US Army 100-Pounder Parrott Rifles in Monson, Massachusetts
US Army 100-Pounder Parrott Rifle in Monson, Massachusetts - Photo by Tom Speight
Two US Army 100-Pounder Parrott Rifles are displayed in Monson, Massachusetts.
These photos were originally posted to the Facebook Group “Big Cannon Project” by Tom Speight. They are reposted here with his permission.
The two Parrotts are:
US Army 100-Pounder Parrott Rifle Number 119 manufactured by West Point Foundry in 1863. As manufactured it weighed 9,750 pounds. Displayed beside the Soldiers and Sailors Monument.
US Army 100-Pounder Parrott Rifle Number 127 manufactured by West Point Foundry in 1863. As manufactured it weighed 9,749 pounds. Displayed beside Memorial Town Hall.
Read about the monuments in Monson on the Massachusetts Civil War Monuments Project: https://macivilwarmonuments.com/2023/06/02/monson/
The 100-Pounder Parrott is a cast iron, rifled cannon with a wrought iron band reinforcing the breech. The type was called a 100-Pounder as it could fire projectiles of up to that weight, though 60 pounds to 80 pounds was more typical. It shared the same 6.4-Inch caliber with the old 32-Pounder Smoothbore. The 100-Pounder was used by both the US Army and US Navy during the American Civil War. They Navy and Army types differ only in their markings. The Army Parrott is marked on its muzzle. The Navy Parrott is marked on top of the breech band.
Additional Photos by Tom Speight:
