Letter, 1863 September 19, James Wallace to Brooks, on Parrott gun elevations

TitleLetter, 1863 September 19, James Wallace to Brooks, on Parrott gun elevations

CreatorJames Wallace

CollectionsThomas Benton Brooks Papers

Dates

Descriptive InformationLetter to Brooks from James Wallace, reporting elevations of Parrott guns used in the Naval Battery against Fort Sumter, and discussing recoil of guns and how recoil affects elevation.

TranscriptionCamp Naval Bat.; Morris Isle, SC [South Carolina]; Sept. [September] 19 1863; Wallace Jam. Ensign [????]; States Elevation and recoil of 200 Pdr Parrots in Naval Bat. in Bombardment of Sumter. [Letter] Naval Battery Camp; Morris Island Isle; Sept. 19th 1863; Major; The Elevation of the guns used in the Naval Battery against Fort Sumpter varied from 10 degrees to 11 degrees. The mean Elevation was 10 degrees .5. The variations were caused by the difference in strength of the Rinds of powder used. The mean Elevation of the guns when used against Fort [????] was 5 degrees .9. The projectile used was the short shell almost altogether. When long shell were used the gun was given 0 degrees .25 more Elevation. By allowing a gun to recoil you will be obliged to give it more Elevation but if you do not allow it to recoil it will certainly burst after being fired a few times. Yours; James Wallace; Ensign. [/Letter] To Major TB Brooks [????]

LocationsMorris Island, Charleston County, South Carolina, United States(32.71573,-79.89037)

TopicsSouth Carolina--History
United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865
Artillery operations
Fort Sumter National Monument (Agency : U.S.)

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RightsU.S. Government Work Learn More