The Imperial Brazilian ironclads were armed with the following guns:
- 120-pounder Whitworth rifled muzzle-loading cannon
- 70-pounder Whitworth rifled muzzle-loading cannon
- 68-pounder smoothbore muzzle-loading cannon
- 12-pounder smoothbore muzzle-loading cannon
120-pounder Whitworth rifled muzzle-loading cannon
This was a rifled muzzle-loader that had a Whitworth hexagonal rifled bore.
A drawing of Joseph Whitworth's hexagonal polygonal gun bore and projectile. It was used in weapons ranging from infantry rifles up to 120-pounder cannons.
- Weight: 16,660 pounds (7,556.8 kg)
- Length 144 inches (3.658 m)
- Projectiles: Shell; Solid shot; Explosive shell
- Shell weight: 151 pounds (68.5 kg)
- Calibre: 7-inch (178 mm)
- Maximum range: 5,540 yards (5,070 m)
Research indicates that the Imperial Brazilian Navy was the only purchaser of this cannon.
70-pounder Whitworth rifled muzzle-loading cannon
This was a rifled muzzle-loader that had a Whitworth hexagonal rifled bore.
- Weight: 8,582 pounds (3,892.7 kg)
- Length 118 inches (2,997 m)
- Projectiles: Shell; Solid shot; Explosive shell
- Shell weight: 81 pounds (36.7 kg)
- Calibre: 5.5-inch (140 mm)
- Maximum range: 5,540 yards (5,070 m)
Four of these cannons were seized by the United States Navy on 29th January 1863 when the blockade-runner Princess Royal was captured by the USS Unadilla and the USS G W Blunt.
68-pounder smoothbore muzzle-loading cannon
A 68-pounder smoothbore muzzle-loading cannon. This example used to be on display outside the former Royal Artillery Museum at the Rotunda, Woolwich.
- Weight: 88 cwt/9,856 pounds (4,470.606 kg), 95 cwt/10,640 pounds (4,826.223 kg), 112 cwt/12,544 pounds (5698.863 kg)
- Length: 88 cwt: 9 feet 6 inches (2,896 mm); 95 cwt: 10 feet (3,048 mm); 112 cwt: 10 feet 10 inches (3,302 mm)
- Projectiles: Solid shot; Explosive shell
- Shell weight: 68 pounds (30.84 kg)
- Calibre: 8.12 inches (20.62 cm)
- Maximum range: 3,620 yards (3,310 m)
12-pounder smoothbore muzzle-loading cannon
By 1860, the 12-pounder smoothbore muzzle-loading cannon was obsolete.
- Weight: 32 cwt/1,626 pounds (736.541 kg)
- Length: 9 feet (274 mm)
- Projectiles: Solid shot; Explosive shell
- Shell weight: 9 pounds (4.1 kg)
- Calibre: 4.623 inches inches (11.74 cm)
- Maximum range: 1,800 yards (1,610 m)
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Bob -
ReplyDeleteI gather that the Whitworth rifles - small arms or ordnance - were phenomenally accurate. The Confederates armed a small number of snipers with Whitworth rifled muskets (an equal number had Blakelys, I think) with telescoping sights. I gather one of them got Major-General John Sedgwick at Spotsylvania Court House at over 1000 yards.
Legend has it that General Bayard was cut in two by a muzzle-loaded Whitworth artillery piece at the range of over a mile, whilst riding along a road. It happened that the cannon was aligned along that stretch of road, and Bayard was riding directly away from the piece.
I gather that the type's usefulness was impaired by the unsatisfactory effect of the explosive shell. The shape of the projectile rather limited the quantity of explosive charge that could be contained therein.
In my ACW armies, I have permitted the CSA precisely one muzzle-loading Whitworth cannon (a simple adaptation of an Airfix piece). Research indicates the Confederacy never received (probably never ordered, supposing they were in fact available) any breech-loading examples.
Cheers,
Ion
Cheers,
Ion
Archduke Piccolo (Ion),
DeleteThe concept of the hexagonal bore has always seemed to me to be one of those dead ends in armament design. Whilst it worked, making the ammunition, rifling the guns, and loading the ammunition into the gun were all complex, and although it enabled very accurate long distance shooting, one wonders how well the weapons would have performed longterm.
When they trialled the 1,5-inch calibre Whitworth cannon at Woolwich, they set up a target at 1,000 yards. The first round hit the centre of the target, went through it, and then they ‘lost’ it. Story has it that it went well over three times the expected range!
Incidentally, the Blakely cannons were manufactured at the Blakely Gun Foundry at Ordnance Wharf on Greenwich Peninsular. This was close to the Bessemer Steel Works, who provided the steel from which the cannons were cast.
All the best,
Bob