Monitor cannon in ny

[cannonmn]

I'm looking for measurements, markings, etc. of the cannon mentioned and pictured here.

Nice story on the plaque but I'd like to get bore diameter, rifling if any/ outside dimensions. This gun closely resembles the design of the "Peacemaker," "Oregon, " etc. want markings too. Comparing this to the fence, it doesn't look that big.
https://www.go2gbo.com/threads/
poughkeepsie ny

 

[USS ALASKA]

Sir, I can't get the link to work...

Cheers,
USS ALASKA

 

[cannonmn]

 

[Mark F. Jenkins]

Maybe you'd better just post the text in the thread. The link is not followable (the image is not the problem).

One thing I can tell you is that piece is nowhere near large enough to be a naval gun. It's not a Dahlgren boat howitzer-- the trunnions are wrong for that-- but it looks to be of similar size.

 

[cannonmn]

Think this link has everything

Marist Heritage Project · Monitor Cannon · Marist Archives and Special Collections Exhibits and Collections

 

[Mark F. Jenkins]

Okay, several problems. First, the two cannons pictured aren't the same piece. And the only guns mounted on USS Monitor were XI-inc smoothbore Dahlgrens, and the larger gun is definitely not a Dahlgren-- looks more like a Brooke rifle to me, actually. Let me check Stark, Olmstead and Tucker's "Big Guns" to see if they have anything listed in Poughkeepsie.

I can tell you flat out that neither one was part of the Monitor's main armament. Those two guns went down with the ship, were raised, and are being conserved at the Mariners Museum in Newport News VA. The little gun *might* be some sort of signaling gun, but linking it to any particular ship is going to be very challenging. I think the plaque is just simply wrong.

 

[cannonmn]

Okay, several problems. First, the two cannons pictured aren't the same piece. And the only guns mounted on USS Monitor were XI-inc smoothbore Dahlgrens, and the larger gun is definitely not a Dahlgren-- looks more like a Brooke rifle to me, actually. Let me check Stark, Olmstead and Tucker's "Big Guns" to see if they have anything listed in Poughkeepsie.

I've sent the registrar of the CW cannon registry this question, he has more on record than the Olmstead book. I can tell you that the tube and trunnions look just like Ericcson's 12 inch guns like the infamous Peacemaker that exploded on USS PRINCETON. I'm now thinking this may be a field piece-sized version of the 12 inchers, in which case it'd be all wrought iron.

 

[Mark F. Jenkins]

Okay, so in that case the connection might be that it could be an Ericsson gun, who is noted as having designed the Monitor, rather than the gun having a direct connection to the Monitor. That's more possible. The plaque is a little unclear on that point.

Olmstead, Stark and Tucker do note that Poughkeepsie has a couple of 32-pounders that, interestingly, were on the Clifton. That's one of the vessels disabled or sunk at Sabine Pass, and then she served for the South in Texas after that.

 

[cannonmn]

Article courtesy of JIm Bender, National Cannon List Registrar. Jim is super-helpful, has been the key to unwinding many cannon mysteries, we all owe him thanks.

 

[cannonmn]

The Monitor Cannon

The Monitor Cannon If you've ever entered our library on the Market Street side, perhaps you've taken a moment to notice that there is a small cannon standing guard in front. A plaque on the cannon reads: THE MONITOR of 1863 fame the invention of Capt. John Ericsson was

poklib.org

 

[Mark F. Jenkins]

There are a number of factual problems with the newspaper article. I'd take it with a grain of salt.

 

[cannonmn]

Karen reports:

Bore diameter = 3.25 inches
Length = 60 inches
Circumference of the rear end = 26 inches

There are no markings on the cannon itself, just the plaque on the front.

 

[Mark F. Jenkins]

That's light even for field artillery. Has to be some sort of signal gun.

 

[cannonmn]

That's light even for field artillery. Has to be some sort of signal gun.

I'm guessing it is a scale prototype for Ericsson's PEACEMAKER gunseries of which 4 were built. Commodore Stockton USN was the prime advocate of this design until the PEACEMAKER blew up. Bad welds in the wrought iron was the finding of the official investigation by Franklin Institute.

 

[cannonmn]

I didn't realize the Ericsson and Stockton gun designs were different till,I read this. Stockton's was a ripped-off design similar to Ericsson's.

Lest We Forget - Princeton and ‘Peacemaker’

In many ways the Prince

www.usni.org

 

[Mark F. Jenkins]

The Peacemaker was Stockton's inferior version; Ericsson's gun was named "Dictator," later renamed to "Oregon."

 

[cannonmn]

Got more photos etc, can't keep up with multiple forums, if you wouldn't mind looking here, there's more

https://www.go2gbo.com/threads/"monitor-gun"-in-ny-i-need-dimensions-etc.426290/#post-2056119665