Fort Washington in Prince George's County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Load. Ready. Fire!
Fort Foote Park
| | National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior | |
Photographed by Allen C. Browne, November 29, 2021
1. Load. Ready. Fire! Marker
Loading the 15-inch (38-cm) Rodman Gun required a team of over a dozen men working in sync on separate tasks. From start to finish, each shot took five minutes. A crew in the front rammed the powder charge down the barrel, followed by the 450-pound (204-kg) cannonball. The gunner called out orders for the crew below to adjust the aim: Left. Stop. Elevate! The wheels of the massive gun turned toward its target. Pulling a long lanyard ignited the friction primer. As the soldiers cleared for safety, a flame shot into the powder bag and ignited the powder.
The Rodman Guns were the largest weapons developed during the Civil War. The technological marvels in front of you are two of only 25 left of the 15-inch (38-cm) model.
Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Forts and Castles • War, US Civil.
Location. 38° 46.079′ N, 77° 1.768′ W. Marker is in Fort Washington, Maryland, in Prince George's County. It can be reached from Fort Foote Road. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 8915 Fort Foote Rd, Fort Washington MD 20744, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Washington Metropolitan Area. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, and in the Mid-Atlantic. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once one of the original Thirteen Colonies and also the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Engineering Evolution (within shouting distance of this marker); Capital View
this page online
Other markers no longer nearby. 15-inch Rodman Smoothbore (was a few steps from this marker but has been replaced with another marker now near it); a different marker also named 15-inch Rodman Smoothbore (was a few steps from this marker but has been permanently removed); The Defenses of Washington (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been permanently removed); Northwest Bastion (was within shouting distance of this marker but has been permanently removed); King's Depression Carriage (was about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line but has been permanently removed); Fort Foote
Photographed by Allen C. Browne, November 29, 2021
2. Load. Ready. Fire! Marker
Photographed by Allen C. Browne, November 29, 2021
3. 15 inch Rodman Gun
49316 lbs
No.1 T.J.R. 1863
49316 lbs
No.1 T.J.R. 1863
Photographed by Allen C. Browne, November 29, 2021
4. 15 inch Rodman Gun
49316 lbs
No.1 T.J.R. 1863
49316 lbs
No.1 T.J.R. 1863
Photographed by Allen C. Browne, November 29, 2021
5. Two Technological Marvels
Credits. This page was last revised on June 25, 2024. It was originally submitted on November 30, 2021, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. This page has been viewed 282 times since then and 15 times this year. Last updated on June 21, 2024, by Mike McKeown of Baltimore, Maryland. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on November 30, 2021, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
