this is a bit OT, but educational: could someone explain to me what a
'columbiad' is? i sort of assumed it was an epic journey to Columbia, probably
written in iambic pentameter:).
A Columbiad was, in the American artillery vernacular of the 1840-60's,
a smoothbore cannon, mostly of 8 and 10 inch caliber capable of firing
explosive shell as well as solid shot. In the British service such weapons
were generally refered to as Paixhan guns after the French designer who
pioneered the shell firing gun. By the time of the Civil War things get really
confusing with Columbiads, Rodmans, and Dahlgrens (the last two similar to
Columbiads but of improved "coke bottle" shape), Parrot rifles, Brooke Rifles,
Armstrongs and Whitworths, Napoleons and on and on...
> In a message dated 7/22/99 8:19:48 AM EST, edens@mindspring.com writes:
<<
A Columbiad was, in the American artillery vernacular of the 1840-60's,
a smoothbore cannon, mostly of 8 and 10 inch caliber capable of firing
explosive shell as well as solid shot. In the British service such weapons
were generally refered to as Paixhan guns after the French designer who
pioneered the shell firing gun. By the time of the Civil War things get really
confusing with Columbiads, Rodmans, and Dahlgrens (the last two similar to
Columbiads but of improved "coke bottle" shape), Parrot rifles, Brooke Rifles,
Armstrongs and Whitworths, Napoleons and on and on...
> [quoted text omitted]
Most of the 8 - 15 inch artilery (smooth bore in Union use in the civil
war period) were Dahlgrens. A smoothbore wit reinforced breech to resist
bursting (which is a hoot, since at one of the gun's inaugral test shootings a
breech
explosion killed the then Secretary of War - but that is a digression).
You will actually find Columbiad guns emplaced on smaller naval vessels prior
to
the War of 1812. Gun names and popular nomenclature always overlapped -
case in point: the Civil War "Napoleon" a 12 pdr smooth bore field piece. It
was a design built long after it's name sake was laid to rest, but since it
was a smoothbore in the dawn of rifled artillery it got nicknamed and God
knows the nicknames are much more important than the real names (and also more
historically colorful)