32-Pounder of 57 Hundredweight at Vicksburg
A US Navy 32-Pounder of 57 Hundredweight which has been banded and rifled and lost a portion of its chase is displayed at Vicksburg. A 10-Inch Confederate Columbiad is also visible in this photo.
A US Navy 32-Pounder of 57 Hundredweight is displayed on “Cannon Row” at Vicksburg. It’s present state points to an active career. It was cast as USN Registry Number 647 by Bellona Foundry near Richmond in 1849 (Olmstead pg. 213). As originally manufactured, it was a smoothbore intended to be a main battery gun on heavy frigates or ships of the line of the (still primarily sailing) United States Navy. Likely it was at the Gosport Navy Yard when Virginia seized the yard in April of 1861.
The Confederates found the 32-Pounder of 57 Hundredweight to be a good candidate for rifling and banding. Once converted, they were used both afloat and ashore. While the smoothbore fired round 32-pound shot (or a roughly 25 pound shell), the converted rifle fired a shot or shell of around double the weight with greater accuracy.
This 32-Pounder was given Brooke type rifling and a reinforcing wrought iron band. At some point its chase (muzzle end) was damaged, and the cannon was repaired by removing the damaged end. It was not uncommon during the American Civil War for a shell to prematurely burst in or near the muzzle of a rifled cannon. Such an event may have caused the damage to this cannon
As it exists now, it appears stubby, and it would be significantly breech-heavy on its trunnions, requiring significant effort to change the elevation of the gun.
I am not aware of the service history of this cannon. If anyone knows anything more about it, I would be glad to hear it!
As originally manufactured, the 32-Pounder would have looked like this example displayed in Hudson, New Hampshire. https://www.santee1821.net/preserved-artillery/32-pounder-of-57-hundredweight-in-hudson-new-hampshire
Following Rifling and Banding, it would have looked like this example recovered from CSS Georgia. https://www.santee1821.net/preserved-artillery/32-pounder-rifle-of-css-georgia
As it exists now, the Vicksburg 32-Pounder appears stubby. It also is likely quite breech-heavy as it has the additional banding and has lost counterweight at the muzzle.
The 32-Pounder has Brooke-type “Hook, Slant” Rifling
The 32-Pounder's right trunnion shows the casting date of 1849.
The 32-Pounder as part of “Cannon Row” at Vicksburg
“The Widow Blakely” is a similar looking but different cannon (pictured here under restoration) at Vicksburg. This cannon is a similar rifled and banded British gun whose chase was shortened - also likely due to a premature explosion. National Park Photo.
