Coehorn Mortar

W.G.Ewald

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COEHORN MORTAR
Civil War Mortar, are actually short barreled Cannon designed to launch large, hollow projectiles at very high elevations using a small charge of powder. Mortars are smooth bore weapons designed to fire exploding cannon balls with fuses timed to burst above infantry and cavalry.


I saw one of these fired during a re-enactment of the Battle of Gettysburg.

 

civfanatic

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How old are these mortars? I vaguely remember reading that the Dutch used them in the early 18th century.
 

W.G.Ewald

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How old are these mortars? I vaguely remember reading that the Dutch used them in the early 18th century.
You are right, and your recollection is not vague at all.
A Coehorn[pronunciation?] (also spelled cohorn) was a portable mortar developed in the Netherlands by Menno van Coehoorn in 1674 and in use from the seventeenth to the mid nineteenth centuries. Unlike larger, heavier mortars, the Coehorn was designed to be movable by as few as four men. By the time of the American Civil War, it was in service with both armies in twelve (4.62") and twenty-four pound varieties.
Coehorn - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Also see:

Bomb vessel - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A bomb vessel, bomb ship, bomb ketch, or simply bomb was a type of wooden sailing naval ship. Its primary armament was not cannon (long guns or carronades)—although bomb vessels carried a few cannon for self-defence—but rather mortars mounted forward near the bow and elevated to a high angle, and projecting their fire in a ballistic arc. Explosive shells or carcasses were employed rather than solid shot. Bomb vessels were specialized ships designed for bombarding (hence the name) fixed positions on land.


The "bombs bursting in air" of our national anthem.
 

Akim

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But this mortar does not burn face. The thick walls of the trunk, testify about the poor quality of the metal, at the time.
 

W.G.Ewald

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^^
That mortar was called "The Dictator."

I would guess that the smooth-bore barrel was iron.

Smoothbore artillery refers to weapons that are not rifled. At the time of the Civil War, metallurgy and other supporting technologies had just recently evolved to a point allowing the large scale production of rifled field artillery. As such, many smoothbore weapons were still in use and production even at the end of the war. Smoothbore field artillery of the day fit into two role-based categories: guns and howitzers. Further classifications of the weapons were made based on the type of metal used, typically bronze or iron (cast or wrought), although some examples of steel were produced. Additionally, the artillery was often identified by the year of design in the Ordnance department references.
Field artillery in the American Civil War - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 

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