Newport in Newport County, Rhode Island — The American Northeast (New England)

Going Great Guns

Photographed By Bill Coughlin, October 8, 2011

1. Going Great Guns Marker

Inscription.
Picture this space in action as gun crews drilled in live fire exercises – the booming noise of cannon, the thick smoke, the smell of burnt powder, and the shouting of commands.

This casemate, a chamber with openings for cannons, could house two 32-pounders, which were designed to sink wooden warships. Similar casemates in the west wall later contained 10-inch Rodman cannons that fired projectiles weighing over 100 pounds.

[ Along Bottom of Marker : ]
Artillery at Fort Adams
Cannon    Weight of Tube Range    Shot
24-Pounder    5500 lbs.       1.1 miles 24 lbs.
32-Pounder    7479 lbs.     1.1 miles 32 lbs.
10-inch Rodman 15,050 lbs.    2.5 miles 125 lbs.
15-inch Rodman 50,000 lbs.    2.5 miles 315 lbs.

Erected by Fort Adams State Park.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Forts and Castles.

Location. 41° 28.779′ N, 71° 20.219′ W. Marker is in Newport, Rhode Island, in Newport County. Marker can be reached from Fort Adams Drive, on the left when traveling north. Marker is located inside Fort Adams. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Newport RI 02840, United States of America. Touch for directions.

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At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Defending Narragansett Bay (a few steps from this marker); Returning Old Glory 2001 (a few steps from this marker); The Irish Connection to Fort Adams (a few steps from this marker); a different marker also named Defending Narragansett Bay (within shouting distance of this marker); Life in Fort Adams (within shouting distance of this marker); Building a Fortress (within shouting distance of this marker); Fort Adams (within shouting distance of this marker); Fort Adams Foundation (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Newport.

More about this marker. The background of the marker contains an illustration of a cannon along with the steps necessary to load and fire it. Also present is a comparison of the sizes between a Typical Musket Shot, 24 Pounder, 32 Pounder, 10” Rodman and 15” Rodman. In addition three photographs of cannon in the casemates of Fort Adams appear on the lower left of the marker.

Photographed By Bill Coughlin, October 8, 2011

2. Going Great Guns Marker

Photographed By Bill Coughlin, October 8, 2011

3. Going Great Guns Marker

Marker and Cannon in Fort Adams Casemate image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Bill Coughlin, October 8, 2011

4. Marker and Cannon in Fort Adams Casemate

24 pounder Casemate Cannon - 1848 image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Bill Coughlin, October 8, 2011

5. 24 pounder Casemate Cannon - 1848

Credits. This page was last revised on November 2, 2020. It was originally submitted on October 15, 2011, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey. This page has been viewed 561 times since then and 12 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on October 15, 2011, by Bill Coughlin of Woodland Park, New Jersey.