Whitworth cannon?

[juancho]

Does anybody here have any experience with them? are they consider appropriate for this forum? I know they were used during the civil war.
I'm thinking of making one in the future , if I can get my hands on a modern artillery barrel 40mm or smaller.I doubt I could afford the bigger guns with the price of powder today.

 

[Artificer]

My own experience with original artillery is limited to being a Gun Captain a few times with original 12 pounder Bronze Napolean guns, but we were only firing blanks.

I have seen three or four original Whitworths, but never saw one of them fired. I'm familiar with the projectiles and fuses as some have been dug up around the four battles fought in or near Fredericksburg, Virginia.

Shortly after I began a tour as the Ordnance Officer for an Artillery Battalion on Camp Pendleton, CA in 1991 - I was invited to a "back yard shoot" of our M198 Howitzers. When I saw the Projo's and especially the fuses, I exclaimed, "That's basically a large Whitworth Gun! The fuses are very similar and only a bit larger!" Of course I got a few strange looks from most of the Marines, but one Artillery Officer finally said, "Oh, I know what he is talking about. Yes, these guns basically are BIG Whitworth Guns." One of the biggest thrills I ever got was being invited to "pull the lanyard" on one of those guns.

Gus

 

[MacRob46]

Whitworths rifled guns were loaded from the breech but could be loaded from the muzzle if need be. They were used primarily, perhaps solely, by Confederate forces, were made in England and there were never many in service. The gun had special rifling and fired a special projectile known as a Whitworth "bolt." I was not aware they were used at Fredericksburg but if I remember correctly there was at least one at Gettysburg. All this comes from memory as I am unable to locate my references at the moment. Making one would be an interesting project.

The company also made small arms with a hexagonal bore which, of course, required a special projectile as well. Some of these rifles found their way to CSA forces as well and were used as sniper rifles. Replicas of these small arms are still being made - I think.

 

[Artificer]

There were four battles in or very near Fredericksburg, VA during the WBTS. As I remember, the Whitworth Bolts (Shells) were found in sites most likely from the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House - though I may be mistaken about that as I never was one to use a Metal Detector. Also, some of the battles had "fights" that sort of overlapped on the locations of other battles. So sometimes and in some areas, one can never be sure which battle an excavated relic may actually have come from.

Gus

 

[Heelerau]

Gus,
found this gun in the front yard of a cottage in Tasmania, I suspect it is Boer War vintage, and may be a whit worth gun? or maybe an Armstrong, not sure some one here may be able to make a suggestion. Cheers Heelerau [/URL[URL=http://s1012.photobucket.com/user/heelerau/media/PB180121.jpg.html]

 

[gunmaker43]

Not a Whitworth, they have a Handle on breech with 3" knobs to knock open breech block. and cap primer sticking out of the rear end of breech. Youtube has vid's of some guns new made full scale & 40 mm...cool cannon for sure...Tom

 

[bob308]

I believe that gun is a Krupp.

Whitworths were used by one battery at Gettysburg. the problem was with the way the ground lays they over shot their targets. they were stationed about where the peace light is now. in fact there are two Whitworths on display at the peace light. now for the sad part the breaches are welded closed.

 

[satx78247]

Ft Fisher, "The Confederate Goliath", had several Whitworth breechloaders, which were also, as necessary (reportedly), muzzle-loaded.

yours, satx

 

[ChrisPer]

Very interesting. I don't think it looks like and Armstrong.

The Armstrong RBL (rifled breech-loaders) introduced in the mid 1850s were superseded by the RML (rifled muzzle-loaders) about 1865. They hadn't performed well over time.

Armstrong RBL2
Armstrong RBL1

Armstrong 6-pdrs

There are two and a half Armstrong RML 9-pdrs at Albany coastal defense forts, Western Australia.

 

[Heelerau]

Chrisper, there is a crest on the breech of this gun but is to indistinct to make out. It is a nice piece and has not been demised should be at home in my workshop! Off to the Perth range this morning, more work on my .451.

cheers
Heelerau

 

[MacRob46]

I am reading a biography of Henry King Burgwyn, Jr. the "boy colonel" of the 26th NC and ran across a reference to Whitworth cannons. Eastern NC was extremely important to the Confederacy as a bread basket as well as a route for much needed supplies to get to the Army of Northern Virginia. Union troops invaded the area early in the war and effectively controlled the coast between the Virginia line and north of Wilmington, which was ultimately the last port open to blockade runners until near the end of the war.

Burgwyn and his regiment spent most of their time in Eastern NC, which was actually lightly defended at first. Only after Gens. D. H. Hill and Longstreet were sent there was there any plan to push the Union forces out of the area but the plan failed, of course. There is an interesting reference in the book concerning where the Whitworths assigned to the CSA army were utilized. When Gen. Hill began to plan his attack, Longstreet requested troops and artillery from Gen. Whiting who commanded the Confederate troops at Wilmington. Longstreet asked for at least one of Whiting's three Whitworths as part of the reinforcements for Hill. Whiting replied: "The Withworth guns are all we have to depend on to keep the blockaders at such a distance as will enable the steamers to run the blockade. One is at [Fort] Caswell, one at [Fort] Fisher, and one about 5 miles above [Fort] Fisher, on the Beach." Longstreet must have prevailed because Gen. Hill later issued orders to Gen. Pettigrew, commanding Burgwyn's brigade to "take all the rifled guns with your own Brigade, Daniel's & the reserve Artillery & Whitworth gun from Wilmington (if arrived) and move to the neighborhood of Barrington's Ferry..."

The Whitworth in question, if it ever arrived, probably went to Pennsylvania with Pettigrew's brigade for use at Gettysburg.