150 years ago: Rifled guns defending Charleston

Recently I mentioned Confederate efforts to arm and equip the batteries defending Charleston, South Carolina in the winter of 1862-3. On this day (January 23) in 1863, Colonel Ambrosio J. Gonzales, Chief of Artillery and Ordnance for General P.G.T. Beauregard’s department, filed a report detailing the rifled guns in South Carolina and the ammunition available for those guns.

The report included a table similar to this one, with the title “Approximate statement of rifled guns in South Carolina”:

In the remarks section below the table, Gonzales explained the disposition of a handful of other weapons in the department:

Besides the within rifled guns there are in Georgetown, S.C.. two 12-pounder banded rifled guns, received from Richmond and two 6-pounder rifled Blakely guns.

In Georgia there are one 32-pounder rifled, one 30 pounder Parrott, two 24-pounder Blakely and a few field 6-pounders. There are in Florida, as far as is known, a few 3-inch rifled guns.

Thus all told, Gonzales tallied over seventy guns. Almost half of the total were field gun caliber weapons. Those were of little use against the Federal fleet, which was seen as the most dangerous threat. Indeed, none of these guns were larger than 7-inch caliber (42-pdr).

42-pdr Seacoast Gun, Banded and Rifled, at Fort Sumter

Even more troubling for Gonzales was the lack of projectiles for the guns. From the totals offered in the table, the guns had an average of forty rounds each. Fine if you are an infantryman planning to skirmish for an hour or so. But not enough for a fortification defending the entrance to one of the Confederacy’s major seaports. Gonzales, and his commander, desired nearly four times that amount to defend the southern coasts:

Colonel Gorgas is most earnestly requested to provide the promised 150 rounds per each of the above guns, and above all to send the projectiles for the 12 pounder and 6-pounder bronze, the 20-pounder Parrott, the ammunition for which was not sent with the guns from Richmond, although packed and addressed in the presence of Major Alston, and the 3.67 caliber guns.

Recall that earlier in the month, Colonel Joshia Gorgas agreed to supply projectiles. But at the same time he’d cautioned against converting too many smoothbores to rifles, due to limited projectile supplies.

Gonzales’ report references several less common artillery types. Mentioned are imported Whitworths and Blakelys. Perhaps the “weaker” Parrotts were of Confederate manufacture. Although I would point out the lone rifled 18-pdr gun reported in September 1862 does not appear on Gonzales’ list.

But the “12-pounder old English siege (rifled)” ?

12-pdr English Gun at Charleston’s Old Powder Magazine

At least one of those is still in Charleston – banded and rifled. This artifact, cast during the reign of King George II, is among the oldest cannon used in the Civil War. And certainly the oldest weapon taken in hand for modification. That, I say, is deserving of a separate post!

(Gonzales’ report and citations are taken from OR, Series I, Volume 14, Serial 20, pages 754-5.)

Heavy Rifles from a Blockade Runner: 4.5-inch Blakelys

The blockade Runner Fingal entered the Savannah River estuary on the foggy morning of November 12, 1861.  On board were 14,000 Enfield rifles, a million cartridges, two million percussion caps, 3,000 cavalry sabers, thousands of other small arms, 400 barrels of cannon powder, along with uniforms, medical equipment, and other miscellaneous supplies for the Confederate cause.  Also on board, and mounted to defend the ship, where a pair of 2 ½ breech loading guns and a pair of 4 ½ heavy rifled guns.  When the ship arrived in Savannah, Georgia, the take was a boost to Confederate war efforts.

While Confederate authorities distributed most of the items to distant beleaguered fronts, these heavy rifles went back down the Savannah River to Fort Pulaski.  And they are still there today.

4.5-inch Blakely Rifle No. 43

These rifles are indeed rare types.  The rounded breech has a squared bladed-type cascabel, pierced for a breeching loop.  To the rear of the hole is a removable block, long since fixed for display purposes.

Breech Profile of 4.5-inch Blakely

But more distinctive is the exterior – very much “Blakely.”  Aside from the sharp taper just in front of the trunnions, this gun and its mate have a reinforcing steel “hoop” around the breech.

4.5-inch Blakely No. 41

Captain Theophilus Alexander Blakely received several patents for his guns (and projectiles).  In this case we see the built-up area over the breech.  Unlike the Parrott band, the hoop extended further forward towards the trunnions.  The hoop also blended into the profile of the breech.  If you look very close to the breech face of the gun, you’ll see a slight line where the hoop meets the gun.

Rear view of 4.5-Inch Rifle number 41

The 4.5-inch rifle has seven groove, right-hand twist rifling.

Bore of Blakely 4.5-inch Rifle

The lands and grooves are flat, compared to some other surviving Blakelys which have “saw tooth” rifling.

Muzzle of 4.5-inch Blakely

Markings provide the some history of the gun.  Under “Blakely’s Patent” is the foundry number, in this case 41.

Markings on 4.5-inch Rifle No. 41

Below that is the name of the manufacturer – Fawcett, Preston & Company, Liverpool, England, who made both numbers 41 and 43 in 1861.

Markings on No. 43

Plaques over the breech provide more history.

Brass Plaques on No. 43

The bronze plaque confirms the gun served in the Confederate defenses of Fort Pulaski.  After capture by Federals in April 1862, the gun became a trophy.  Actually West Point trophy number 153 in this case.  After the creation of Fort Pulaski National Monument, the gun came back to Fort Pulaski.

These guns fired a 21 to 24 pound projectile.  I’ve not seen range figures for these guns, but presume similar performance to Parrott 30-pdrs or 4.5-inch Ordnance Rifles.  While the brass plaque calls these “siege guns” the presence of the breeching loop, indicates the Confederates intended these guns arm warships.

The turn of events put the guns in Fort Pulaski instead.   And the guns were there on April 10, 1862 when the Federals opened fire on the fort.  Unfortunately their placement in the upper battery prevented them from effectively firing in response.   You can see the effects of the Federal bombardment in the photo below, with one of the Blakely rifles just in front of the traverse.

Upper Battery of Fort Pulaski after siege

Here’s a better view of the gun.

Blakely Rifle behind a dismounted Columbiad

Today the guns sit not far from their wartime stations, pointed across Cockspur Island towards the former location of those Federal batteries which breeched Fort Pulaski.

View across to the Federal Batteries

Related articles

• 150 Years Ago: They were using sling carts (markerhunter.wordpress.com)
• 150 Years Ago: Fort Pulaski Isolated (markerhunter.wordpress.com)

The Basher from Liverpool – Blakely Rifle at Fort Sumter

On April 9, 1861 (yes 150 years ago today), Governor Francis Wilkinson Pickens wrote the Confederate Secretary of War LeRoy Pope Walker regarding a recent arrival at Charleston:

…There has just arrived on the bar a fine rifled cannon from Liverpool, of the latest maker (Blakely gun), an improvement upon Armstrong, of steel rolls or coils, with elevation of seven and one-half degrees to a mile.  It throws a shell or twelve-pound shot with the accuracy of a dueling pistol, and only one and one-half pounds of powder.  Such, they write me, is this gun, and I hope to have it in position to-night.  We expect the attack about 6 o’clock in the morning, on account of the tide…. [OR, Series I, Volume 1, Serial 1, page 293.]

Within a short time, Confederates placed the gun in the “Point Battery” (known as “Battery No. 1″ by the Federals) on Morris Island, under the command of Captain J. P. Thomas.  This particular cannon was unique among those at Charleston not only being the only rifled gun in place but also the only foreign made piece.  Southerners in London at the time of secession purchased the Blakely as a gift to South Carolina.

Blakely at Morris Island, from Harpers' Weekly, May 18, 1861

The gun was the product of Captain Alexander Blakely, Royal Artillery, and among several similar weapons produced starting in 1855.  I cannot hope to improve upon the coverage of Blakely’s life and products than the presentation given on the Captain Blakely website.  In brief, Blakely designed rifled, composite construction guns, a rifling system, and projectiles.

Novices will proclaim Blakely’s banding system similar to Parrott or Brooke.  But detailed examination of the patent description demonstrates Blakely’s emphasis on metal tension to support construction of the rifles.  Blakely specified metal bands of different tensile strength in a particular order during the construction of the gun.  And Blakely’s bands consisted of “hoops” instead of rings or coils as seen on other banded guns.  Perhaps semantics at play, one might say.  But I would stress the patent office at the time noted the difference.

Blakely rifling, at least for the early guns, consisted of “hook-slant” or ratchet grooves instead of the flat type seen on Parrotts or James rifles (and other familiar types).  Projectiles featured a flange or ridge to conform to the grooves, with a copper sabot at the base.

There is some discrepancy with regard to the caliber of the gun used at Charleston.  In his 1865 Treatise on Ordnance and Armor, Alexander Holley noted the particulars as:

• Total length of gun – 84 inches
• Length of Bore – 73.5 inches
• Diameter of Bore – 3.5 inches
• Diameter of Cast Iron under the Hoop – 9.1 inches
• Maximum Diameter of Hoop – 12.1 inches
• Length of Hoop – 22.2 inches
• Diameter of Muzzle – 6 inches

However, other reports indicate a bore diameter of 3.75 inches.

Presence of the plaque (seen in the Harper’s illustration above) leads many historians to identify a gun presently at Grant Park in Galena, Illinois as the Blakely in question.

The Sumter Blakely - courtesy Civil War Album

This particular piece measures 3.75-inches in bore diameter, but is reported as worn. So perhaps the answer to that trivial question remains open for interpretation.

Of the Blakely’s use in the battle, Major P.F. Stevens, commanding the batteries in that sector of the Confederate line, wrote, “the rifled cannon being but limitedly supplied with ammunition could do little, but its few shots were skillfully directed by Captain Thomas.” [OR, Series I, Volume 1, Serial 1, page 48.]  On the receiving end of those rifled projectiles, Captain John Foster noted with alarm the accuracy of the Blakely along with penetration of eleven inches (equal to that of 8-inch Columbiads).

A higher endorsement came from General P.G.T. Beauregard in correspondence to Secretary Walker, “We have a remarkable rifled cannon, 12-pounder, superior to any other here.  Others aught to be ordered.” [OR, Serial I, Series 1, Volume 1, page 316.]  And more were ordered.