Detroit in Wayne County, Michigan — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
5.5 Inch Naval Cannon
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30 Pound Parrott Rifled Cannons
Photographed by J.T. Lambrou
1. 5.5 Inch Naval Cannon / 30 Pound Parrott Rifled Cannons Marker
5.5 Inch Naval Cannon
This 1891 breech-loading gun was originally one of ten mounted on the deck of the Spanish cruiser Vizcaya. The 364 foot long armored ship was shelled and sunk in the Battle of Santiago, Cuba, on July 3rd, 1898 by the U.S. Navy during the Spanish-American War.
Several of the 10,000 pound guns like this one were salvaged and presented to American cities and sites as war trophies.
Display courtesy of 17th Michigan Volunteer Regiment, Company B, and the Historic Fort Wayne Coalition
30 Pound Parrott Rifled Cannons
West Point graduate Captain Robert P. Parrott invented these 30-pound Parrott Rifles in 1861. They were some of the most widely used siege cannons employed during the American Civil War. Each tube is composed of cast iron with a wrought iron breech band and weighs 4,200 pounds. With a 3.24-pound gunpowder charge, the guns' nine person crews could send a 30 pound explosive shell to a maximum range of 6.1 miles in 27 seconds.
These tubes were cast at the West Point Foundry, Cold Spring, New York in 1863 and 1864. Of the 391 cannon of this type produced between 1861 and 1865, only 198 survive today. Initials stamped on the side trunnions are 'RPP' for designer Robert P. Parrott. At the muzzles are the stamped initials of
this page online
Display of the Parrott rifled cannons made possible by the West Point Society of Michigan
(captions)
Left: The Spanish Navy's Cruiser Vizcaya.
Left: 3-Pound Parrott tube, mounted on its carriage and ready to fire.
Right: The cannons' designer Robert P. Parrott
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Military • Parks & Recreational Areas • War, Spanish-American • War, US Civil. A significant historical date for this entry is July 3, 1898.
Location. 42° 17.934′ N, 83° 5.881′ W. Marker is in Detroit, Michigan, in Wayne County. It is at the intersection of Brady Street and Harrison Street, on the right when traveling south on Brady Street. Marker is located on the grounds of Historic Fort Wayne. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 6325 W Jefferson Ave, Detroit MI 48209, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Southeast Michigan. It is also in the American Midwest and on the Great Lakes. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Viceroyalty of New France and also the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Treaty of Spring Wells (within shouting distance of this marker); Headquarters Building (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Officers Row (about 400 feet away); Indian Mound
Photographed by J.T. Lambrou
2. 5.5 Inch Naval Cannon / 30 Pound Parrott Rifled Cannons Marker
Also see . . . Historic Fort Wayne. (Submitted on July 28, 2024.)
Photographed by J.T. Lambrou
3. 5.5 Inch Naval Cannon / 30 Pound Parrott Rifled Cannons Marker
Photographed by J.T. Lambrou
4. 30 Pound Parrott Rifled Cannons
These marking are detailed in the text of the marker.
Photographed by J.T. Lambrou
5. Location
The marker is located at Historic Fort Wayne south of downtown Detroit.
Credits. This page was last revised on July 28, 2024. It was originally submitted on July 27, 2024, by J.T. Lambrou of New Boston, Michigan. This page has been viewed 333 times since then and 20 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on July 27, 2024, by J.T. Lambrou of New Boston, Michigan. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.
