US Army 15-Inch Rodman at “Fort Massachusetts” on Ship Island

Jul 25

US Army 15-Inch Rodman displayed in “Fort Massachusetts” on Ship Island, Mississippi - Photo by Bill Carpenter

A US Army 15-Inch Rodman is displayed at “Fort Massachusetts” on Ship Island, Mississippi. It was manufactured at Fort Pitt Foundry in 1865 and is registry number 88. As manufactured, it weighed 49,475 pounds.

Many thanks to friend-of-the-page Bill Carpenter for sharing these photos of his visit to Ship Island!

The fort on Ship Island began at the end of the 1850s. Still very incomplete with the coming of war in 1861, it was seized by the Confederates. The Confederates set up batteries on Ship Island which engaged USS Massachusetts briefly on July 9th, 1861. However, on September 16th, 1861, they abandoned the island.

The evacuating Confederate commander of the post, Lieutenant Colonel Allen, left the following letter to the commander of USS Massachusetts:

“FORT TWIGGS, (the Confederate name of the post)

Ship Island, September 17, 1861.

By order of my Government I have this day evacuated Ship Island. This my brave soldiers under my command do with much reluctance and regret. For three long months your good ship has been our constant companion. We have not exactly "lived and loved together," but we have been intimately acquainted, having exchanged cards on the 9th day of July last.

In leaving you to-day we beg you to accept our best wishes for your health and happiness while sojourning on this pleasant, hospitable shore. That we may have another exchange of courtesies before the war closes, and that we may meet face to face in closer quarters, is the urgent prayer of very truly, your obedient servant,

H. W. ALLEN.

Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding Ship Island.”

The fort was reoccupied by the US Army and construction resumed by both laborers hired from New York and prisoners of war. It was finally completed and partially armed in 1866. The name “Fort Massachusetts” was never official and according to the National Park Service article on the fort only appears in Army records in 1884 in a report written by Winfield Scott Hancock. However, the name does appear in Harper’s Weekly illustrations in 1862. Likely the name was in honor of USS Massachusetts.

The 15-Inch Rodman is the only intact artillery piece still at the fort. However, as Mr. Carpenter’s photos show, there are fragments of several guns. Intentionally bursting old guns was a method used by scrap dealers who had purchased obsolete ordnance from the Army to break the guns into more manageable pieces to haul away. The photos show pieces of Rodmans and at least one Parrott.

Fort Massachusetts is a National Park Service site which is part of Gulf Islands National Seashore. It is accessible by a ferry which departs Gulfport, Mississippi. Again, many thanks to Mr. Carpenter for sharing these photos from his visit!