(Civil War) 20-inch Rodman Gun.- Model 1861

(Civil War) 20-inch Rodman Gun.- Model 1861, McClelland - U.S. Govt., c. 1861
 Only 2 were ever made, in 1864, and both survive to today. It is the largest muzzle loading smooth bore cannon ever made and could shoot over 8,000 yards. On its first tests the twenty foot long cannon took a one-hundred pound powder charge and sent a cannon ball over three miles away, landing in the sea after several bounces to make a splash taller than the ships of the time. It also kicked the entire cannon and carriage back six feet with its intense recoil. This is a scarce engineering engraving for this monster weapon. 
Thomas Jackson Rodman, a graduate of the military academy, developed a revolutionary method for manufacturing cannons. He theorized that cooling the interior of a cannon while keeping the outer surface hot would create a stronger and more durable weapon. This process, known as the "wet chill process," involved casting the cannon with a hollow core and circulating water through it to cool the bore from the inside. Initially rejected by the government, Rodman persisted and obtained permission to test his method. In 1849, it was proven that cannons produced using his technique were superior to those manufactured by traditional methods. During the Civil War, the Rodman guns, weighing 50,000 pounds and measuring 190 inches in length, were the largest in the U.S. arsenal. 
Condition is very good. Image size is approximately 15.75 x 21.75 (inches)