At the Ohio Statehouse there are four Napoleons made by Miles Greenwood: 2 six-pounders and two 12-pounders. These were never used in combat and restored by Paul "Big Boom" Miller of Cannons Ltd. in 1995.
The 12-pounder in Galena has registry number 3 as well as the name of the Federal Ordnance officer in charge of production, John Rufus Edie and the weight, 1200 lbs.
It was originally in Union service, but at some point between 1862 and July 1863, it was captured by the Confederates. The April 20, 1865 issue of the Galena Daily Gazette reported that it was captured at Vicksburg, Mississippi, when that city fell July 4, 1863.
There is no account of what happened between 1863 and 1865. The Grant Park writer seemed to think that claiming it had been captured might have been postwar bravado.
It was displayed at the Galena Fairgrounds (Recreation Park) until 1882 when it was moved to a granite block at the Soldier's Monument.
I would like to have known how it came to be captured and what happened to it before it was sent to Galena.
The Story of a Cannon. --Old B-Runner
The Battle of Fort Fisher, N.C.
Showing posts with label Miles Greenwood. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Miles Greenwood. Show all posts
Monday, September 7, 2009
Thursday, September 3, 2009
USS Wyandotte II-- Part 1
This was the Canonicus-class monitor built by Miles Greenwood in Cincinnati, Ohio. Like the two from Alexander Swift, it was launched too late to take part in the war. It was constructed at the shipyard of John Litherburg. It was laid down in 1862, launched December 1864 and commissioned April 16, 1865.
It was originally called the USS Tippecanoe, but had the name changed to Wyandotte after a naval ship by that name was decommissioned and sold into the merchant service in 1865.
The Wyandotte was 223 feet long, had a 43.4 foot beam and mounted two 15-inch Dahklgren smoothbore cannons in the turret.
After commissioning, it was sent to New Orleans where the name was changed from Tippecanoe to Vesuvius in 1869 and later to the Wyandotte that same year.
From 1870-1872, it was laid up in Key West and the Philadelphia naval Yard. The next two years it underwent extensive repairs and was recommissioned in 1876, serving in the North Atlantic Squadron.
More to Come. --Old B-R
It was originally called the USS Tippecanoe, but had the name changed to Wyandotte after a naval ship by that name was decommissioned and sold into the merchant service in 1865.
The Wyandotte was 223 feet long, had a 43.4 foot beam and mounted two 15-inch Dahklgren smoothbore cannons in the turret.
After commissioning, it was sent to New Orleans where the name was changed from Tippecanoe to Vesuvius in 1869 and later to the Wyandotte that same year.
From 1870-1872, it was laid up in Key West and the Philadelphia naval Yard. The next two years it underwent extensive repairs and was recommissioned in 1876, serving in the North Atlantic Squadron.
More to Come. --Old B-R
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Eagle Ironworks, Cincinnati, Ohio
Continuing with yesterday's post.
Before the war, this foundry was the first to develop and manufacture a practical steam fire engine.
The firm struggled financially after the war and soon ceased operations, but several companies continued using the name.
Miles Greenwood was born in 1807 in Jersey City, NJ and moved with his father in 1817to Ohio. In 1829, he joined Cincinnati's Horse Co. #1 and remained involved with fire fighting throughout his life. A Cincinnati suburb bearing his names shows how important he was to the community.
CIVIL WAR
A total of five northern companies produced Napoleons. Eagle Ironworks made 50 of them in 1862. The one in Galena was one of those.
Through research and development, the company could turn 800 muskets into rifles in a single day. They also made gun carriages, caissons, and cannons and even built an ironclad monitor.
Before the war, they had contracted to provide the iron for the Roebling Bridge, but the war interrupted its construction.
After seeing that he built a Union monitor, I had to find out more about it.
A Ship here, a Ship There. --Old B-Runner
Before the war, this foundry was the first to develop and manufacture a practical steam fire engine.
The firm struggled financially after the war and soon ceased operations, but several companies continued using the name.
Miles Greenwood was born in 1807 in Jersey City, NJ and moved with his father in 1817to Ohio. In 1829, he joined Cincinnati's Horse Co. #1 and remained involved with fire fighting throughout his life. A Cincinnati suburb bearing his names shows how important he was to the community.
CIVIL WAR
A total of five northern companies produced Napoleons. Eagle Ironworks made 50 of them in 1862. The one in Galena was one of those.
Through research and development, the company could turn 800 muskets into rifles in a single day. They also made gun carriages, caissons, and cannons and even built an ironclad monitor.
Before the war, they had contracted to provide the iron for the Roebling Bridge, but the war interrupted its construction.
After seeing that he built a Union monitor, I had to find out more about it.
A Ship here, a Ship There. --Old B-Runner
Why It Takes me So Long to Do a Blog Entry
Case in point, this story on the 12-pdr Napoleon Civil War cannon at Galena, Illinois' Grant Park.
I got the information from the article, then did a search on the net for Galena's cannons and found more information.
Then, I looked up Miles Greenwood's Eagle Ironworks and found information on it. He could be called one of the arsenal's of the Union with all the war-related items they built. Then, I read that he built an ironclad in Cincinnati, which sent me off there. He built one and another foundry in the city built two. Then, there was a search for information on those. I came across other Union warships built there. I didn't know that warships were built in Cincinnati, especially monitors.
I then came across four Greenwood Napoleons that are at the Ohio state house.
I'll be writing about all this stuff.
No Wonder It Takes So Long. But, It is Sure Stuff I Don't Know About. --Old B-R
I got the information from the article, then did a search on the net for Galena's cannons and found more information.
Then, I looked up Miles Greenwood's Eagle Ironworks and found information on it. He could be called one of the arsenal's of the Union with all the war-related items they built. Then, I read that he built an ironclad in Cincinnati, which sent me off there. He built one and another foundry in the city built two. Then, there was a search for information on those. I came across other Union warships built there. I didn't know that warships were built in Cincinnati, especially monitors.
I then came across four Greenwood Napoleons that are at the Ohio state house.
I'll be writing about all this stuff.
No Wonder It Takes So Long. But, It is Sure Stuff I Don't Know About. --Old B-R
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