Confederate revolving cannon

[major bill]

One of the odder pieces of ordnance used at the siege of Petersburg was the Confederate revolving cannon. It was captured by the Union and sent off for study. Think of a very large revolving cylinder pistol with five 2 inch rounds.

It is a bit on the ugly side if you asked me. The carriage looks a bit on the weak side for field service. I do like the wheels.

 

[rebelatsea]

One of the odder pieces of ordnance used at the siege of Petersburg was the Confederate revolving cannon. It was captured by the Union and sent off for study. Think of a very large revolving cylinder pistol with five 2 inch rounds.

It is a bit on the ugly side if you asked me. The carriage looks a bit on the weak side for field service. I do like the wheels.

View attachment 179465

I wonder if the carriage was a kit of parts put together with whatever was available?

 

[Noonanda]

So a Puckle gun on steroids?

 

[UCVRelics]

Here is a photo of it at Petersburg from a CWT 2014 thread.


http://travelphotobase.com/v/USVA/VASA227.HTM

 

[major bill]

An interesting concept. A chain fire with this would be a sight.

 

[Stiles/Akin]

William Austin Leyden had a patent for ome but I have never seen it.

 

[Larryh86GT]

It has a kind of a farm implement look.

 

[Stiles/Akin]

https://patents.google.com/patent/US353456

Leyden designed this postal lock for yale. Wikipedia says Pate designed this gun and it saw use at Petersburg.

 

[7thWisconsin]

That an 1861 quick firing cannon was still lurking around in what was until 64 a quiet front says something about its effectiveness, actual or perceived. Quick firing guns were the military rage in the late 19th century, like the Williams, or the Hotchkiss. Then Mr Maxim had to come along and mess up the military paradigm.

 

[TomP]

What a scary gun! All of those reinforcing bands on the barrel would not give me much confidence and it makes me wonder of the protection the other rounds have when the gun is fired. I am imagining all rounds cooking off at once.

 

[major bill]

What a scary gun! All of those reinforcing bands on the barrel would not give me much confidence and it makes me wonder of the protection the other rounds have when the gun is fired. I am imagining all rounds cooking off at once.

if I was to watch if fire I would be doing the Moon walk to the left of right before the cannon was fired.

 

[TheFinder]

Interesting design choice for the wheels. I feel like those would be difficult to produce. Any ideas why they would be like that?

 

[major bill]

Interesting design choice for the wheels. I feel like those would be difficult to produce. Any ideas why they would be like that?

No, we could use an engineer to tell us if there was some design advantage of this kind of wheels.

 

[8thFlorida]

It has a kind of a farm implement look.

Definitely looks like wagon wheels. Makes sense that they would use whatever implements they had available.

 

[7th Mississippi Infantry]

There's more info about this weapon at:
https://civilwartalk.com/threads/confederate-revolving-cannon.95302/#post-804290

 

[mofederal]

I guess it worked or it would be in pieces today. not something I would be near when it was fired. Thanks for posting this @major bill.

 

[TomP]

The wheels on the cannon provided flexibility while maintaining strength.
It is a little known fact that after the war the Confederate engineers were taken to secret government installations at Area 51 to work for NASA!!

 

[Noonanda]

There's more info about this weapon at:
https://civilwartalk.com/threads/confederate-revolving-cannon.95302/#post-804290

After reading this it sounds like a combination Puckle gun and North-Savage Revolver (or 1895 Nagant for modern folks )

"the North-Savage revolver, which was based on a June 17, 1856, patent by Henry North (Number 15,144). This revolver design included a toggle link to push the cylinder forward against the barrel to effect a gas seal. The earliest production revolver to use the patent was the "Figure 8" North-Savage revolver. Pulling back the lower trigger pulled the cylinder back, rotated it and cocked the hammer. This act also compressed a strong spring that encircled the cylinder arbor. Releasing the lower trigger allowed the cylinder to move forward under spring pressure and close the cylinder/barrel gap. The pistol was then fired by pulling the upper trigger. This certainly lessened the escape of gas, but did not truly seal the joint"

 

[Glen_C]

Perhaps a moderator can merge the two associated threads. Ames was working in the 1930s with a fellow named Cochran. Cochran received patents for his rotary chambers. Not so unlike a later Lewis gun but distributing chambers instead of cartridges. Both a cannon and pistol are listed in Hamilton's Ames history.

Cheers

GC

 

[Glen_C]

Geez, cheap enough
https://jamesdjulia.com/item/1447-369/