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Civil War Heavy Metal
black mamba
Registered Users Posts: 8,322 Major grins
Fort Clinch is one of the best-preserved Civil War forts in the country. It's located at the very northern-most point in coastal Florida....at the tip of Amelia Island. The construction of the fort began in 1847 and it functioned as an active fort throughout the Civil War and during the following Seminole Indian wars. The body of water you see in these pictures is the mouth of the St. Mary's River as it dumps into the Atlantic Ocean. The far shoreline you see is Georgia.
1. These cannon are 10" smooth-bore models. They were the main defensive guns of the fort. They could fire three different primary projectiles:
A. a 120 lb. solid metal ball for an effective range of about one mile
B. a 94 lb. hollow ball, stuffed with explosives ( had a wick ), out to about 1 1/2 to 2 miles
C. a 98 lb. conical-shaped projectile ( looked more like a modern shell ) that exploded on impact. It
could throw this round out to a distance of about 3 to 3 1/2 miles.
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This smaller cannon is not seen very frequently....the restoration on this one is outstanding
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A view of the Quartermaster room
7.
Some implements of the time in the tool room
8.
1. These cannon are 10" smooth-bore models. They were the main defensive guns of the fort. They could fire three different primary projectiles:
A. a 120 lb. solid metal ball for an effective range of about one mile
B. a 94 lb. hollow ball, stuffed with explosives ( had a wick ), out to about 1 1/2 to 2 miles
C. a 98 lb. conical-shaped projectile ( looked more like a modern shell ) that exploded on impact. It
could throw this round out to a distance of about 3 to 3 1/2 miles.
2.
3.
4.
5.
This smaller cannon is not seen very frequently....the restoration on this one is outstanding
6.
A view of the Quartermaster room
7.
Some implements of the time in the tool room
8.
I always wanted to lie naked on a bearskin rug in front of a fireplace. Cracker Barrel didn't take kindly to it.
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Comments
http://www.moose135photography.com
Hi John,
Like you, I have a very high interest in this kind of stuff. You may notice in the pictures that some gun mounts have no cannons. There are four 15" smooth-bore cannons, currently being restored, that will eventually be placed there. These 15" cannons are monsters....roughly twice the size of those you see, which are no lightweights. The big guys can throw a 300 lb. solid ball approximately 6 miles. I'm not sure what explosive rounds the 15" guns could handle. I can only imagine the noise one of those things made when it fired.
Thanks for the visit,
Tom
Lauren Blackwell
www.redleashphoto.com
Hi Lauren,
You just gather yourself up and come on over. There are 5 or 6 old forts right around Jacksonville, dating back to the granddaddy of them all.....Castillo de San Marcos in St. Augustine. That jewel dates back to 1672 and is the oldest European fortification remaining in the nation.
Tom
The smaller cannon wasn't on display when I was there, it looks cherry!
Hey brother,
I thought about you and your visit here when I was ambling around this place. They have constructed a new visitor center ( adjacent to the old one ) that is quite impressive. They took the old center and enhanced it further as the primary museum facility.
That small cannon and carriage is magnificent. I've seen Civil War cannons of all types and in all kinds of places.....you just don't see many like that one and I've never seen one that was as well restored.
When are you and Teresa getting back home?
Tom
You certainly captured the fort very well!
We're back home now. Got chased off our NW destinations due to the rain/snow. Ah well, that's a good enough reason to put the NW on our vacation list again!
Wow, what a neat place, another place to put on the List, that seems
keep growing longer and longer.
Really love the whole series and all the wonderful details.
Hope You and Yours have a Wonderful Thanksgiving.
Craig
Burleson, Texas
Darlene and I wish you, KK, and all the others in your family the very best of this Thanksgiving day.
You really would enjoy this old fort. There's a lot I haven't shown. That shot I posted called " Dare To Follow " was shot deep down inside the place.
Take care, my friend,
Tom