USS Cumberland
Private
- Joined
- Dec 23, 2014
When the Union Navy abandoned the Yard, they not only burned a sizable proportion of the old sailing navy, but they also tragically abandoned an estimated 1,200 heavy caliber naval cannon, and tens of thousands of projectiles. These heavy naval guns ended up arming many of the heavy forts through out the Confederacy. How many were they able to transport out during the relatively few weeks that they possessed the yard?
Putting aside the whole Merrimack/Virginia topic, would the South have been able to hold out for any great length of time without them? Were there enough heavy fortification guns in the south in 1861? Imagine Fort Wagoner armed primarily with brass Napoleons ...
Also, would the cannon on board the destroyed ships like the Pennsylvania (120 32-pounders) or the USS Delaware (74 42-and-32-pounders) still be serviceable after such intense fires?
Putting aside the whole Merrimack/Virginia topic, would the South have been able to hold out for any great length of time without them? Were there enough heavy fortification guns in the south in 1861? Imagine Fort Wagoner armed primarily with brass Napoleons ...
Also, would the cannon on board the destroyed ships like the Pennsylvania (120 32-pounders) or the USS Delaware (74 42-and-32-pounders) still be serviceable after such intense fires?