Morgan County (Indiana) - Veterans

The Veterans Memorial wall was damaged by vandals....Indiana Spirit of '45, with donations from the community, updated and repaired the wall.

The gun is a 24-pounder Flank Howitzer cast in 1846 by Cyrus Alger & Co, of Boston, Massachusetts. It bears the registry number "31" on the muzzle.

The flank howitzer was often used in fortifications to guard the entrances and ditches close to the fort wall. The positions were typically on the "flank" bastions, thus the name.

According to the records, registry number 31 was inspected by James Wolfe Ripley in 1848. It weighed 1,462 pounds at that time. The 24-pounder had a bore diameter of 5.82 inches.

This model was approved in 1861. It was produced by three different manufacturers during the Civil War. Production method used the "Rodman" method of internal cooling. As such these were considered much stronger than previous mortars.

The "slot" in the back is actually part of the elevating system for the mortar. Rectangular sockets in the slot were engaged with a hand spike in order to raise or lower the mortar. Those cast early in the production cycle by Alger have three sockets. Later castings had nine. This example appears to have nine.

On top of the mortar is a lifting lug to permit movement of the piece from its base.

Based on the muzzle markings, this mortar was cast by Cyrus Alger & Company, Boston, Massachusetts in 1863. It weighed 1,029 pounds when inspected by Thomas J. Rodman. It bears the registry number 21. The shell in the bore appears to be a "carcass," used for projectiles loaded with incendiary materials.