The 10 pdr. Parrott Rifle, invented by Robert Parker Parrott, was manufactured by the West Point Foundry in the North, and copies were made at several foundries in the South. The patented manufacturing process started with a cast iron barrel, which on it's own was too brittle to use as a cannon, and combined it with a large reinforcing band made of tougher wrought iron overlaid on the breech of the casting. By designing the cannon this way, the barrel was intended to be strong, light, cheap, and effective as a rifled cannon, a relatively new type of field artillery for the era.
ARTILLERY PROFILE
Improvement to the Manufacture of Ordnance
By Application of a Wrought-Iron Reinforce
to a Gun Made of Cast-Iron
Google: U.S. Patent 33,401
At Gettysburg NBMP, by Gary Todd, July 1978
At Chickamauga Battlefield by Gary Todd, Aug 2012
At Chickamauga Battlefield
by Gary Todd, Aug 2012
MANUFACTURING
Table from Ranges of Parrott Guns, and Notes for Practice
by R.P.Parrott, NY, 1863.
NOTES
FOR FURTHER READING
ARTILLERY PROFILE
- Models:
- 10-pdr. Parrott Rifle - Model of 1861, or Old Model Parrott, with a 2.9 inch bore
- 3-inch Parrott Rifle - Model of 1863, or New Model Parrott, still a 10-pdr. Parrott
- Type: Muzzleloading Rifled Gun
- In Service With:
- United States Army - Marked "U.S."
- State of New York - Marked "S.N.Y."
- Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (10) - Marked "C.P."
- Commonwealth of Virginia (13 Early WPF Pieces) - Unmarked? Marked "C.V."?
- Confederate States Army (Copies & Captured Pieces)
- Purpose: Counter-battery & Support the infantry and cavalry forces in the field
- Invented By: Robert Parker Parrott in 1859-1860
- Patent: For Manufacturing Issued October 1, 1861
- U.S. Patent # 33,401 (see illustration)
- Rarity: Common
Improvement to the Manufacture of Ordnance
By Application of a Wrought-Iron Reinforce
to a Gun Made of Cast-Iron
Google: U.S. Patent 33,401
At Gettysburg NBMP, by Gary Todd, July 1978
At Chickamauga Battlefield by Gary Todd, Aug 2012
At Chickamauga Battlefield
by Gary Todd, Aug 2012
- US Casting Foundry: 1
- West Point Foundry, Cold Springs, NY
- CS Casting Foundries: 4+
- J. R. Anderson Co. of Tredegar Iron Works in Richmond, VA (80+ copies produced)
- Bujac & Bennett, New Orleans, LA (about 20 copies produced)
- Macon Arsenal, Ga (about 10 copies produced)
- Street, Hungerford & Jackson in Memphis, TN (about 3+ copies produced)
- Also possible evidence Noble Brothers making copies
- Years of Manufacture: Between 1860 and 1865
- Tube Composition: Cast Iron, Wrought Iron Breech Band
- Purchase Price in 1861: $180 (US); $ 300 (CS)
- Purchase Price in 1865: $187 (US); $3,000 (CS)
- Variants: 3 Major Variants, with at least 4 Confederate Foundries Making Copies
- Parrott Model 1861 2.9 Inch: (228 to 255 produced)
- Characterized by a muzzle swell, as well as a "step" in the profile in front of the trunnions. Early models made use of a centerline front sight blade mounted on the muzzle.
- Typical Markings:
- Tube top between trunnions: "U.S.", "S.N.Y." or "C.P."
- Muzzle: Registry "No. ###" at top, "10 Pdr.", and "2.9" at bottom
- Right Trunnion: "R.P.P." at top and "W.P.F." at bottom
- Left Trunnion: 4 Digit Year of Manufacture
- Breech: Weight in lbs. under knob & "CAV" or "PATENTED 1861" stamped at top of reinforce.
- From 1864 to 1865, the U.S. Army removed about 119 units from inventory to convert them to 3" guns. None are known to have survived the conversion process or have ever been found, it has been theorized that these guns were scrapped.
- Parrott Model 1863 3.0 Inch: (279 produced)
- Characterized by a straight muzzle, and straight profile lines, and a right trunnion mounted front sight blade, with a matching offset socket attached to the reinforcing band for the rear sight. Many battlefield examples are missing the socket and only the threaded hole in the band remains.
- Typical Markings:
- Tube top between trunnions: "U.S."
- Muzzle:
- Weight in lbs., Registry "No. ###", Year of Mfr, "W.P.F." at top,
- Initials of Ordnance Inspector, "3.0 IN" at bottom
- Right Trunnion: "R.P.P."
- Left Trunnion: "10-Pdr." or Unmarked
- Breech: "3.0 IN. BORE" above knob, Weight in lbs. under knob & "PATENTED 1861" stamped at top of reinforce.
- Confederate Copies of 2.9 & 3.0 Inch Parrott Models: produced by 4 different foundries
- Characterized by overall appearing longer and larger than Parrott's made in New York, and having a lengthier and heavier reinforcing band that usually shows a bevel or taper at the front (trunnion) side. Sometimes have no readable markings, and a rougher looking casting.
- Parrott Model 1861 2.9 Inch: (228 to 255 produced)
- No. Purchased During the Civil War: approx. 630
- Includes more than 80 made by the CS
- No. of Surviving Pieces Today: 190+
- Special Notes: 10 pdr. Parrott Rifles were easy to Manufacture, Inexpensive, Reliable, and Accurate to Shoot.
- Bore Diameter:
- 2.9 inches (Model 1861-62)
- 3.0 inches (Model 1863-65)
- Bore Length: 70 inches
- Rifling Type (US):
- 3 equal lands & grooves, 0.1" depth
- right hand gain twist, 1 turn in 10'
- Rifling Type (CS): (1 turn in 16')
- 3 groves right hand twist
- 12 grooves left hand twist
- Trunnion Diameter: 3.67 inches
- Reinforcing Band: Thickness - 1.10", Length - 13.0"
- Barrel Thickness: at small of Muzzle - 1.22 inches; at Vent - 4.2 inches
- Tube Length: 78 inches (US); 81 inches (CS)
- Tube Weight: 890 lbs. (US); 1,150 lbs. (CS)
- Carriage Type: M1841 No. 1 Field Carriage (900 lbs.), 57" wheels
- Total Weight (Gun & Carriage): 1,800 lbs. (US); 2,060 lbs. (CS)
- Horses Required to Pull: 6
- No. of Crew to Serve: Typical - 9, 1 Gunner, 8 Numbered Crew Positions
- Could operate at a reduced rate with as few as 2 Crew
- Standard Powder Charge: 1 lbs. Cannon Grade Black Powder
- Projectiles Types: Elongated Projectiles; Shell, Shrapnel/Case Shot, Canister Shot, Solid Shot
- Designed to use Parrott Patent Rounds, Also Compatible with Hotchkiss Shells, Never to use Schenkl Shells.
- Projectiles Weights: Case Shot 10½ lbs., Shells 9¾ lbs.
- Typical Number of Projectiles Per Gun: 200
- Loaded in four - 50 round / mixed ammo chests
- Cannon had one limber with chest; Caisson had one limber with chest, and carried two additional chests.
- As of November 1863, chests should be filled with 25 shells, 20 case shot, and 5 canister
- As of March 1865, chests should be filled with 30 shell, 15 case shot, and 5 canister for horse artillery
- Sights: Early models utilized a tall skinny front site on the muzzle, and a pendulum hausse rear sight centered behind the reinforcing band. Soon, Parrott introduced a brass tangent sight of his own design that could be mounted in a socket on the right side of the wrought iron band, and a front sight blade mounted on top of the right rimbase where it was less likely to be bent or broken.
- Rate of Fire: Max 2 to 3 rounds per minute (max rate achieved with no sponging)
- Muzzle Velocity: 1,230 ft/sec.
- Effective Range (at 5°): up to 1,900 yards (1.1 miles)
- Projectile Flight Time (at 5°): about 8 seconds
- Max Range (at 35°): 5,000 yards (2.8 miles)
- Projectile Flight Time (at 35°): about 21 seconds
Table from Ranges of Parrott Guns, and Notes for Practice
by R.P.Parrott, NY, 1863.
NOTES
Parrotts were produced in two bore sizes, 2.9-inch and 3.0-inch. Until 1864, Union batteries used only the 2.9 inch Parrotts, but they also employed 3" Ordnance rifles, causing supply problems. In 1863, plans were made in the North to re-bore all remaining 2.9" Parrotts to 3" to standardize ammunition, and shifting West Point Foundry manufacturing to new 3" Parrott Rifles.
Due to the limited availability of cannon, Southern batteries had to employ both 2.9" and 3.0" guns, and would outfit four Parrott rifles of the same bore size to each battery as they became available, frequently employing older captured M1861 2.9" Parrotts from the U.S. Army, for the duration of the war. This only added to the ammunition supply complications for the South.
Many Confederate cannons have bands and are frequently misidentified as Parrott rifles, even though they are not. The Brooke Rifle, which has a similar appearance to the Parrott Rifle is sometimes said to be a Parrott Copy. Many attribute this to the fact that some characteristics of Brooke Rifles were copied directly from examining the Parrott design, but Brooke Rifles were their own design in many ways, including manufacturing process.
FOR FURTHER READING
- Civil War Artillery at Gettysburg, Cole, Philip M, Da Capo Press, New York, N.Y., 2002.
- Field Artillery Weapons of the Civil War, by Olmstead, Hazlett, & Parks, Univ of Delaware Press, 1988.
- Artillery and Ammunition of the Civil War, by Warren Ripley, Battery Press, 1984.
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