Reproduction Hughes Cannon at Ft. Shenandoah, VA
© Mike Kendra, Oct. 2009
ARTILLERY PROFILE
- Models:
- Smoothbore & Rifled Breechloaders
- 1.5-inch & 2-inch Breechloaders
- Type: Breechloading Gun
- Purpose: Highly mobile rapid fire artillery
- Invented By: D. W. Hughes of Arizona
- Patented: Confederate Patent #149
- For "Improvement in Breech Plugs", February 16, 1863
- Rarity: Very Rare
MANUFACTURING- CS Manufacturer: Street, Hungerford & Company of Memphis, Tennessee
- Years of Manufacture: 1862 to 1863
- Tube Composition: Varied...
- Some gun tubes Bronze
- Some gun tubes Wrought Iron from "broken locomotive axles"
- Purchase Price in 1862: $600 (CS) (based on $6,000.00 bill for 10 guns)
- No. Purchased During the Civil War: at least 12, possibly as many as 50 were produced
- No. of Surviving Pieces Today: 1 known
- Bore Diameter: 1.5 & 2 inch
- Bore Length: 32 to 36 inches
- Rifling: 15 rifle grooves (when present)
- Overall Length: Up to 47.5 inches (Barrel & Breech Action)
- Barrel Weight: 65 to 90 lbs. (Empty)
- Carriage Type: Light Wooden Carriage
- Built with shoulder boxes designed to hold ammo & tools
- Light enough for transport by a few men alone
- Crew Size: 2 or 3 men
- Special Notes: Barrel includes a copper sleeve water jacket, it surrounds the barrel. When filled with water, it helps to improve cooling during rapid fire.
- Standard Powder Charge: unknown
- Projectiles: Lead balls (smoothbore), unknown (rifle)
- Rate of Fire: 6 to 8 rounds per minute
- Effective Range: up to 3 miles (smoothbore), unknown (rifle)
THE CANNON HE DESIGNED
Located in Memphis, Tennessee, the foundry of Street, Hungerford & Company, operated by Anthony S. Street and Fayette H. Hungerford, employed nearly 100 hands in the production of wagons, railroad cars, plows, and iron castings. Sensing the oncoming war, Street and Hungerford converted their business to cannon and munitions production. Prior to the war, the foundry produced a wide variety of ordinance. After the firing on Fort Sumter, activities were enlarged to include the casting of 6-pound cannon.
Hughes, who had designed a new breechloading gun mechanisim while working at Street and Hungerford, took his gun's breech-plug design to the Confederate Patent office. On February 18th, 1863 he was issued Confederate Patent No. 149.
Patent Drawing & Article on Right from American Machinist, Vol 28, 1905.
The above illustration accompanied the patent. The patent describes a removable plug of a breach loading cannon, the plug having radially projecting lugs which turn into interlocking engagement with seats in the bore of the gun. The plug also has a rubber "gum" gas check that helps to seal the breech when locked.
Street and Hungerford's cannon casting quickly grew to include Hughes' gun design, as well as Parrott guns, and a few other heavy guns. Some of the barrels of the experimental Hughes Cannons were supposedly turned from broken locomotive axles.
In an 1862 test, different size experimental Hughes Cannons were put on trial in Memphis, and it was found that lead ball could be fired up the river a distance up to three miles. As experimenting went on, it was found that the larger bore guns performed better than the smaller ones.
Street and Hungerford's prior production of a variety of wood products made for an easy transition to the manufacture of gun carriages. The firm produced a large number of such carriages, some of which were made for the guns cast at the nearby Quinby & Robinson plant.
A Battery of Hughes Cannons was ordered for General M. Jeff Thompson of Missouri to be used around New Madrid, Mo. and South into Arkansas. Additional Hughes Cannons were constructed at Jackson, Mississippi for the State by the order of Governor Pettus.
A 2-pounder breech-loading Hughes gun is believed to have participated in the Siege of Port Hudson, Louisiana, in 1863.
One remaining example of the Hughes Cannon is known to exist, it is a smoothbore gun of 1.5 inch caliber.
Copy of Hughes' Certified Confederate Patent No. 149
Confederate Veteran
D.W. Hughes & his Breechloading Cannon
January 1908, No. 1, Page 44
> Click Article Image to Zoom In <
Confederate veteran [serial] : Confederated Southern Memorial Association (U.S.) : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive
Description based on: v. 2, no. 1 (Jan. 1894); title from cover
archive.org
RELOADING AND FIRING
FOR FURTHER READING
- Field Artillery Weapons of the Civil War, by Olmstead, Hazlett, & Parks, Univ of Delaware Press, 1988.
- Civil War Collector's Encyclopedia: Arms, Uniforms and Equipment of the Union and Confederacy, Francis A. Lord, Courier Corporation, 2013.
- American Machinist, Volume 28, McGraw-Hill, 1905, Page 315.
Robinson's Battery - 1st Michigan Light Artillery, Battery C
The purpose of Robinson's Battery is to foster and preserve the history of the American Civil War era. This will be done through research, publications, reenactments, ceremonies and living history demonstrations. Robinson's Battery is incorporated as a 501 (c)(3) corporation. All donations...
robinsonsbattery.org
Scroll to the Robinson's Battery Page Bottom to see Photos of Original Gun, & Construction of a Reproduction
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