whitworth for B.Johnston

THE MCCLURG MUSEUM DOORSTOP
For years, this 9”, 12 lb. piece of iron made the perfect door
stop at the McClurg Museum ... Until a few months ago, that
is, when it was learned that it is a Civil War relic... A rare projectile from a state-of-the- art cannon imported from England
by the Confederate States late in the Civil War.
It is said that the Confederate Army had only three of these Whitworth Cannons, which were designed and made in England.
This forerunner of modern artillery loaded from the breech unlike
most muzzle loading artillery of that day, and the rifled gun barrel
imparted a spin to the projectile, called a “bolt”. This gave it
exceptional accuracy over great distance. The gun could consistently hit a 5 inch circle from a mile away. This degree of accuracy
made it effective in counter-battery fire, but the gunners often
overshot the battle area, because they were firing further than the
gunner’s accurate sighting capability.
These bolts made a very distinctive and eerie sound when fired,
which could easily be distinguished from other projectiles.
This particular bolt reportedly passed through Chautauqua County
soldier Theodore Peterson’s tent at Petersburg, VA in 1864. We
do not know if he was in the tent at the time or found it after the
battle.
PROJECTILE CHARACTERISTICS
CONSTRUCTION: Solid shot
LENGTH: 9.39 inches
WEIGHT: 12 pounds
DIAMETER: 2.71 inches across flats
DIAMETER AT BASE: 2.10 inches
DIAMETER OF RIDGES: 2.966 inches
DIAMETER AT BASE: 2.10 inches
WHITWORTH CANNON
PROJECTILE
#171 DONOR: George Saxon