65 inchesFuse Hole Length:.68 inchesSabot:Cup

Sabot Material:WoodWall Thickness:.43 inchesMatrix Material:AsphaltumCase Shot Material:LeadCase Shot Diameter:.69 caliber

The Artilleryman8


11/52

Bormann Fuse

Gouge (Punch)

U.S. regulation Bormann fuse gouge (punch). It has awooden handle with a brass ferrule and an iron cutter. Over-all length is 3.92 inches. Width of the iron cutter is .23 inches.

Maximum diameter of the wood handle is 1.10 inches.The artillerist would have used this fuse cutter, or a small

gouge, to cut or punch the Bormann time fuses metallic

cover and expose the mealed powder composition prior toloading the projectile into the cannon. The number of sec-

onds chosen was based upon the officers instructions for thedesired length of flight.

The U.S. 12-pounder Bormann fused spherical projectilewas recovered from the 1864 Resaca Battlefield part of theAtlanta Campaign. Courtesy The Atlanta History Center,Thomas S. Dickey Sr. Civil War Collection.



12/52

Stamped N. J

U.S. Bormann time fuse

This wooden U.S. Bormann double-slot-ted fuse wrench measures 8.24 inches widthat the handle, 3.28 inches in height includingbottom post, diameter of handles are .69 and.73 inches measured across front and rear.The diameter of face plate is 1.31 inches. Thistool would have been stored in the tool trayof an ammunition chest.

Bormann

Fuse Wrenches

Facebook.com/ArtillerymanMagazine

The Artilleryman10


13/52

U.S. Bormann time fuse

Brass Bormann single-slot fuse wrench measures 4.40inches width at the handles, 3.13 inches in height includ-ing bottom post, diameter of handles are approximately inches and diameter of face plate is 1.31 inches. Both Unionand Confederate artillerymen used brass Bormann fusewrenches.

This fuse wrench was recovered from the 1864 WildernessBattlefield area located in Virginia. Courtesy The AtlantaHistory Center, Thomas S. Dickey Sr. Civil War Collection.



14/52

This fuze was withdrawnfrom British Land Service

in June, 1870 but was still

in Naval Service, with breech-loadingsegment shells, for several more years.The construction is complicated, and

its cost about double that of the BoxerB.L. time fuzes, but it has several im-portant advantages, especially as a

fuze for shrapnel. It can be set to verysmall intervals, a point of the greatest

importance with shrapnel shell, it can

be altered again after setting, and it isopen to inspection, so that the officeror the No. 1 of a gun can see that it is

correct, instead of depending on thoseemployed in preparing shells at thelimber or in the shell room.

It is not necessary to give the

various patterns which have beenintroduced, or to dwell on the variouschanges of manufacture, as only

one nature of fuze was issued to theservice, and may be known by the

word cap stamped upon the baseof the fuze. Various marks may be

found in combination with this word,as old fuzes are repaired by havingcap composition substituted for theamorphous phosphorous composition

which did not stand exposure toclimate and deteriorated.

The fuze being complicated in its

construction demands very carefulmanufacture, and in this respect com-

pares unfavorably with the Boxer fuze,as there are more sources of failure.

Many defects existed in the earlypatterns, and so brought the fuze intodisrepute.

The chief faults are:

(1) The fuze occasionally firedwhen carried in the limbers. This was

due to the pellet containing the deto-nating composition being supported

by lead feathers, which gave way

under the jolting motion of the lim-bers. This was remedied by using acup-shaped support of thin brass. The

cup was proposed by Col. Freeth, R.A(2) The fuze sometimes failed to

ignite when the detonating arrange-ment fired. This was due to the hard

surface of the fuze composition; theflash from the pellet failed to light itwith certainty. This was overcome by

boring a small hole in the compositionThe gradual development of the

Armstrong class of fuzes can be tracedthere, starting from the Bormann and

Breithaupt fuzes, to those used by thePrussians, Austrians, and Swiss.

This composition consisted ofamorphous phosphorus (with 10%

calcined magnesia) 8 grs, chlorate ofpotash 16 grs, ground glass, 6 grs. Thedeterioration was caused by the effec

of moisture, which caused the phos-phorous to oxide at the expense of the

chlorate of potash, thereby injuringor destroying, according to circum

stances, and the detonating characterof the composition.

The following is a short descriptionof the fuze as issued to the Navy:

Both body and nut of the last pat-tern (E. III.) are made of gun-metal

The Artilleryman12

British Armstrong Time FuzePatent 779, April 10, 1858

British Armstrong Metal Time Fuze E, No. 22Freeths Modification

Armstrong FuzeNo. 22, 1860-1904


15/52

Fitted on a #1 prairie carriage. Tube was madeby Cannon Ltd. Bore is 3" with " thick D.O.M.

liner. Super strong gun made in 1998. Includesball mold and leather goods. A fun, safe shooter.$11,000.

British Bronze Mortar

2 " bore on oak bed. $1,250.00

Bronze Mountain Howitzer

Leonard Draper Phone: 404-401-5591Email: [email protected]

Located in Northwest Georgia

and the graduations for length of fuzein inches and tenths are marked on

the metal rim instead of on paper, asin former patterns. The pellet which is

supported by a brass cup is filled withE.F.G. powder, secured by thin paper

fastened on its base; the detonator inthe head consists of cap composition(fulminate of mercury, chlorate of pot-ash, and sulphide of antimony), a disc

of brass, 001" thick, covers the deto-nating composition. The word capis stamped on the base of the fuze.

The channel by which the flashfrom the pellet reaches the ring of

fuze composition is enlarged in thispattern, and a strand of quick match is

placed in it; a little hole is bored in thering of fuze composition to ensure itslighting. The fuze composition is pitmealed powder pressed into a ring or

groove which runs round close to theexterior of the fuze body; this compo-sition burns at the rate of 1 inch in two

seconds, and, owing to a metal stop,can only burn in one direction, i.e.,from left to right.

A leather washer and movablegun-metal collar cover the ring ofcomposition. At one part of the collar achannel, primed with mealed powder

driven and pierced, and marked on theoutside with an arrow, communicateswith a groove round the neck of thefuze, which contains mealed powder;

this groove is connected by a channelwith the blowing chamber, which isprimed with mealed powder, driven

British Armstrong Time Fuze British Armstrong Time Fuzewith Setting Ring

Armstrong Time Fuze E, III

and pierced; a small brass disc closesthe chamber.

The movable collar is kept in itsplace by a nut which screws on to the

neck. The body has a small hole in theside to fit a projection in the Armstrong

key used in screwing in the fuze.Stress was made on the importance

of screwing the nut tightly homewhen the fuze is adjusted, otherwise

the washer will not be tightly pressed

down on the ring of fuze compositionand a premature may occur.

On firing the gun, the brass cupis crushed in, the pellet strikes the

needle, which explodes the detonatingcomposition, the ring of fuze

composition is ignited by the flashand burns till it comes to the channemarked by the arrow head, leading tothe groove in the neck primed with

mealed powder, the flash is then



16/52

Bear River PowderEst. 1999

GOEX Black PowderAvailable in 1F 4F, cannon and reenactor grade

Craig Kirkland GOEX Master Distributor

PO Box 2853, Evanston, WY 82931

307-679-0886

[email protected]

ArtillerymanMagazine.com

Come join our new Forum ded-

icated to Artillery Enthusiasts!

instantaneously conveyed into theblowing chamber, and thence into theshell.

The changes introduced, particu-

larly the cap composition, and the en-suring ignition by piercing a hole inthe ring of fuze composition, greatly

improved this fuze.

Divide number of hundreds ofyards in range by 6 for length ininches, thus for 1,200 yards, length of

fuze= 2 inches.One in a waterproof bag placed in a

cylindrical tin box wrapped in brownpaper, 72 boxes in a deal case, placed

on the sides or heads, the bottom ofeach tin box is marked top to pre-vent it being placed downwards. Since

Text and illustrations by John D.Bartleson Jr., author and illustrator of the1972 field guide for Explosive OrdnanceDisposal (EOD) personnel titled CivilWar Explosive Ordnance 1861-1865with radiographs.

June, 1875, the tin boxes containingE time fuzes, primed with cap composition, are stamped cap, and thesame word is stenciled on the water-

proof bag. Since July, 1875, in the caseof repaired fuzes the date of repairwill be labelled on their boxes.

An F time and percussion fuze

was introduced in 1867, but was not asuccess, as the percussion action oftenfailed. It was ordered in February

1869, to be regarded simply as a timefuze, and in June, 1869, the manufac-ture was discontinued, the E timefuze, Mark III, previously approved

for India, being then brought in forgeneral service.

The Artilleryman14

British Fuzing and Burster Assembly

for Armstrong Segmented Shell

Armstrong EMetal Time

Fuze

RoyalLaboratory

B.L. PlainPercussion

Fuze

Royal

LaboratoryBurster


17/52

MISince 1979

Military Imagesmagazine

Showcase. Interpret. Preserve.

MilitaryImagesMagazine.com | Facebook.com/MilitaryImages

Americas only publication

dedicated to historic photographs

of soldiers and sailors.

Or send a check

payable to:

Military Images

PO Box 50171

Arlington, VA

22205

Subscribe online:

MilitaryImagesMagazine.com

SUBSCRIBE NOW

4 quarterly issues, $24.95



18/52

In April of 1978, a handful of peoplefound themselves sitting in the Ash-

land Armory for the 1st annual Ohio

Civil War & Relic Show. It wouldve

been nearly impossible to imagine at

the time what the future held for this

newly founded mid-western show,

however it is evident now that it was

an idea aimed only for success. TheAnnual Ohio Civil War and WWI &

WWII Show has just celebrated its

38th noteworthy year. This stands as a

living testament to the commitment of

the Williams family in keeping their

fathers wishes and passions thriving.

By Teresa W. Drushel,Wayne, Greg andKayley Williams

The Artilleryman16


19/52ArtillerymanMagazine.com | Vol. 36, No. 3 17


20/52

Donald B. Williams, of Everett, Pennsylvania,founded the show in 1978 with the desire to keephistory alive. Williams had developed an interest

in the American Civil War at a young age with stories from

his own grandfather. These stories included how Donaldsgreat-grandfather, Alvah Williams, had lost his right armby amputation after receiving a mini ball impalement in his

elbow during General Grants final assault on Petersburg,

Virginia in 1864; a battle that had claimed an estimated42,000 lives. In later years, Don Williams obtained the verybullet that was removed during the procedure, as well as

the actual metal prosthesis and documentation; all of whichremain in the family collection today. These most cherishedCivil War relics, as well as many vis-its to the Gettysburg Battlefield, ig-

nited an early passion in Williamsthat would turn into everlasting ap-peal for Civil War memorabilia.

Williams passions started outearly enough that the buying, sell-

ing, and trading of Civil War memo-rabilia was more commonplace and

astoundingly inexpensive in com-parison to todays going rates. Fire-arms, relics, belt buckles, sabers, andall memorabilia in between were not

only available, but affordable, andtodays collectors only have a chanceto merely talk about this unbeliev-

able period of access to Civil War

memorabilia. This early on interest also allowed for Donto further his collection through relic hunting, which wasstill allowed at the time. He began relic hunting in 1958 andalways had a great story to share with these adventures.

With an ever-growing collection that paralleled his ever-growing passion and interest, Don was frequently travelingto locations such as Fairfax and Winchester to take part in up

and coming Civil War shows. He had held admiration for

the strictly affiliated antique arms shows such as the onesheld in Michigan and Baltimore at the time, and becameinclined to start one in Ohio. In 1978, he made his dreams

into a reality and held the aforementioned 1st annual OhioCivil War show. This initial show held only 60 tables, and

nearly a third of them he filled withhis own collection. Several friends

and fellow history buffs helped fillthe remaining tables, which was thestart to the ongoing tradition that

stills shines strong today. By the 3rdyear in 1980, he moved the show to

the Ashland College ConvocationCenter as the need for a larger facility

became readily apparent. It was herethat the show truly started to blos-som, and Don started to more heav-ily promote the show as he traveled.

As the show grew in popularityit once again outgrew its AshlandCollege location; a location of which

could hold a maximum of 370 tables

The Artilleryman18

Donald Williams


22/52

ConsignmentsOur last two sales included the renown and esteemed collection of artillery from the Springfield Arsenal, LLC Colle

amassed by renowned cannon expert John Morris. Prices were strong and consistent throughout both sessions of the Mauction and included a number of exciting prices. In addition to Mr. Morris collection the sale also included select itemsother collections. We are now accepting consignments of single items and/or entire collections for our upcoming October,sale including Fine Artillery, Class III, Military items, quality Winchesters, fine Colts, important Sporting Arms, Hi

weapons, Civil War and Confederate items, fine Kentucky rifles and more.

We are the worlds leading auctioneers of rare, high-grade, quality firearms. We do not sell thegreatest number of firearms in a year, we sell the greatest number of expensive firearms in a ye

Extremely Rare Confederate New Orleans Made 12-Pound Bronze Napoleon on Carriage With LimbeSN 30. Tis spectacular gun, just recently discovered, is the only privately owned New Orleans made Napoleon cannon. Bronze gun metal was not available to the foundries in New Orleansproclamation was sent out from Gen. P.G.. Beauregard to the Southern States to send their bells to N.O. to help the war effort. Tis is no doubt one of the Napoleons cast by Leeds from bsent to New Or leans from churches, plantations and such across the South. Records of Leeds & Co, New Orleans indicate they shipped two light 12 pdrs on the December 19, 1861probfoundry #19 & 20; by February 19th they shipped four more #5,30,37,and 38. Robertsons Alabama Battery had four Leeds Napoleons on Ruggles line at Shiloh in April of 62 of which gunmost likely one. Te Federals reported capturing six Leeds Napoleons after the battle of Missionary Ridge. It seems safe to say this gun was at Shiloh and quite possibly captured at MissionRidge. Te other five known examples listed in Field Artillery Weapons of the Civil War by Hazlett, Olmstead & Parks, 2004 are all in museums or owned by National Park Service. Other existing SNs are 19, which is at the Petersburg National Battlefield Park; SN 38, at John Browning Museum, Rock Island. IL; SNs 45 & 53, on display at Augusta Arsenal Museum, GA; anSN 49, at Carlisle Barracks, PA. SN 30, which we offer here, is in beautiful condition with complete markings as on other examples: 1862 on left trunnion, LEEDS & CO. NEW ORLEAon right trunnion. Tis cannon is mounted on an exacting #2 regulation field carriage with limber and implements. Tis cannon is ready to be taken into the field and get revenge on the Yanwho originally captured her and took her to New York. Tis is the only Confederate Napoleon to ever be offered at public auction and we can find only two Confederate 6-pound bronze tubever auctioned in the last 30 years. Tere are no more than 4 or 5 Confederate bronze Napoleons by any maker that are privately owned; this is your opportunity to get the most desirable broConfederate cannon extant. CONDIION: Very good as can be seen in photographs, as is carriage and l imber. Markings are crisp and fine. Please Note: Additional history on this cannon.NO taken to New York, but was according to Wayne Starks 1984 Cannon Registry, donated to a GAR Post #134 in 1946 and was on display at the local GAR in Wood River, Nebraska uneventually sold. It was also featured on a television series Sons of Guns on Discovery Channel in 2010. 4-54465 (Pre-sale estimate: $200,000 - $250,000)

Sold for $350,750A New World Auction Record for the Most Expensive Piece of American Artillery soat auction and a New World Auction Record for the Most Expensive Confederate Ar

of Any Variety sold at auction.


23/52

Contact Francis Lombardi or Wes Dillon Email: [email protected] | 203 Skowhegan Rd., Fairfield, ME 04937www.jamesdjulia.com | Tel: (207) 453-7125 | Fax: (207) 453-2502 | Auctioneer: James D. Julia Lic#: ME: AR83

Wanted

Hotchkiss 2-Pounder Breech Loading Mtn Gun(est. $20-30,000)

Rare & Historic U.S. Navy Light Bronze 12-PounderDahlgren Boat Howitzer and Orig. Carriage (est. $50-60,000)

Ames Model 1841 Bronze 6-Pounder Gun on OriginalCarriage (est. $50-70,000)

Rare Civil War 8 Siege Mortar(est. $15-25,000)

US Navy 500-Pound Breech Loading Cannon SN 19 onOriginal Carriage (est. $20-30,000)

Ames 1861-Dated Bronze 12 Pounder Mountain HowitzerRegistry Number 1 ( est. $30-50,000)

Elegant Spanish 1803 8-Pound Bronze Field Gun(est. $35-45,000)

Pair of French Model 1786 Bronze 2-1/2 Bore Cannon onCarriages (est. $15-20,000)

Below are just a few of the successes from the Springfield Arsenal, LLC Collection amassed by John Morris

Sold for $46,000

Sold for $92,000 Sold for $92,000

Sold for $34,500

Sold for $40,250Sold for $63,250 Sold for $63,250

Sold for $27,025

Dahlgren Heavy 12-Pounder Boat Howitzer on OriginalCarriage (est. $60-90,000)

Model 1906 Krupp 50 MM Mountain Cannon(est $35-45,000)

Spanish Siege Mortar Dated 1750 Captured By Dupont atFernandina Florida 1862 (est. $90-125,000)

Sold for $97,750 Sold for $92,000 Sold for $70,800

Remember:Sellers Commission Rates onHigh Value Items as low as...

0%


24/52The Artilleryman22

One of the key attractions held a

the show is the twice daily artillerycannon firing demonstrations; and

with up to eleven guns on the lineits one to make some noise!


25/52

Don was pleased to have an extensive waiting list, and withthe need to eliminate problems such as parking and over-

crowded aisles, he searched for a facility that would keepit in the immediate area that was becoming so well known.

With the selection of the Richland County Fairgrounds inneighboring Mansfield, Ohio, Don had found a venue thatgave him the space he needed with room to grow. In 1993,the 16th annual Ohio Civil War Show opened utilizing

three of the primary buildings. Some feared that the split,and having multiple locations, could be problematic. Don,however, saw potential, and with the help of his three

children, Teresa, Wayne, and Greg, acting as buildingdirectors in a coordinated effort, the show became even

more successful.Todays show, now in its 38th year, showcases nearly

800 tables, as well as outdoor displays, living history en-campments, period music, and other special features. Thepublic can witness Abe Lincoln presenting the GettysburgAddress, a unique hospital scenario with a wounded sol-

diers amputated leg, Revolutionary War drills, Union andConfederate musket firing, and cannon firing presentations.

With Dons passion for artillery, the show also under-

went an addition of an Annual Artillery show, of whichis now in its 23rd year. At each show, artillery units meettwice daily to reenact cannon firing demonstrations for

the crowd. This years show exhibited nine cannons andfull crews, including reenactors of both the Union andConfederates.

Artillery enthusiasts also bring original and

reproduction cannons to put on display. This years showincluded guns such as a US Model 1905 Field Gun, anM1897 75mm French Gun, an M1885 3.2-inch US FieldGun, a 12-pounder Mountain Howitzer and a 1.65-inch

Hotchkiss breechloading gun.With each passing year, this aspect of the show grows

and changes. In previous years, guns on display ranged


Gerald Payne of Wooster, Ohio, more likely recognized asAbraham Lincoln. From his presentation of the Gettysburg

Address to his special knack of enriching the knowledgeof the younger crowd, any interaction with Lincoln is sure

to be a memorable one.


26/52

from Revolutionary War through World War II, includingexamples such as an 1763 Muller Rev War cannon, a10-pounder Parrott, M1841 6-pounder, a 3-inch Ordnancerifle, 12- and 24-pounder Mountain Howitzers, a 1.5-inch

Ellsworth Rifle, a 2.6-inch Wiard rifle, a WWI 1917 Gun cart,and an 1866 J. J. Maritz on a naval carriage. This impressiveAnnual Artillery Show addition is the only show of its kind

in the nation.

Dons passion for artillery specifically also lead him torecreate a Civil War artillery unit, the 1st Ohio Light Artil-lery, Battery D, which was originally formed in the Ash-

land and Mansfield, Ohio area, and also participates in theshows. The unit continues today with six full size cannons,a caisson and even a battery wagon.

Co-managers of the show, Teresa Williams Drushel,

Wayne Williams and Gregory Williams, all under the guid-ance of Dons wife, Dorlene Williams, have made sure to

keep a personal touch in the organization and promotion ofthe show. With the help of family and family friends, theyare happy to say that it is the exhibitors and their uniquewares and quality memorabilia that help keep the show

running strong and prosperous. The family is committedto displaying quality items, and continuously trying to addnew exhibitors and interests to the show each year. Educat-

ing todays youth with respect for our history is their key

focus, and they hope this is a trend that will continue foryears to come. The family is proud to keep their commit-ment to the late Donald Williams, and continue the legacy

of keeping history alive.

Teresa W. Drushel, Wayne Williams and Greg Williams, continue the tradition of their father Don Williams. They are co-man-agers of the Ohio Civil War Show and have worked with the showsince 1978. For more information visit OhioCivilWarShow.comNext years show is April 30-May 1, 2016.

The Artilleryman24

Group photo of Civil War artillery unit, the 1st Ohio Light Artillery, Battery D from left to right: Standing: Gerald Fry, Jerry

Imperio, Joey Gotter, David Brockway and Greg Williams. Kneellng: David Gotter, Wayne Williams and Brandon Warner.


27/52

Promoters of Quality Shows for Shooters, Collectors, Civil War and Militaria Enthusiasts

Military Collectible &

Gun & Knife Shows

Presents Te Finest

Rev War Civil War World War I & IIModern Gun & Knife Shows

Mike Kent and Associates, LLC PO Box 685 Monroe, GA 30655

(770) 630-7296 [email protected] www.MKShows.com

Northwest Georgia Trade Center

2211 Dug Gap Battle Road

Dalton, GA 30720

February 6 & 7, 2016

Richmond International Raceway

600 East Laburnum Avenue

Richmond, VA 23222

November 14 & 15, 2015

Williamson County Ag Expo Park

4215 Long Lane

Franklin, TN 37064

December 5 & 6, 2015

WNC Ag Center

1301 Fanning Bridge Road

Fletcher, NC 28732

July 11 & 12, 2015

October 10 & 11, 2015

Exchange Park Fairgrounds9850 Highway 78

Ladson, SC 29456

September 12 & 13, 2015

November 28 & 29, 2015

Florence Civic Center

3300 West Radio Drive

Florence, SC 29501

September 19 & 20, 2015

lll l


28/52

One of the most frequentquestions poised to artil-lery projectile experts is

by a new collector asking whether

the metal spherical ball they have is acannonball? The reason is they havelooked in the Civil War caliber tables

and have a sphere that doesnt match

any known caliber. There are manyreasons for this; the most common isthey have a colonial era cannonball

dated from prior to the Civil War(the caliber is smaller) or they have acannonball fired by one of the manycountries that conducted military op-

erations in North America (British,French, Spanish, Mexican or Russian).In addition many solid shot have been

imported from all over the World and

are always sold as Civil War cannon-balls; as the market for RevolutionaryWar, War of 1812 or foreign projectiles

brings much lower prices.In addition to real cannon shot,

early American industry used cast

iron or steel balls to grind materi-als; shot were used on ship compassstands for compass deflection; some

iron spheres were used to decoratefence posts and any number of largeball bearings resembling small can-nonballs are often sold to the unsus-

pecting on the internet as Civil Warshot. Railroad wheel ball bearingsare about 2.5 inches in diameter andweigh about 2.3 pounds and are fre-

quently sold as small cannonballs. Butcareful examination reveals they aremade of high quality steel (they cant

be scratched) and have wear marks.The most frequently observed mis-take at relic shows is that British orAmerican 3-pdr (2.773-inch) or 4-pdr

(3.053-inch) artillery shells are beingsold as Confederate hand grenades atover twice the price they would bring

if they were properly identified. The

Confederate spherical hand grenade isactually about 2.46 inches in diameterand is a very rare find.

The author enjoys walking aroundat Civil War shows and measuring thediameter of cannonballs that are beingsold as Civil War shot and shell be-

cause a great number of these speci-mens are from the Revolutionary andWar of 1812. The fuse hole is a dead

give-away because it was smaller

during this period. When the authorwent back and examined his own col-lection he noted that a cannonball that

had been given to him was actually aRussian shot made of wrought iron.That explained why it was so much

heavier than any service shot of asimilar caliber. The Union Navy usedsome wrought iron shot and the au-

thor recently acquired a 10-inch shotthat weighs 140 pounds compared tothe cast iron shot that weighs about125 pounds.

Unfortunately, there is a giant mis-understanding among the public andeven some artillery projectile expertsas to the actual calibers used by the

services that fought in North Americaand its almost impossible to find thecalibers of the services in reference

material or on the internet. This iswhy this writer published the Encyclopedia of Black Powder Artillery ProjectilesFound in North America; 1759-1865, Vol

ume II, (available at www.bpapresscom). It contains 161 pages of all thefuses used in North American black

powder projectiles (1759 1865), but

most importantly it contains 227 pagescontaining the diameter and specifica-tions of all the shot, shells, grape shot

and canister shot used by all the ser-vices that fought in America.

To answer the question of do Ihave a cannonball it is critical to have

an exact diameter to at least the clos-est one-hundredth of an inch. Thiscannot be obtained with a ruler alone

Next, we must know the exact weight

of the shot or shell to the closest one-hundredth of a pound. This cannot

be obtained by using bathroom scalesas they are far too inaccurate to ob-tain an actual weight. In addition, any

marks noted on the casing, includingthe mold/seam mark is critical to theidentification.

The best way to obtain an exactdiameter is by using calipers, but theyare often not available so there are twoother methods that work perfectly

The first is to take a string or a clothtape measure and measure the outsidecircumference of the shot (this is thedistance around the outside of the

sphere). Since many early shot wereout of round this should be taken atthe seam, when possible. Many early

The Artilleryman26

War of 1812 shot with

misaligned mold seam


29/52

are precisely the diameter of the shot.A triangular engineering ruler (it iscalibrated in hundreds of an inch) canbe used to measure the exact diameter.

Since all the calibers of the various ser-vices are slightly different, it becomeseasy to enter the tables to identify the

exact caliber and service. However, aword of caution must be exercised hereas many specimens have been over-

cleaned and are slightly smaller thanthe original size. But as a rule enoughof the original surface remains (whywe note the largest diameter) to make

an identification.The next most important fact is

how much does the shot weigh? Theweight of the iron used is different

between all services and can be usedto make a positive identification. Forexample, British cast iron is the most

pure and hence weighs more than any

other service. Since the Americans andthe British used the same calibers from1759 to 1815 the actual weight of the

specimen determines its providenceA British 12-pounder shot is 4.4 inches

in diameter and weighs exactly 12.0pounds compared to an American shot

of the same caliber that weighs about11.2 pounds. A British 12.0 pounderimported during the Civil War is4.522 inches in diameter, but weighs

13.0 pounds, compared to a 4.52-inchU.S. or C.S. shot that weighs 12.3pounds. The larger the shot, the more

important the exact weight becomesin making a positive identificationPrecise weights can be obtained by

using a digital postal scale or a babyscale that has fine calibrations. Digitascales can be found on the internet thaare both accurate and inexpensive

When examining a projectile forweight its important to know if it haslost any weight due to being buriedor being recovered from salt water

Certain forms of inferior service castiron are very susceptible to weight losswhen buried in soil and all service iron

American shot seams are not aligned

and if the measurement is not takenat the seam, it will be inaccurate. Inthe event the seam is not evident, four

measurements should be taken fromdifferent angles on the sphere andthe largest diameter noted and the

others averaged. Grinding balls arenotoriously out of round as over theyears the sides wore unevenly. Oncethe circumference is noted, it can be

divided by Pi (3.1416) and this willreveal the exact diameter.

Another method the author hasused is to cut a piece of paper carefully

to form a cut out that is the exact sizeof the sphere. This can be easily donewith a pair of scissors until the sides


Use of cloth tape to measure outside circumference to calculate diameter

Paper cut to exact diameter

To allow gap measurement

Testing magnetic attraction

to assess possible weight loss

A triangular engineering ruler can be

used to measure the exact diameter


30/52

DIXIE GUN WORKS, INC.

PO Box 130 Dept. 66 Union City, TN 38281

INFO PHONE: (731) 885-0700

FAX: (731) 885-0440

EMAIL: [email protected]

VIEW ITEMS AND ORDER ONLINE!

www.dixiegunworks.comMajor credit cards accepted

FOR ORDERS ONLY (800) 238-6785

2015 CATALOG - STILL ONLY $5.00

SERVING GENERATIONS

OF BLACKPOWDER ENTHUSIASTS.

The Dixie Gun Works story is legendary, and

the catalog has been a tradition for more than

60 years. Our 2015edition has over 10,000itemsthe worlds largest selection of black-

powder replica arms and accessories for re-

enactment enthusiasts

and history buffs...

PLUS a huge selection

of the latest black-

powder hunting and

sport equipment.

PROFESSIONAL

SERVICE AND

EXPERTISEGUARANTEED

Gun Works, Inc.

Contains drawings, pictures; descriptions, dimensions, weights, functioning,bursting charges and technical data on all spherical smoothbore projectiles (Shot,shell, repeating shells, carcass, incendiary shells, canister, grape shot, and bar shot)for all services that fought in North Americas wars (Colonial America; British;French; Spanish and Mexican; Russian; and Union and Confederate forces. (Over650 projectiles)

Contains drawings; pictures; descriptions, dimensions; weights, functioning and

all data on fuses used on both smoothbore and rifled projectiles used in NorthAmerica with special emphasis on Union and Confederate fusing (Over 200 fusesand variants).

Includes over 1,200 drawings and pictures and 400+ data charts. Te book is fully footnoted and references projectiles showing the book(s) and

page number of the book or document where additional information can be found,making additional research easy. Te book is also indexed.

It is the most comprehensive book published to date, on this subject.

$44.45postpaid in U.S.A. Order from our website www.bpapress.comor theBlack Powder Artificer Press, Box 575, Colonial Beach, VA 22443. For additional

information, visit our website or call 410-491-1052 to place phone orders.

ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BLACK POWDER

PROJECTILES FOUND IN NORTH

AMERICA; 1759 1865VOLUME II

Civil War (Union & CSA); RevolutionaryWar; War of 1812; and Mexican War

will lose weight in salt water. This canbe easily determined by testing a smallmagnet against a modern hammer

head and comparing the attractionwith the surface of the projectile. If

there is a noticeable difference inthe attraction, this should be noted

because the projectile has lost weightthat can be factored back into theoriginal weight.

Mold or other marks are also

very important in making a positive

identification. The British pouredtheir shot from the top which leaves adistinct-indented circular mold mark

where the pour vented. The Britishleft this indented because British cast

iron is so pure and hard it cannot bedrilled with ordinary bits and this

indentation made it unnecessary tofinish this surface. Some cannonballshave foundry or service marks thatwill allow a positive identification,

including the foundry that cast them

or the inspector that accepted it.Anyone that has a sizeable col-

lection that carefully examines theirspecimens may be surprised to see

how many spherical projectiles arenot from the Civil War, but have beensold as such. But the good news is the

projectile may be identified as simply

from a service that fought in NorthAmerica. The most common projec-tile thus identified is usually from the

Revolutionary or War of 1812 that waskept as a souvenir or recovered fromone of the many battlefields or rangesthat overlap Civil War activity. If you

are a serious collector, it makes senseto know exactly what you have.

Longtime subscriber John Biemeckis a retired U.S. Army Ordnance Corps

Colonel that has collected, studied anddeactivated black powder ordnance for 60years and has participated in the recoveryof over 1,600 projectiles. He is preparing afive volume Encyclopedia on black powderprojectiles found in North America. Hehas earned the title of Mr. Cannonballfor his work in this field.

The Artilleryman28

Broad Arrow

on British solid shotTypical mold dimple found

on British solid shot


31/52

The museum recently put on exhibit, a M1819 6-pdr.

Walking Stick Gun, which it received on loan fromthe Sacketts Harbor Battlefield State Historic Site, NewYork State Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Pres-

ervation. The gun now sits beside the fractured exam-

ple of the gun which the museum acquired in October.The Army accepted 74 of these guns in 1821-22. Thetwo Walking Stick guns are used as a teaching point

about the problems with cast iron cannon.In March the museum installed a large new exhibit

on Trench Art. Containing 185 pieces of many sizes,shapes and types, this fine collection was donated last

year by Mr. Raymond D. White of Nashville, TN. Themajority of this collection was made during or shortlyafter World War I. The collection includes a Spanish-

News from the U.S. Army Artillery Museum

American War lamp commemorating the 1898 Battle of

Manila Bay, a sizeable variety of World War II piecesand pieces made as recently as the Bosnian War, 1992-95.

The museum exhibit shop is restoring a M1898

5-inch Siege Rifle that it acquired last year. Restoration

of the wooden wheels is in progress. The carriage hasbeen dismantled and the breech opened. Once com-pleted it will be placed in the museum.

Gordon A. BlakerDirector/CuratorUS Army Artillery Museum238 Randolph Road, Fort Sill, OK 73503. (580) 442-1819http://sill-www.army.mil/[email protected]


M1898 5-inch Siege Rifle carriage.

M1819 6-pounder Gun Walking Stick and frac-tured remains of another.

Opened breech

of M1898 5-inchSiege Rifle.

Trench Art exhibit.


33/52

Federal soldiers stand

guard over a 2.75-inchWhitworth breechloader

mounted on a carriage builtand marked by the C.S. Ar-senal at Richmond. Cour-

tesy Library of Congress.



34/52

When chased they [blockade runners] in-variably make for the shoal water, and,if likely to be captured, increase their

head of steam, beach the vessel . . . so high on thebeach it is almost a work of impossibility to drag heroff. On these occasions, as soon as the report of ourguns are heard or the signals of the blockade-runners

are observed, the light batteries of Whitworth gunsare brought down and used.1

- Report of U.S. Brigadier General Charles K. Graham, January25, 1864

I n January, 1865, the only thing standing betweenthe besieged Army of Northern Virginia andcomplete starvation was the port of Wilmington,North Carolina, located about twenty miles up the

Cape Fear River. In the last eighteen months of the war,Wilmington was the Confederacys chief port for blockade-

run arms, uniforms, and equipment shipped from Englandby way of Bermuda. From April to November, 1864, the

C.S. Quartermaster Bureau imported more than 311,000pairs of shoes, 170,000 blankets, and 803,000 yards ofuniform cloth; from October, 1864, through January, 1865,the C.S. Ordnance Bureau imported more than 50,000

arms and 400,000 pounds of lead. The great majority of

these supplies as well as nearly all the salted and tinnedmeat consumed by the Army of Northern Virginia camethrough Wilmington.

Protecting that vital lifeline near the new or northern

inlet of the Cape Fear was Fort Fisher, popularly dubbedThe Gibraltar of the South. In July, 1862, Colonel Wil-liam Lamb, a twenty-nine year-old native of Norfolk, Vir-

ginia, had taken command of a hodge-podge collection of

poorly-built fortifications on Federal Point (todays Plea-sure Island), a six-mile long peninsula between the CapeFear River and the Atlantic Ocean. Using as a model the

Russian defenses at Sevastopol during the Crimean War,Lamb determined at once to build a work of such magni-tude that it could withstand the heaviest fire of any guns inthe American navy.2

Two years later, Fort Fisher was the largest earthenfort in the Confederacy, mounting forty-seven heavy gunsamid ramparts twenty-five feet thick at the base. The forts

massive defenses were so intimidating that blockadingships dared not venture within range of the forts guns.

In the middle of its mile-long sea face was the forts mostformidable weapon, an 8-inch Armstrong rifle (a gift from

London merchants), while at its southern end was theforty-three foot high Mound Battery with its 10-inch Co-lumbiad and 6.4-inch Brooke rifle. A half mile to the south,at the very tip of Federal Point, Battery Buchanan mounted

four more heavy guns, while Batteries Anderson and Gat-lin were positioned threeand five miles north of the

fort, respectively.Some of Fort Fishers

most effective guns werealso some of its smallest

four 2.19-inch (6-pounder)muzzle-loading and asmany as eight 2.75-inch(12-pounder) breech-

loading Whitworth riflesFour of the breechloaderswere salvaged from the

blockade runner ModernGreece in June, 1862; fourmore arrived on board

two blockade runners inthe late months of 1864,though it is unclear howmany were actually put to

use in or near Fort FisherAlthough slight in caliber,these odd guns with thedistinctive hexagonal

bore possessed a criticaladvantage: they were themost accurate long-range

The Artilleryman32



Fort Fisher, N.C., Interior view of first three traverseson land face. Courtesy Library of Congress.

Muzzle of the 2.19-inch caliber Whitworth rifle illustratingthe hexagonal bore.

The perfectly-angled spiraling planes of a 2.19-inch bolt(left) and 2.75-inch shell (right) clearly illustrate Whitworthsprinciple of pre-guided rifling.

Below: 6-pounder Whit-

worth bolt recovered fromFort Fisher. Courtesy The

Atlanta History CenterThomas S. Dickey Sr.Collection.


36/52

artillery pieces in the world. At maximum elevation, a 2.75-inch Whitworth could spit defiance up to 10,000 yards well over five miles and well beyond the effective range ofmost blockaders guns.

By 1865, British shipyards had turned out more than onehundred steamships designed specifically for blockade run-ning. Typically, these sleek craft approached the Cape Fear

River twenty or twenty-five miles north of the new inlet,

running close along the shore so that their profiles wouldbe concealed against silhouetting by the slight rise of theshoreline. Once within the protective range of Confederate

guns at Fort Fisher, only a lucky long-range shot from aUnion warship could stop a blockade runners passage intothe Cape Fear River. Nevertheless, it was a constant gameof cat-and-mouse. Inbound ships were always in danger of

being run ashore by blockading ships that managed to spotthem in time to cut off their approach.

To give cover to incoming runners, Colonel Lamb or-

ganized his Whitworth guns into several quick-response

flying batteries which roamed north to the Masonbor-ough Inlet, about fifteen miles above Fort Fisher, and some-times further. Despite the small caliber of the guns, all ittook was a single shot to disable a steam boiler or punch a

hole beneath the water line of a blockading ship, thus dis-couraging further pursuit. At 4:30 p.m. stood inshore incompany with the Eolusto shell blockade runners ashore,

reported the disgruntled captain of the U.S.S.Monticelloon

December 27, 1864. At 6 p.m. hauled off; was struck oncebelow the water line, port quarter, with shot from Whit-worth gun.3Another Union report neatly summed up the

problem: The [flying] battery is shifted from point to pointas its services are required. Our blockading squadron hasbeen a good deal annoyed by it.4

These highly-accurate artillery pieces were the brain

child of Sir Joseph Whitworth, Britains foremost mechani-cal engineer. Whitworth was most famous for introducingthe first standard measurement for screw threads, known as

the British Standard Whitworth, which is still in use todayIn rifling tests commissioned by the Brit-

ish Board of Ordnance, Whitworth con-cluded that relying on ordinary rifling

with spiral grooves to spin a bullet wasmechanically inefficient. Instead, he re-vived the old idea of a polygonal borewithin which slightly twisting planes

pre-guided a projectile made in precisely the same shape, not unlike a screwthreading a nut. Whitworths mechani

cal rifling system proved to be aboutsix times more accurate than that of the

standard-issue British Pattern 1853 infantry rifle-musket.

Yet the salient feature of Whitworthssystem was also its chief drawback. Withan extraordinarily fine tolerance between bore and projectile, the hexagona

bore was easily fouled with powder residue and had to be cleaned after only afew shots. This problem, combined with

the exorbitant expense of their manufac-ture, meant that the British Governmenteventually deemed Whitworths hex-

agonal-bore small arms unsuitable asinfantry weapons. Nevertheless, it wasstill interested in using Whitworths sys-tem for artillery pieces. So, too, was the

Confederacy, which badly needed long-range artillery and had already investedheavily in Whitworths extraordinarilydeadly scoped sniper rifles.

Confederate Army and Navy agentspurchased cannon from WhitworthsManchester Ordnance and Rifle

The Artilleryman34


37/52

Company in at least eight different calibers, from thesmallest 1.25-inch (one-pounder) shipboard swivel gunsto the largest 6.4-inch (120-pounder) seacoast guns. Mostof the Confederacys Whitworth projectiles were also

imported from England, where machinery existed to cut theprecisely-measured and angled planes for the hexagonalbores. However, some noticeably cruder but entirely

functional projectiles were made in the Confederacy,

probably by a very skilled machinist in Richmond.Whitworths artillery pieces suffered from much the

same problem as his small arms. Most famously, two

5-inch rifles (variously referred to as 70- or 80-pounders)captured from the blockade runner Princess Royaland usedby the U.S. Navy in the siege of Charleston in 1863 had tobe abandoned due to defective shells and the projectile

wedging when part way down which made loadingall but impossible.5 In his diary, Colonel Lamb reportedthe same issue with one of his 2.19-inch muzzleloaders:

November 14 [1864]. Fired at a blockader rather close in

to-night, and think we struck her. A 6-pounder Whitworthbolt got jammed in the gun, but was extracted.6

The breech-loading mechanism of the 2.75-inch

Whitworth rifles also proved problematic. Regardinghis experience with these guns in the Army of NorthernVirginia, Brigadier General Edward Porter Alexanderremarked: They fired solid shot almost exclusively, but

they were perfectly reliable and their projectiles neverfailed to fly in the most beautiful trajectory imaginable.Their breech-loading arrangements, however, often

worked with difficulty and every one of the six was atsome point disabled by breaking some of its parts but alwere repaired and kept in service. Alexander added thatthe Whitworths efficiency was impaired by its weight

and the very cumbrous English carriage on which it wasmounted.7On the other side of Mason and Dixons lineCharles Knap, owner of the Fort Pitt Foundry in Pittsburgh

agreed: As a toy it is the most wonderful gun in the world

but it is not fit for actual service. . . . it requires very delicatemanipulation, and common soldiers in action are not verydelicate fellows in handling their projectiles, and those guns

would be very apt to jam.8For this reason, Confederategunners often kept the screw-cap breech closed to allow theguns to be used as muzzleloaders.

Despite these drawbacks, Colonel Lambs Whitworth

guns served quite well along the shoreline north of FortFisher. Here, they were not subject to the wear and tear ofeveryday use, they could be moved reasonably quickly to

any danger point, and they enjoyed the clearest possiblefield of fire at the greatest possible range. Colonel Lambhad found the perfect niche for Whitworth field artillery.

Ultimately, however, there were limits to the effective-

ness of field guns against naval firepower. On August 181863, the blockade runner Hebe,a new twin-screw steamerloaded with blankets, cloth, and other supplies for the C.SQuartermaster Bureau, was forced ashore about nine miles

north of Fort Fisher. Despite heavy seas and a gale forcewind, Union sailors managed to board the Hebe and attempted to burn her, but to no avail. A detachment from


These 1978 Polaroid snapshots show the 2.19Whitworthrifleinitsunrestoredconditionwithamakeshift carriagecobbled together from farmmachinery.CourtesyAtlantaHistoryCenter.


38/52

Contact us for a catalog sheet. Drawings with dimensionsof carriages, limbers, ammunition chests and more.

Antique Ordnance PublishersPO Box 610434

Port Huron, MI 48061

[email protected] (810) 987-7749

Lambs flying battery soon showed up on the scene, po-sitioned themselves behind the dunes for protection,and drove off the attackers. They continued to guard thestricken Hebeas her precious cargo was off-loaded onto

the beach. Five days later, four U.S. Navy gunboats andthe frigateMinnesotaclosed in for the kill. The detachment,comprised of one 2.75-inch Whitworth breechloader and

one 4-inch (18-pounder) Blakely muzzleloader, was quickly

overwhelmed by the concentrated fire of sixty-eight Federalguns. The Confederate crews spiked the Blakely gun, threwthe handle of the Whitworths breech block into the marsh,

and fled for their lives. The victors quickly destroyed theHebe,and, for good measure, a shore party took off the Con-federate guns as trophies. Today, both guns are displayedat the Washington Navy Yard.9

On December 25, 1864, a similar fate befell the defend-ers of Battery Gatlin, five miles north of Fort Fishers mainworks, during the first of two attempts to capture the fort.

Here, U.S. Navy warships opened an intense bombardmentof the battery prior to a planned troop landing. Confederate

Lieutenant Colonel John P. W. Read responded immedi-ately with the long-range guns, but had to fire very slowly,

as it was almost impossible to make the cannoneers do theirduty. The 32-pounder at Fort Gatlin never fired a shot, andneither am I aware of the 6-pounder Whitworth havingbeen used. Complaining that the men under his command

behaved very badly, Read was seriously wounded in theone-sided exchange of fire.10Two miles south, Whitworthguns at Battery Anderson were similarly overwhelmed.

On January 15, 1865, Fort Fisher was finally subdued bythe firepower of 275 guns aboard fifty-six Navy warships

combined with a landing force of more than 9,600 soldiers,sailors and marines. Among the ninety-one Confederate ar-

tillery pieces of all calibers captured that day were four 2.2-inch rifles in good order almost certainly the 2.19-inchWhitworth muzzleloaders. Three other guns reportedonly as 3-inch rifles may have been the surviving 2.75-

inch Whitworth breechloaders.11The muzzle-loading 2.19-inch Whitworth rifle featured

on these pages is the only known surviving example of its

type and is believed to have been one of the four captured

at Fort Fisher (a fifth 2.19-inch Whitworth was reportedto have been used in the Army of Northern Virginia). Itssteel barrel measures sixty-seven inches in length from themuzzle face to the tip of the cascabel. The only clearly vis-

ible marking is WHITWORTH stamped across the topof the barrel just in front of the vent, though there are research notes indicating that it is marked in the same area

with 1861, 11 (or possibly 17), and 4CWT 1 QRS.

The latter marks give the weight of the gun using BritishImperial measures of four centum weight (448 pounds) andone quarter (28 pounds), or 476 pounds in total. The right

trunnion has been tapped with three holes for a high-ele-vation long-range trunnion sight, a significant clue stronglysuggesting Confederate use.

After the war, this Whitworth rifle was displayed at

Stevens Post 517, Grand Army of the Republic, in Lititz,Pennsylvania, in Lancaster County. Three regiments ofPennsylvania volunteers the 76th, 97th, and 203rd were

engaged in the final assault on Fort Fisher and their com-mander, Colonel Galusha Pennypacker, was awarded the

Medal of Honor for his actions there. It is possible thatveterans of these regiments had something to do with ob-

taining this particular gun as a trophy from the U.S. WarDepartment.

After Post 517 disbanded in 1928, the gun was displayedoutside a general store near Highland Falls, New York. In

1978, Atlanta collector George W. Wray Jr., discovered thegun and bought it from an antiques dealer near HighlandFalls. For the next twenty-five years, Wray researched the

guns origins and sought out the specifications for themissing sights and carriage. The result was a beautiful

reproduction British Army gun carriage built by Histori-cal Ordnance Works, Inc., of Woodstock, Georgia, in 2003

Today, this rare survivor of Colonel Lambs flying batteryis exhibited at the Atlanta History Center, which purchasedGeorge Wrays extensive collection of Confederate arms,uniforms, and flags in 2005. For more information about the

Centers Civil War exhibits and collections, visit us onlineat www.atlantahistorycenter.com. Endnotes for this articlecan be found online at ArtillerymanMagazine.com.

Gordon L. Jones, Ph.D., is the Senior Military

Historian and Curator at the Atlanta History

Center, where he has worked since 1991. He is theauthor of Confederate Odyssey: The George

W. Wray Jr. Civil War Collection (University

of Georgia Press, 2014).

The Artilleryman36


39/52

Atlanta History Center

AtlantaHistoryCenter.com

404.814.4000



Fair Oaks, Va., vicinity. U.S. 3-inch Ordnance Rifle with Lt. Robert Clarke, Capt.John C. Tidball, Lt. William N. Dennison, and Capt. Alexander C. M. Pennington.

Courtesy Library of Congress. Colorized by CivilWarInColor.com.


41/52

In June of 1862, George Barnardmade his way from the MathewBrady studio in Washington,

across the Potomac to Fort Richardson,which was located a little over three miles

from the White House. He had come tophotograph one of the forts that had been

built to defend Washington D.C.Just over a year earlier, Fort Washing-

ton was the only fort defending the city.It had been built prior to the War of 1812

to defend the capital from a sea attack.At the start of the war, Union Forces cap-tured the area of Virginia immediately

near the capi-tol and began

building forts onthe surround-

ing Virginiaand Marylandcountryside.

On his jour-

ney, Barnardtravelled pastthe dozens of

forts that hadbeen built in thefifteen months

since the startof the war. Priorto the war, Union forces had made scout-ing trips to determine the best locations

to defend Washington. At the time of thisphotograph, the fortifications had grownfrom a single fort to 48 forts and batteries.By the close of the war that number had

increased to 68 forts and an additional93 batteries, comprising more than 800cannons and more than 90 mortars with

more than 20,000 artillerymen, infantryand cavalry.

On this day Barnard was only con-

cerned about one gun and one crew. Cap-tain Rufus D. Pettits Battery B, 1st New

York Light Artillery was his focus. It hadbeen established at Baldwinsville, NY

(about 30 miles from the Canadian border near Lake Ontario) in August of 1861and became the first battery to be fullymounted in defense of Washington. What

they did not know was that this would beone of the last peaceful days they wouldhave during the war.

A t t h a tmoment, the

men c ouldenjoy a carefree

day and hadfun posing forthe cameraGeorge Barnard

setup his stereocamera andinserted a glass

negative thatwas four inchestall and ten

inches wideThe camera had

two lenses designed to take a photographthat could be viewed in 3D using a specia

viewer of the day. Following the photoshoot, the negative, along with at leastone other photo he took of the fort, turnedup at the Brady studio. It changed hands

a few times and was finally purchased in1943 by the Library of Congress. At somepoint, the fragile glass broke into five



42/52

pieces, producing damage on boththe left and right sides of the image.Despite the damage, the Library ofCongress chose to scan it along with

over 7,000 Civil War glass negatives inits collection.

When I first saw the image in

2010, I knew that I wanted to see if

I could repair the damage that 150years had caused and bring it backto life. Since 2009, I have restored

hundreds of images for my websites,civilwarincolor.com and civilwarin3d.com. They have been used in books,various magazines (including the

new masthead for The Artillerymanmagazine) and even TV shows. Therecent Blood and Glory The Civil

War In Color, that appeared on the

History Channel, includes more than75 of the images which we provided.I have also been asked to showcase

my colorized images at numerousCivil War Roundtables as well as atseminars.

For this image, the damage was

fairly severe and it would take morethan just adding color to make thisright. The Library of Congress had

done a terrific job of scanning the

image which was the size equivalentof using a 24 mega pixel camera. Thebroken pieces had been placed in the

The Artilleryman40

Captain Rufus D. Pettits Battery B, 1st New York Light Artillery in Fort Richardson. Courtesy Library of Congress. Colorized

by CivilWarInColor.com.


43/52

715-526-9769 www.zurkopromotions.com

ZURKOS MIDWEST PROMOTIONS

& MILITARY EXTRAVAGANZA

2015 SEMI-ANNUAL 2015

CHICAGOLANDS NATIONAL

CIVIL WAR

WHEATON, ILDuPage Co. Fairgrounds

2015 W. Manchester Wheaton, IL 60189

$1OFF

ADMISS

ION!

FALL SHOW & SALE

SEPT. 19th, 2015

ZURKOS MIDWEST PROMOTIONS

& MILITARY EXTRAVAGANZA

2015 SEMI-ANNUAL 2015

CHICAGOLANDS NATIONAL

CIVIL WAR

WHEATON, ILDuPage Co. Fairgrounds

2015 W. Manchester Wheaton, IL 60189

1,000s of Civil War Treasures Plus!

Revolutionary War Spanish-American War

Indian Wars Mountain Men Bowie Knife

Fur Traders AND World Wars I & II Memorabilia

Show Hours: 9am to 4pm / $9 Early Buyers 8am / $25

1754 Little Valley Rd., Blaine TN 37709

(865) 932-1200 [email protected]

www.trailrockordnance.com

TRAILROCKORDNANCE Carriage hardware for #1 and

#2 Field Carriage, Field Limber

& 1st Model Prairie Carriage

Complete Carriages in stock

& ready to ship

Implements

Artillery Ammunition

Sabots & Shooting

Accessories

Ammunition Shipping Boxes

Artillery Harness

Other Artillery Goodies

Our Paul & Silas Cadet 6 pdr. gunsOur Paul & Silas Cadet 6 pdr. guns

approximate positions, but neededadjusting to get to the correct location.First step, each of the pieces was sep-arated into its own layer; so it could

be moved around, to fit, like a puzzlepiece into the proper position. Aftereach piece was in place, the damage

between the broken lines could be

corrected and with other repairs theimage was restored to its 1862 shape.

Now is the time to think about the

color. Before I colorize an image, I liketo find out as much as possible aboutit prior to making the color selections.I learned early on that research is more

important than just picking colors thatlook good. Basically, I try to do threethings. First, if possible, I will visit the

location and take photographs. Nextmuseum collections are studied, ei-

ther online or in person. Finally forsome images I will reach out and find

experts to consult and ensure I amgetting it right. In fact, my associationwith the editor of this magazine wasmade as one of those consultations.

Using my reference images, thedetective work to obtain the proper

color begins. Importing the referenceimage into Photoshop allows me tosample the color to be added to thevintage image. It is not a simple matter

of knowing that the carriage of a gunshould be olive drab but which shadeis correct. The paint on most of the

original carriages has been replaced

over the years (along with the carriagesthemselves). Nevertheless, I try to findmodern carriages that have already

been painted to the proper colors.I have a few hundred reference

images for everything from what aproper sky looks like, to the color of

the boots the soldiers wore. For artil-lery pieces, I was lucky enough to findlocally a period gun that had been

mounted on a reproduction carriage.I took dozens of photos showing the

proper paint scheme and giving methe details needed in my final images.

At this point, I may have alreadyspent several hours of restoration andresearch on an image. I have pulledtogether from my reference collec-

tion the proper colors and conferred(if necessary) with experts about my



44/52

color selections. Now the color processbegins. Each color is laid down one ata time and then adjusted to give thedesired shade and intensity. Simple

images, such as a studio image mayrequire 20-25 layers of color. Morecomplex outdoor scenes may require

70-100 layers of color and adjustment.

Initially, the color is applied muchlike painting a house. It is solid, non-transparent and completely covers

any visible sign of the original under-lying image. Next, the blending modeis adjusted to reveal the original B&Wimage. Think about this sort of the

way a pair of sunglasses works. Youcan see through the glass clearly butthe image is now tinted. When you

do this with dozens of layers of colorthat only cover a specific part of the

image, you slowly build a full colorimage such as stained glass uses col-

ored glass to make an image.Unlike stained glass that has a sin-

gle piece of glass for each color, col-orized images may have a half dozen

or more colors stacked on top of eachother to produce the desired effect.This allows for the natural variety and

subtle differences that occur naturally,to appear in the colorized image. Next

the colors are adjusted to increase ordecrease the saturation, change the

brightness, etc.Sometimes during this process I

find that a mistake was made. A sec-tion either does not have the right

color or it extends into an area for adifferent part of the image. A commonexample of this is the wheels of an ar-

tillery piece. I will outline the area forcolor and then use a fill tool to floodthe center with color. To achieve this

on the wheels of a cannon, I need tooutline each of the spokes and thenadd the color to the center. Occasion-ally, I will find that I missed part of

an outline and the olive drab that wasadded to the spokes also extends tothe areas between the spokes requir-ing time spent correcting the mistakes.

When everything is cleaned andlooking correct, I will usually sendit for a final review with any experts

that had been consulted. First an artil-lery expert, then an expert on swordsto ensure that the proper pieces of theswords had been colored and finally

an expert on clothing to review uni-form choices.

The finished image is now ready

for public display. Usually this starts

with my website. However, in the caseof the Blood and Glory TV program,many images went straight to the pro-

duction crew. They had contacted meabout 7-8 months before the showaired, inquiring about the possibilityof using a few images. At that time

they had wanted 8-10 images to show-case during the show. Eventually, theprogram used about 500 finished im-

ages provided by 9-10 different colorartists. Since we had a large collection

of several hundred already completed

images, they both selected images andrequested new images to be producedAbout half of the 75 images I providedcame from work produced specifically

for the show.While I am not an expert on any

specific area of the Civil War, I can

often tell from the research for images

that I have done, if an image is correct for the context it is being used orthe colors chosen. One such example

The Artilleryman42

JOHN B. GALLIE painted on breech

of this 8-inch smoothbore gun. Notethe painted lines of elevation in de-grees. Courtesy Library of Congress.

Colorized by CivilWarInColor.com.


45/52

was a series of artillery images. One ofthe guns had a very unusual woodencarriage with scroll work painted onit. I checked the Library of Congress

description for the image and it indi-cated that it was the Swamp Angel.I knew from previous research that the

Swamp Angel was an 8-inch bore,

200-pounder Parrott rifle used to bom-bard Charleston. This gun was clearlynot a Parrott rifle and looking closer

at an enlargement the name John B.Gallie was painted on the breech.

I looked him up and found thatMaj. Gallie was the commander of Fort

McAllister (outside of Savannah) andhad been killed in 1863. Why woulda Union artillery piece in Charleston

harbor bear the name of a Confederatecommander that had died two years

before near Savannah?After discussing and sharing the

image with Jack Melton and TalleyKirkland (retired ranger at Fort McAl-lister State Park) we all came to theconclusion that it was unlikely that the

gun was in the Charleston area whenthe image was taken. Fort McAllisterdid not fall into Union hands until two

weeks before Chris

the artilleryman summer 2015

Documents