Last updated: June 22, 2021
Place
Interpretive Panel: Load. Ready. Fire!
NPS
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Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits
Loading the 15-inch, or 38-centimeter, Rodman Gun required a team of over a dozen men working in sync on separate tasks. From start to finish, each shot took 5 minutes. A crew in the front rammed the powder charge down the barrel, followed by the 450-pound, or 204-kilogram, cannonball. The gunner called out orders for the crew below to adjust the aim: “Left. Stop. Elevate!” The wheels of the massive gun turned toward its target. Pulling a long lanyard ignited the friction primer. As the soldiers cleared for safety, a flame shot into the powder bag and ignited the powder.
The Rodman Guns were the largest weapons developed during the Civil War. The technological marvels in front of you are 2 of only 25 left of the 15-inch, or 38-centimeter, model.
The Rodman Guns were the largest weapons developed during the Civil War. The technological marvels in front of you are 2 of only 25 left of the 15-inch, or 38-centimeter, model.