Flexibility in gun carriages?

[georgew]

Does anyone know how adaptable pre-war Army gun carriages for coastal guns were in terms of being adapted to a different gun? ie, 24-lb carriages, could they carry some of the 32-lb guns? Coastal defense gun carriages - can they handle heavier, larger guns like an 8 inch, 9 inch or 10 inch?

 

[JOHN42768]

Just a guess, but being wood construction I would think they were designed only for the intended purpose. Extra weight would prove a disadvantage in long hauls.

 

[rebelatsea]

Different diameters and lengths of larger (or smaller) barrels would make adaptations difficult, in addition to weight considerations.

 

[georgew]

Different diameters and lengths of larger (or smaller) barrels would make adaptations difficult, in addition to weight considerations.

The reason I ask is that we know the number and sizes of gun carriages ordered by Gen Lovell at NO for the River Defense Service. The southern (forts) squadron appears to have been issued the proper guns and carriages, but the northern squadron sent up an initial element of three boats and only two carried ordnance. Gen. Lovell reported that because he was being tapped for guns for CSN vessels at NO that he didn't have enough guns. He anticipated sending most of the N. squadron boats up with gun rings aft and that the local Army command (Memphis or Ft. Pillow) would have to come up with the rest. They did so and in at least two cases supplied "barbette" carriages with the guns. With the evacuation of Ft. Pillow four of the heavy guns from the water battery were seconded to the northern squadron, presumably with their carriages. A survivor from the Lovell later wrote that they struggled to get the heavy gun aboard as a bow chaser. There is reason to believe that none of the four were mounted on gun rings as Lovell's recoiled and went overboard the first time they fired it! The guns and carriages that Gen. Lovell retained were intended to be mounted on gun circles, so it appears likely that were mounted as chasers at NO. One other possibility is that they went to the Louisiana Provisional Navy gunboats as both had bow and stern chasers like two of the RDS boats (Resolute and Bragg).

 

[Charlie Robbins]

The reason I ask is that we know the number and sizes of gun carriages ordered by Gen Lovell at NO for the River Defense Service. The southern (forts) squadron appears to have been issued the proper guns and carriages, but the northern squadron sent up an initial element of three boats and only two carried ordnance. Gen. Lovell reported that because he was being tapped for guns for CSN vessels at NO that he didn't have enough guns. He anticipated sending most of the N. squadron boats up with gun rings aft and that the local Army command (Memphis or Ft. Pillow) would have to come up with the rest. They did so and in at least two cases supplied "barbette" carriages with the guns. With the evacuation of Ft. Pillow four of the heavy guns from the water battery were seconded to the northern squadron, presumably with their carriages. A survivor from the Lovell later wrote that they struggled to get the heavy gun aboard as a bow chaser. There is reason to believe that none of the four were mounted on gun rings as Lovell's recoiled and went overboard the first time they fired it! The guns and carriages that Gen. Lovell retained were intended to be mounted on gun circles, so it appears likely that were mounted as chasers at NO. One other possibility is that they went to the Louisiana Provisional Navy gunboats as both had bow and stern chasers like two of the RDS boats (Resolute and Bragg).

I agree with Rebel. Gun carriages were not interchangeable or readily adjusted to receive a gun other than of the type intended. One could possibly use some parts from a carriage in rebuilding another but I think it would be to s limited degree.

 

[Talos]

I agree with Rebel. Gun carriages were not interchangeable or readily adjusted to receive a gun other than of the type intended. One could possibly use some parts from a carriage in rebuilding another but I think it would be to s limited degree.

Usually, but not always. The XI-inch Dahlgren carriages for New Ironsides were widened IX-inch Dahlgren carriages, but those are naval ones so I didn't point that out earlier.

 

[Charlie Robbins]

Usually, but not always. The XI-inch Dahlgren carriages for New Ironsides were widened IX-inch Dahlgren carriages, but those are naval ones so I didn't point that out earlier.

True. They were (as I understand it) IX carriages modified to carry the XI gun. Not IX carriages with a XI gun mounted on them. It wouldn't fit.

 

[Talos]

True. They were (as I understand it) IX carriages modified to carry the XI gun. Not IX carriages with a XI gun mounted on them. It wouldn't fit.

Any difference in gun is going to require some modification to a carriage, even between two guns of the same type. At the very least, trunnions are different diameters and the balance is different. In this case, they were still IX-inch carriages with XI-inch guns in them, they just modified them by widening. The rest of the carriage was exactly the same.