The National tribune., 1901-08-29
MAYNARD MUSEUM.
Collection of Curious Relics of Many "


guns and small ones for our navy. Th;.
museum contains many mementoes OF thu
war of the rebellion, on both land and sea
in addition to relics of the Revolution, tn,
War of 1912, and the conflict with Mex
leo. -.E
The museum building Is only a stone'i
throw from the main gate OF the Nav
Yard. 1t is a two-story structure, over
Swallowed by the grim foundry building.
to the south, and announced by q simple
signb0ard over the main entry bearing thu
word Museum" The implements of war
fare are taStefully and systematically ar
ranged about the interior.
In one of the cases is the identical shell
from the Merrimac which lodged in the
headquarters of Gen. Mansfield at New
port News during the fierce attack oil
the Union ships Congress and Cumber
land, when the latter went down witt
her gallant crew. Luckily for Gen Mans
field and his staff, the shell failed to ex
plOde.
In the same case is a pecul ar looking
shell fired from rifled 32-pounder OF
the Confederate battery at Cock Pit
Point, on the Potomac, Jan. 2
| 1862. This shell was aimed at the U,
$. steamer Yankee, and struck her fair
| and square, doing considerable damage,
but failed to explode, or there would have
been greater damage and casualties.
There is still another unexplOded shell
of smaller size, which was picked up on
the battlefield of Corinth, Oct. 4, 1862, by
Lieut.-Col. Reynolds, Chief Quartermas-
ter of the Army of the Tennessee.
Perhaps the most interesting shell in
the large exhibit of projectiles in the
Navy Yard Museum is the one which was
fired by The Confederate steamer Ala
bama during her battle with the u. S.
steamer Kearsarge off Cherb0urs, France,
and which was buried deeply in the stern
or rudder-post of the gallant Kearsarge.
To understand the terrible force of this
missile, which was fired from seven
inch rifle, it is necessary to see the rud-
der-pOSt with the shell imbedded in it,
which is on exhibition at the museum.
The post is of the hardest and toughest
quality Of live-oak, and is torn and twist
ed as a result of the impact, the iron
missile being snuSly enSconsed in its very
center. Had the Confederate gunner who
sighted the rife aimed it about II inches
farther to the rear Of the Kearsarge, the
shell would have destroyed the rudder Of
that vessel and left her drifting about at
the mercy of the Alabama. Then the
history of that memorable sea fight would
no doubt have been written differently.
In another part of the museum is the
original machine gun, or Coffee Mill" as
it was nicknamed 10y the soldiers, which
was used by the Union forces under Gen.
Mcclellan during the Peninsular Cam
paign. This gun was made by u. Nj
gent, in New York, early in 1861, and
sent to the front. The piece is a peculiar
looking affair, with a receptacle like the
hopper of a coiree-mill as a feeder for the
ammunition. 1t has but one barrel, was
drawn by single army mule, and its
firing capacity was given as 80 shots a
minute. There is no record that this gun
did much execution among the enemy, and
it is said its use was soon discontinued
a l,n.s Il 'ha
Floyd" is another curiosity in the mu-
scum. 1t was designed by John Il. Floyd
while he was Secretary. Of War, during
the Administration of President Buchah-
an. When Floyd went South and became
q Confederate General this breech-loader
with other munitions of war, found its
way to Harper's Ferry, where it was
captured later by the Union forces.
There is IN interesting array Of Confed-
crate torpeGOes. some crude and others in
genious, which We're captured at different
points during the war. Some Of these are
Tudely constructed Of tin, sheetiron and
copper, while there are several made from
watcT-tight barrels and even lager-beer
kegs. Then, there is a fac-simile of the
torpedo with which Lieut.. Cushing sank
the Confederate ram Albemarle, and the
twisted and torn torpedo spar, showing
the awful effect Of the explosion, which
was projected from the bow of Cushing's
steam launch on that fateful night excur-
sion.
In addition there are nd-grenades,
grape and canister and other engines of
destruction, which are familiar to the
boys in blue who followed the flag
through smoke and fire during the COS.
Going back to the wars of the dim
past, the museum contains some rare and
ancient relics. There, for instance, is a
bronze cannon which was
brought from Spain by Cortez in 1890, |
when he made the conquest of Mexico. |
During the Mexican War Gen. Santa |
Anna used this ancient weapon against !
the America forces, and it was later cap |
tured by the latter and sent to Washing |
ton. Although made away back in 1880 |
this old bronze gun is breech-loader, |
the charge of gunpowder being placed in |
an instrument resembling tailor's iron |
1r goose, which was showed into an aper-
ture at the breech of the cannon.
Another old piece with history is
i2-pounder of the year 1870. This can
non, Il huge, clumsy looking affair, was
part of the main battery OF the French
by the English and her battery sold to
he American Government. The old gun
hen served on a Haytian privateer and
alter returned to New York. 1t was af-
edwards mounted on the American pri-
fateer Gen. Armstrong, and by its aid a
Joat attack from an English squadron on
he night Of Sept. % and u, 1914, in
Fayal, Azores, was repulsed by the
Americans with loss to the English at
acking force Of 100 killed, 1870 wounded
md nearly all their boats destroyed. The
american loss was but two killed and
light wounded. The American privateer
vas sunk by its crew to prevent it from
alling into the hands of the enemy, and
his old gun was many years afterwards
from the wreck and presented
o the United States by the Portuguese
Government.
Among the other curiosities are several
boarding helmets which were worn by
American jacktars during the War of
S12. The boarding helmet was designed
o protect the head of its wcarer from the
utlaSs strokes of the enemy. 1t is q
all leather cap, surmounted by a frame
work of iron bands, with a long visor
Ointing almost directly downward.
The records of the Navy Yard, or Ord {
ance Museum, show that breech-lOading
annon are by no means modern inven-
ions. Ordnance history relates that
reech-loading guns, crude ones, of course,
we're used by the English at the battle OF
}recy in 1916; also, that the breech
lock with continuous screw was made :
t Client in 1904 and improved in 1919. !
Guns on the Hntchkiss principle were :
lade at Munich in 1892 The Swiss cop i
er gun, on the Maxim principle, adapt
to fire 10 successive charges by block,
;as manufactured in 1742, and the prin- 7
y James Puckle in 171S. The principle I
T the Krupp gun was a Dutch cannon 5
lade in 1850. q
Start a "pyrumid" this 'ccek. For t
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