This web page was just linked to on Facebook at the American Civil War Roundtable, a site for UK citizens whose interest is in that part of American History. Unfortunately the site has been a bit, well, defiled by some of us Yanks who enjoy visiting the site and leaving our verbal droppings. I did leave an invitation some time back: that if the Brits ever care to come back and try burning Washington again, some of us Yanks will make them sandwiches and tea. One responded that they had tasted our Yankee tea and would take coffee instead.
Anyway, the site is below the background link from NPS. TD
NPS: Fort Moultrie " Between 1809 and 1860 Fort Moultrie changed little. The parapet was altered and the armament modernized, but the big improvement in Charleston's defenses during this period was the construction of Fort Sumter at the entrance of the harbor. The forts ringing Charleston Harbor - Moultrie, Sumter, Johnson, and Castle Pinckney - were meant to complement each other, but ironically received their baptism of fire as opponents."
"At the command “Take implements,” the chief of piece would clamber up onto the central tongue of the chassis and remove the gun’s vent-cover, distribute the dangling pouches, and level the barrel. The cannoneers would meanwhile seize their handspikes and bars, and assume positions so as to begin pushing the weapon back into its loading-position. At the command “From battery, heave,” each pair of cannoneers would insert iron bars into specially-bored holes on either side of the wheels, and slowly lever the gun backwards, up the slight barbette-carriage incline away from the wall. When the muzzle had retreated about a yard past the parapet’s top edge, an order would be given to “Halt,” and chocks would be quickly wedged on the rails in front of the rollers, so as to hold the piece in place."
No comments:
Post a Comment