The National tribune., 1902-11-13
"THE PETERSBURG EXPRESS"
The Real History of That Celebrated Gun.

EDITOR NATIONAL. TRIBUNE: i nOtlceu
in Il recert issue an inquiry regarding the
gun known as the Petersburg Express. y
also have noticed the answer given by
Comrade W. G. Pickham, which l must
say is not correct.
| was member of Co. f, 1st Conn.
Art, and know of the history of the 13-
inch mortar known as the Petersburg Ex-
press. 1t was in charge of Co. l, 1st Conn.
Art, situated OH the nights in the rear OF
our battery. They had charge of this 13-
inch mortar in front of Petersburg, dat
ing from July, 1864, to the close of the
war, 1865. This 13-inch mortar, Peters
burg Express by name, is now mounted in
the courthouse yard in Hartford, Conn.,,
in memory of the 1st Conn. Fl. \.
To prove my assertion l will quote you
several general orders of Col. Henry l..
Abbot, 1st Conn. Art, commanding siege
train:
Headquarters Eighteenth Army Corps,
July 81, 1864.
Col. Abbot: l have sent Capt. Osborne
with the 13-inch mortar to City Point by
rail. Will you communicate further or
ders to him!
T. s. TRUMBULL.
Headquarters Siege Train,
Broadway Landing, Va, Aug. !, 1864.
Orders No. 80.
Lieut.. Knox, with detachment of one
Sergeant, two COrporals and 10 privates of
Go. /, will proceed upon the tug at q a. IN.
to relieve the detachment of Co. q, now
guarding the 13-inch mortar at City Point.
Capt. Brigham with his platoon will re-
port to Maj. Trumbull to relieve Lieut..
Jackson's platoon of Co. /, now in charge
of the battery of four S-incl mOrtars on
Gen. Turner's front. Capt. Brigham will
reassume command of his entire company.
Lieut.. Jackson, OH being SO relieved, will
report with his platoon to his company
commander, at these headquarters, and
await orders to proceed to the front in
charge of the 13-inch mortar, to which
duty he will be assigned.
BY order of Col. Abbot.
3. 2. LEARNED, First Lieutenant and
\. A. a. q.
Order No SO.
Lieut.. l.. w. Jackson, 1st Conn. Art,
will proceed with a detachment of one
Sergeant, two COrpOrals, and 10 men of
his company to City Point tomorrow morn
ing upon the tug, leaving the landing here
at Z o'clock a. III. He will proceed to the
13-inch mortar, and assuming command of
the detachment now there, in addition to
his own, will apply to Maj. Wentz, Super
intendent Military Railroads in Virginia,
for locomotive to transport him to the
former position of the mortar near Peters
burg.
First Lieut.. Andrew Knox, upon being
relieved by Lieut.. Jackson, will report for
duty to his company commander, return
ing upon the tug.
BY order of Col. Abbot.
B. p. LEARNED, First Lieutenant and
A. A. A. G.
Broadway Landing, Va, Aug. 4, 1864.
Maj. T.. l.. Wentz, Chief Engineer, etc.
Military Railroads, Va, City Point:
Is the track clear for the 13-inch mortar
to go to its old position, without interfer-
ing with your distribution of s!eepers?
HENRY l.. ABBOT, Colonel, 1st Conn.
Art.
Railway Depot, City Point, Aug. 4, 1864.
Col. Abbot: The track will be clear for
the mortar after II m. tomorrow, the 9th.
Shall it be sent after that time to its old
place?
c. D. McALPINN, Assistant Engineer.
Broadway Landing. Va, Aug. 5, 1864.
Maj. f. l.. Wentz, Superintendent
Military Railroads, Va, City Point:
l will send a detachment of men tomor-
row morning (Aug. 81 to go out with the
13-inch mortar. When they arrive with
an order from me, will be obliged if you
will run them out.
HENRY l.. ABBOT,
Colonel 1st Conn. Art, Commanding Siege
Train.
Headquarters Army of Potomac,
Oct. IS, 1864
Col. H. L. Abbot: Where is the 13-inch
mortar? Is it where it can control the
Chesterfield Battery, as well as near the