Saving the USS Vermont

[Mark F. Jenkins]

These ships were often pierced for more guns than they actually carried-- it gave them the option to shift guns around for tactical or weight distribution reasons. Even so, though often called "74"s by tradition, the North Carolinas were actually rated at 84 or 86 guns and carried something like 94.

This was not uncommon in many navies. but the US Navy seemed to make a point of it... the "44-gun" frigates like the Constitution actually carried 56.* The 120-gun Pennsylvania never carried her full armament, but if she had, I'd bet it would have been more than 120...

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* in fairness, at least some of the 'overage' were carronades, which technically speaking were not 'rated' guns. It can get very confusing very quickly.

 

[Lubliner]

These ships were often pierced for more guns than they actually carried-- it gave them the option to shift guns around for tactical or weight distribution reasons. Even so, though often called "74"s by tradition, the North Carolinas were actually rated at 84 or 86 guns and carried something like 94.

This was not uncommon in many navies. but the US Navy seemed to make a point of it... the "44-gun" frigates like the Constitution actually carried 56. The 120-gun Pennsylvania never carried her full armament, but if she had, I'd bet it would have been more than 120...

Did they have the ability to change decks with the guns while at sea, or did it require a port-a-call?
Lubliner.

 

[Mark F. Jenkins]

Did they have the ability to change decks with the guns while at sea, or did it require a port-a-call?
Lubliner.

I'd think that would be very rare. Apart from the difficulties and dangers of moving a heavy object at sea, often the heaviest guns were on the lowest deck, lighter higher up, and such-- it would be much more likely to shift them around on their current deck.

 

[USS Cumberland]

The Vermont carried only a handful of cannon off Charleston in 1862-64, albeit really heavy ones, and all confined on her spar deck. Both lower gun decks were unarmed. I'd like to know what her actual day to day functions were ...

 

[Carronade]

The Vermont carried only a handful of cannon off Charleston in 1862-64, albeit really heavy ones, and all confined on her spar deck. Both lower gun decks were unarmed. I'd like to know what her actual day to day functions were ...

I assume she was a depot or receiving ship, holding supplies, accommodating transient personnel, maybe a hospital. There wouldn't be much use for a massive sailing gunnery ship.

No doubt you recall that your namesake Cumberland was towed into action at the bombardment of the Hatteras batteries in 1861, but that was likely not feasible with a ship of the line.

 

[Carronade]

The illustration of North Carolina shows how the configuration of bow and stern commonly allowed each deck to accommodate one more pair of guns than the one below. She has 32 on the lower gun deck, 34 on the upper, and could have 36 on the spar deck if the anchors and catheads were not in the way.

If she carried the maximum number of guns, most on the spar deck would likely be carronades or the shorter length 32-pounders. In the mid-1800s the Navy replaced the spectrum of 9-, 12-, 18-, and 24pdrs with 32s of various lengths, with weights corresponding to those of the old guns, 27-, 33-, 42-, and 52cwt.

 

[Carronade]

I'd think that would be very rare. Apart from the difficulties and dangers of moving a heavy object at sea, often the heaviest guns were on the lowest deck, lighter higher up, and such-- it would be much more likely to shift them around on their current deck.

Agreed. One exception was bow or stern chasers, which were usually mounted at broadside ports and moved to the chase ports when needed. Ideally this would be done before the ships were in gunnery range, so there would be plenty of manpower available. And these would generally be on the upper decks, long guns but of the lighter calibers.

There were cases of raiders equipping some of their prizes as auxiliary cruisers, including transferring guns and stores between ships, but this would presumably be done in a calm with the ships lashed alongside. And again, any guns transshiped would be light ones.

 

[RoadDog]

USS North Carolina. Quite the battleship of her time, as were all the ships of the line.

 

[USS Cumberland]

The Delaware, her sister was burned at Gosport in '61, along with her completed but as-yet-un-launched sister, the USS New York.

0 by Stephen Duffy, on Flickr

0-1 by Stephen Duffy, on Flickr

 

[Lubliner]

It seems to have been a very popular design.
Lubliner.