The Battle of Fort Fisher, N.C.

Friday, March 12, 2010

Railway Cannons

The first railway gun (meaning it was mounted on a railroad car and could be pulled from one site to another) used in action during the Civil War was a 32-pdr. Brooke naval rifle mounted on a flatcar and shielded by a sloping casemate of railroad iron (what else?) ala Confederate ironclad style.

On June 29, 1862, Gen. Robert E. Lee had it pushed by locomotive and was used in the Battle of Savages Station.

Union forces had at least one, the 13-inch siege mortar called the Dictator which was used at Petersburg.

From Southern Railfan.net.

Keep Those Cannons A-Rolling. --Old B-Runner

No comments: