Big Guns

Big Guns. . Model 1844 8-inch Columbiad , The original guns brought to the Fort in 1856. Two guns were recovered in the early 1980s from the base of the concrete foundation of Battery Osceola., Model 1858 10-inch Columbiad , Later addition to Fort Taylor. A band around the muzzle helped to reinforce the structural integrity of the piece. These guns were uncovered on the top of the south face., Model 1861 10-inch Rodman , Rodman cannons were built using a technique called hollow casting. This allowed the gun to be cooled from the inside when cast, increasing the strength and reliability when fired., Model 1862 300-pdr Parrott Rifle , Parrott guns were rifled, allowing the aerodynamic projectile to spin as it left the gun. This is why these cannons were much more accurate than the smoothbores and could penetrate the walls of Fort Taylor., Casemates , The guns illustrated below were excavated at Fort Taylor and are on display in the casemates. A combination of granite and slate provide a solid foundation for these gun room floors., 8-inch Columbiad, Smoothbore, 10 pounds powder, 65 pound shot, 2.0 mile range, 10-inch Columbiad, Smoothbore, 18 pounds powder, 128 pound shot, 2.7 mile range, 10-inch Rodman, Smoothbore, 18 pounds powder, 128 pound shot, 2.7 mile range, Parrott, Rifled, 20 pounds powder, 300 pound shot, 5 mile range, 10-inch Rodman on carriage in casemate, Siege Mortar, 21 pounds powder, 46 pound shot, 0.7 mile range, 8-inch Siege Mortar , Four of these were used on the top level of the Barrack to protect the Fort from enemy troops trying to move against the fort from the island of Key West.