Dahlgren Howitzer lands at Port Columbus
17Jun2010
An original Dahlgren rifled boat howitzer arrived at Port Columbus on Wednesday, June 16, thanks to a cooperative venture involving the US Army and Navy historical branches. Curators from both branches worked to make the transfer of this howitzer from the US Artillery Museum at Fort Sill, Oklahoma to the US Navy History and Heritage Command, and from the Navy to Port Columbus.
The museum is grateful to these military commands for making the transfer possible. Port Columbus staff has been pursuing a howitzer for years, but this one is special since it is exactly of the type that was on the USS Water Witch when it was captured by Confederate Navy forces in 1864. A period style slide carriage will be manufactured by the museum and placed on the reproduction of the ship.
 Port Columbus crew unloading an original Dahlgren Rifled howitzer. |
 Markings on the new howitzer show 1863 date. |
 Markings at the breech show the gun weighs 873 pounds. |
 Plans call to put the howitzer on a slide as seen in this original photo taken on the USS Nipsic. |
Jerry and Bruce, How big 12 or 24 pounder? Are we going to be able to train on it during future River Blasts? Great job! Thanks and Semper Fi,
Steve Fetherman
Orderly Sergeant
US Marine Guard
Steam Sloop USS Pawnee
Steve,
It’s a 12-pounder, and in GREAT shape. As far as training on it, most likely, firing might be another issue. We’ll have to figure that out, being so close to the road, but you know us, if we can, we’ll figure something out.
Jon
Great job guys!
Jon,
Great! Why mount it on the Water Witch. If it on a slide you should be able to mount on the steam or rowed luanch. The boat howitzer manual you all sell in the museum store has instructions on how to move and mount the slide and gun.
Steve Fetherman OS Pawnee Marines
Steve, this sucker is 873 lbs. Maybe you can pick it up and put it in and out of the boat. When we get one of the small 400 pounders, we can do that. Right now, since this is an exact model of one of the WW cannons, we’ll go with that (unless we get a Schwarzenegger who can move it around for us).
Bruce,
Hey, the slide in the launch was your idea when we were talking about wish lists at River Blast. We reenactors would have been tickled pink with it on a carriage.
Semper Fi,
Steve