US 13-Inch Seacoast Mortar in Ringwood, New Jersey
US Army 13-Inch Seacoast Mortar Number 27 displayed at Ringwood Manner in New Jersey
A US 13-Inch Mortar, Pattern 1861, is displayed at Ringwood Manor in New Jersey. The mortar was cast in 1861 at Fort Pitt Foundry. It is marked registry number 27 and foundry number “706”. It weighs 17,100 pounds. It is mounted on an original carriage. Many thanks to friend-of-the-page Nat Sooy for taking and sharing these photos!
US 13-Inch Mortars were designed for US Army use in seacoast defenses. During the Civil War, they were used by the US Army in siege works - famously including the “Dictator” at Petersburg. They were used by the US Navy aboard mortar schooners and barges. As seen in the table below, the mortar fired a 210+ pound shell using an up to 20-pound propellant charge to reach targets up to 4,500 yards away.
Page on 13-Inch Mortars from John Tidball’s “Manual of Heavy Artillery Service” https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc2.ark:/13960/t74t6kb3g&seq=171
US Army 13-Inch Seacoast Mortar Number 27 displayed at Ringwood Manner in New Jersey
The Mortar was manufactured at Fort Pitt Foundry in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania in 1861
The Fort Pitt Foundry number is 706
