Yesterday, I arrived in Cincinnati and that night went to the newly redeveloped Washington Park downtown for a concert featuring two popular local bands. While walking around, I espied off in the distance what appeared to be a 19th century naval cannon.
Obviously, I had to check it out. Turned out to be a 30-pdr Parrott cannon that had been on one of Admiral Farragut's ships at the 1864 Battle of Mobile Bay in Alabama. Unfortunately, it did not say what ship. A plaque by it said that it had been in Washington Park since 1870 and had been acquired by the War Department and had been a gift to the city by T.W. Seig of the 6th Ohion Infantry regiment.
It had been restored in the mid-1970s using anonymous donations and volunteer labor and was rededicated Aug. 5, 1997, 133 years after the Battle of Mobile Bay.
After I got back to Denny's, I went online but could find no new information about it.
Sure would like to know what ship it was on.
Old B-Runner
I know of two 30-pdr Parrotts in Cincinnati - one Army and one Navy. Both have 1865 acceptance dates, which would sort of rule out any use in the Battle of Mobile Bay.
ReplyDeletePerhaps the gun served on one of the ships in the post war period. Or perhaps there is a third 30-pdr in Cincinnati that I have not seen.
Thanks for the information,
ReplyDeleteWhere is the other Parrot?