Civil war revolving cannon

[jaxenro]

Came across a reference to this the other day. Sounded like a giant colt revolver, 2" bore (?), and the cylinder was ?cammed? forward on firing to eliminate the gas leakage? They stated the first burst during testing but the second one is in a museum somewhere. Anyone familier with this?

 

[musketman]

The Hotchkiss Revolving Cannon is a souvenir of the Spanish-American War.
It was made in Connecticut, sold to the Spanish government, and later used by Spanish forces during the war.

It was retrieved from the Spanish ship "Vizcaya" following the Battle of Santiago Bay, Cuba.

The cannon was restored by the Colt Manufacturing Company and placed on a Gatling gun base.

 

[Will Bison]

Something way back in my memory banks says yes but I can't recall.

The Gatling was produced in calibers up to one inch. The Hotchkiss cannon in 37 mm came after the war.

 

[jaxenro]

It wasn't the Hotchkiss, although they are kind of cool. I think it's sitting outside a museum in Virginia or somewhere. It obviously wasn't practical as one blew up and they never fired the second one. It was listed under civil war oddities along with a double barrel cannon.

 

[Story]

Jaxenro,
Do you mean this? -

Tappey and Lumsden: Petersburg, VA., firm. Producer of revolving cannon designed by Henry Clay Pate (q.v.). The Petersburg Express of May 11, 1861, noted that Tappey & Lumsden had completed a five-shot cannon of 3.13-inch caliber weighing 300 pounds. It fired a four pound ball 1900 yards. A pair of these weapons was turned out. One burst during firing tests and the other was set aside for the duration of the war. It survives today at Petersburg.

PS: I *think* this is the book I used to have in my library, which illustrated practically every piece of ordnance used by North and South. You can probably get it from the local library, through inter-library loan.

Hazlett, James C., Edwin Olmsted, M. Hume Parks, Field Artillery Weapons of the Civil War, 2nd ed., 1988

 

that almost sounds more like the "coffee grinder" Agar gun. I have seen one in action. They used a single barrel but a multi chambered cylinder that loaded .58 caliber "shells" loaded with standard paper cartridges and a musket cap. Never know, they may have experimented with something bigger. Would have been like the original Mk19 grenade launcher!

Could that be it?

http://www.floridareenactorsonline.com/machinegun.htm

here's a link that describes one like the replica I saw (and got to fire....way way way cool)

 

[jaxenro]

Story,
yup, that's the one. The book I have describes it as a "revolver on wheels", but doesn't have a picture. Sounds like the crank is different than the other type as it doesn't fire the cannon but wedges the cylinder closed.

 

[musketman]

Story,
yup, that's the one. The book I have describes it as a "revolver on wheels", but doesn't have a picture. Sounds like the crank is different than the other type as it doesn't fire the cannon but wedges the cylinder closed.

 

[Gary]

If you guys get to Petersburg, Virginia, go to the City's Siege Museum. They have a revolving cannon exhibited there.

 

[Story]

And there it is, left upper corner...

Oddly enough, there doesn't seem to be a website specifically for the museum.
http://www.petersburg-va.org/tourism/siege.htm