georgew
First Sergeant
- Joined
- Oct 1, 2010
- Location
- southern california
From OR, Ser I, vol 7, pg 916
"March 3, 1862
"Six 32-poundrs on back line, all mounted and ten smooth-bore 32-pounders on rivr, and four 32-pounders on back line, all mounted.
On the last week of March, Gen. Villepigue requested 15,000 lbs of powder for Fort Pillow provided a short list of ordnance at this point.
28 32-pounders
4 10-inch Columbiads
3 8-inch Columbiads
total 35 guns
A number of the 32-pounders were supplied to the River Defense Service vessels of the northern squadron. The initial number transferred appears to have been six, but more followed and four "big" guns were supplied to heavier, slower rams as bow chasers just before they moved south to Memphis.
There was an isolated report of one 13" mortar, "probably foreign" at Fort Pillow in April, 1862.
Local newspapers at Memphis later claimed that all of the RDS boats had a minimum of two guns. At the time of the forts abandonment a total of 19 spiked guns were left behind. One puzzling issue was a claim in one of the newspapers that the Little Rebel carried two "small 32-pounders" during the action off Memphis, but a sketch by Simplot of the Little Rebel from a bluff above her anchorage after capture shows one gun aft and no bow chaser or provision for a run circle at the bow.
The CSN gunboats left a number of guns ashore below the fort, but two were rescued against Cdr. Pinkney's orders and taken up the Yazoo.
"March 3, 1862
"Six 32-poundrs on back line, all mounted and ten smooth-bore 32-pounders on rivr, and four 32-pounders on back line, all mounted.
On the last week of March, Gen. Villepigue requested 15,000 lbs of powder for Fort Pillow provided a short list of ordnance at this point.
28 32-pounders
4 10-inch Columbiads
3 8-inch Columbiads
total 35 guns
A number of the 32-pounders were supplied to the River Defense Service vessels of the northern squadron. The initial number transferred appears to have been six, but more followed and four "big" guns were supplied to heavier, slower rams as bow chasers just before they moved south to Memphis.
There was an isolated report of one 13" mortar, "probably foreign" at Fort Pillow in April, 1862.
Local newspapers at Memphis later claimed that all of the RDS boats had a minimum of two guns. At the time of the forts abandonment a total of 19 spiked guns were left behind. One puzzling issue was a claim in one of the newspapers that the Little Rebel carried two "small 32-pounders" during the action off Memphis, but a sketch by Simplot of the Little Rebel from a bluff above her anchorage after capture shows one gun aft and no bow chaser or provision for a run circle at the bow.
The CSN gunboats left a number of guns ashore below the fort, but two were rescued against Cdr. Pinkney's orders and taken up the Yazoo.