siege artillery question

jr baker

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Feb 1, 2011
Location
covington tn
I have been wanting to know the siega artillery that would have been at the forts on the Mississippi river what was they mounted on I heard that fort Wright had some of its 32 pounder was mounted with the swivel carriage but what about the rest was they mounted on like a field carriage thanks
 
I have been wanting to know the siega artillery that would have been at the forts on the Mississippi river what was they mounted on I heard that fort Wright had some of its 32 pounder was mounted with the swivel carriage but what about the rest was they mounted on like a field carriage thanks

I am no expert on this, but I suspect a siege carriage (what you are referring to as a field carriage) would have been unlikely for 32 pdr and above. Siege carriages are for pieces that are designed to be moved and forts are typically not of that nature. I might be mistaken but I believe pieces over ~24 pdr smoothbore would have been too heavy for standard siege carriages. The trunnion diameter is the key (5.82" for the 24 pdr.) Generally, field/siege carriage specs match to a given (or max) trunnion diameter since this is a primary piece of engineering criteria for the carriage. This is matched to tube weight.

As I understand it the guns of Ft. Wright were 32 pdr and greater. This suggests a simple fixed wooden mount with metal wheels and a pintle pivot as is seen in many forts. Front pintle seems the most logical for the very thick walls of the fort (would give max firing arc.) That's just a guess on my part.
 
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30 lb Parrot on a Siege Carriage. The heaviest form of Siege gun put on a mobile carriage

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Model 1829 32 Lb Seacoast Gun on pintle mount or Barbette mount

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42 pounder Seacoast gun on pintle Casemate mount

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15 Inch Rodmans on Center pivot Barbette mount iron carriages at Ft McHenry MD
 
jh mcdaniel and mine camp last year last year went up to battery and looked around and we went back early this year to it. our commander said he thinks thats where the 32pounder swivel cannon was at. sorry i mean siege carriedge. Was there any other type mounted thanks
 
jh mcdaniel and mine camp last year last year went up to battery and looked around and we went back early this year to it. our commander said he thinks thats where the 32pounder swivel cannon was at. sorry i mean siege carriedge. Was there any other type mounted thanks
 
jh mcdaniel and mine camp last year last year went up to battery and looked around and we went back early this year to it. our commander said he thinks thats where the 32pounder swivel cannon was at. sorry i mean siege carriedge. Was there any other type mounted thanks
the upper battery would have been,in my opinion the best place to put the bigger gun.. How you been Jared? You ready for N.B.Forrest?
 
32 pounders weighed between 6,967 and 7,480 pounds. The 30 pound Parrot weighed in at a trim 4,200 pounds and was mounted on a modified 18 pound seige carriage. This carriage would have cracked under the weight of the 32 pounder tube.
I have absolutely no doubt that the guns at Wright were probably 32 pounders, and maybe some heavier, and probably mounted on Pintle Barbette carriages. (photo two)
 
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