Artillery at Johnsonville

Artillery at Johnsonville. . The Union army used a variety of field artillery to protect the supply depot at Johnsonville. Gunboats docked at the wharf were also equipped with heavy naval guns that were effective against Confederate field artillery. Ten field guns were positioned near the Lower Redoubt.

Of the ten guns, four were 12-pounder Napoleon cannons. Two of these guns were manned by Battery A, 2nd U.S. Colored Light Artillery, and two wêre-operated by Johnsonville's Quartermaster Corps and the 1st Kansas Light Artillery. The remaining six were a combination of 10-pounder Parrott and 3-inch ordnance rifles.

Naval Guns , The Union "brown-water” naval forces at Johnsonville consisted of four gunboats: Undine, Key West, Tawah and Elfin/ Each boat was equipped with 24-pounder smoothbore bronze howitzers. These short-barreled guns were effective against concealed or exposed enemy positions. The Tawah carried five 24-pounder howitzers, two 12-pounder naval howitzers, and one 30-pounder Parrott gun. Three of the ships carried eight guns each, while the Key West had 6 artillery pieces.

The Napoleon , Napoleons were the most common smoothbore cannon used during the war. Smoothbore guns lacked spiral grooves (rifling) on the inside of the barrel. Named after Napoleon III of France, they were well-regarded for their safety, accuracy, and killing power. The barrel was cast in bronze.

Parrott Gun , Six 10-pounder Parrott guns were manned by the 1st Kansas Artillery. Named after their inventor, Robert Parrott, these artillery pieces were "rifled.” Spiral grooves were cut into the interior barrel causing the projectile to spin as it exited the chamber. Rifling improved aerodynamic stability and accuracy. The cast iron tube further enhanced accuracy, but also made the guns susceptible to surface fractures.

3-inch Ordnance Rifle , Also present at Johnsonville was one of the most widely used rifled artillery pieces of the Civil War; the 3-inch ordnance rifle. Invented by John Griffen and produced in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, these guns were extremely accurate. The tubes were cast in wrought iron.

(Photo captions) , 2nd U.S. Colored Light Artillery, Sidewheeler and sternwheeler riverboats were converted into tinclad gunboats by the Union navy. The Tawah, scuttled and burned at Johnsonville, was similar to the Fort Hindman, pictured to the left. The Undine, Key West and Elfin were sternwheelers much like the General Grant, pictured on the right., Rifled barrel of a 10-pounder Parrott