Near Charleston in Charleston County, South Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)
8-inch (200 Pounder) Parrott
Photographed By Craig Swain, May 3, 2010
1. 8-inch (200 Pounder) Parrott Marker
Inscription.
8-inch (200 Pounder) Parrott. . Robert Parker Parrott designed the 6.4-inch, 8-inch and 10-inch Parrotts to serve on land or sea. These versatile rifled cannon were simple and inexpensive to construct. This gun, like many of the other weapons in Fort Sumter, was brought to the Fort in the 1870's., Maximum Range: 8000 yards (7315 M)
Robert Parker Parrott designed the 6.4-inch, 8-inch and 10-inch Parrotts to serve on land or sea. These versatile rifled cannon were simple and inexpensive to construct. This gun, like many of the other weapons in Fort Sumter, was brought to the Fort in the 1870's.
Maximum Range: 8000 yards (7315 M)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil.
Location. 32° 45.139′ N, 79° 52.463′ W. Marker is near Charleston, South Carolina, in Charleston County. Marker is located at Fort Sumter National Monument and only reached by boat. See links below for more information about access to the site. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Charleston SC 29412, United States of America. Touch for directions.
One of only eight surviving 8-inch Parrotts out of a production run of 91 for the Army and 87 for the Navy. All but the first examples were "cast hollow and cooled from the interior" using the technique perfected by Army officer T. J. Rodman. Note the breeching loop on the back of the gun. This allowed the same pattern to be used by both Army and Navy.
Photographed By Craig Swain, May 3, 2010
4. Muzzle Markings
Visible on the muzzle are the marks "No 58" indicating the registry number, 1864 for the year of manufacture, "W.P.F." for West Point Foundry where the gun was produced, "8 I.N." indicating the caliber, "R.M.H." for inspecting officer Richard Mason Hill, and 16537 as the listed weight in pounds at time of inspection. 8-inch Parrotts had 11-groove rifling.
Credits. This page was last revised on October 23, 2020. It was originally submitted on May 16, 2010, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia. This page has been viewed 1,100 times since then and 15 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on May 16, 2010, by Craig Swain of Leesburg, Virginia.