12-Pounder Boat Howitzer of USS Pittsburg at Vicksburg
US Navy 12-Pounder Dahlgren Boat Howitzer, Heavy, Number 96 is displayed in the museum beside USS Cairo at Vicksburg.
US Navy 12-Pounder Dahlgren Boat Howitzer, Heavy, Number 96 is displayed in the museum beside USS Cairo at Vicksburg. As the sign attests, the boat howitzer served aboard USS Cairo’s sister ship USS Pittsburgh. The markings on the tube show a weight of 759 pounds with 65 pounds preponderance (the howitzer is breech-heavy by this amount when placed on its carriage). It was manufactured at the Washington Navy Yard in 1862, and it was inspected and approved for service by John A. Dahlgren himself.
John Dahlgren designed his boat howitzers to be mounted on either a field carriage as shown here or a slide which could be mounted on a ship’s boat or on the ship itself. A well trained crew could quickly switch the howitzer between its boat mounting and field carriage. Ashore the relatively light howitzer was intended to be moved as necessary by its own crew.
The boat howitzer was intended to provide light artillery support for landing parties of sailors and marines. Afloat, they proved to be a useful supplement to a ship’s armament, particularly on rivers and in confined waters where a ship might have to suppress the fire of enemy infantry ashore.
This example has its brass firing hammer in place.
US Navy 12-Pounder Dahlgren Boat Howitzer, Heavy, Number 96 is displayed in the museum beside USS Cairo at Vicksburg.
The brass firing hammer can be seen on the breech of the boat howitzer.
The muzzle of the Boat Howitzer has a blade front sight.
The carriage rear wheel may be deployed or retracted to assist with moving the piece or to help check recoil.
