US Navy 12-Pounder Boat Howitzer, Heavy, Number 155 in New Haven, Connecticut

Jul 10

US Navy 12-Pounder Boat Howitzer, Heavy, Number 155 of USS Sassacus is displayed in New Haven, Connecticut - Photo By James Murray

US Navy 12-Pounder Boat Howitzer, Heavy, Number 155 of USS Sassacus is displayed in New Haven, Connecticut. It is one of four of the type displayed around a monument there. Many thanks to James Murray for taking these photos!

Number 155 was cast in 1863 at the Washington Navy Yard. As originally manufactured, it weighed 754 pounds. It was placed aboard USS Sassacus in July of 1864 after Sassacus was transferred from Albemarle Sound to the James River. In December of 1864, USS Sassacus was part of the fleet which bombarded Fort Sumter. Following the December 24th-25th attack, 133 100-Pounder shells, 119 9-Inch shells, 49 20-Pounder shells, and 12 12-pounder shells were fired by Sassacus. Note that Sassacus seems to have carried both a 12-Pounder rifle and a 12-Pounder smoothbore at the time. It may be that Number 155 was fired. Though, I think that the rifle may be more likely given the longer range (OR-N. Ser. 1. Vol. 11. Pg. 339).