Under the Arches - For Photosynthesis by bmac62
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Description
Please see yesterday's photo, "Arches". Comment expressed curiosity about the floor "tiles" that seemed to randomly end in the middle of the floor. The "tiles" are actually iron plates for the wheels of cannon gun carriages to roll upon when cannon is traversed left or right. This photo shows everything in place completing the historical puzzle:)
Fort Knox on the west bank of the Penobscot River near Bucksport, Maine. No this isn't THE Fort Knox with the gold depository. That one is in Kentucky.
10" Model 1861 Rodman Gun with cast iron casemate gun carriage...for those with a need-to-know:-)
Comments (14)
T.Rex
Thanks Bill. So, it's the bottle shaped Dahlgren gun. But I couldn't bet on it since it could have been an earlier gun considerint the time it took to build the fort. Keep up the good work. :-)
My, Kitty is trying to help me type!
wysiwig
Interesting way to aim the gun. I wonder about the recoil.
bmac62
The cannon, when fired, slides back along the long rails of the carriage. Since the gun is a muzzle loader, it has to come way back so the gun crew can swab out the barrel (sparks, gun powder residue, etc.), ram the next powder charge down the barrel, then ram the next cannon ball/shell down the barrel...all from the front end. Then the crew pulls the cannon all the way forward to its firing position with the muzzle sticking through the firing port in the wall. The crew drill for this was/is quite elaborate but with a crew of about ten, all these actions are fast. Oh, and needless to say, the gun must be carefully aimed after it is reloaded. This is hot, dusty, smoky, ear splitting loud work.
PhthaloBlue
Great capture!
photosynthesis
Aha - thanks for clearing that up, Bill. Now I can stop wondering about that & move on to the next enigma...
durleybeachbum
Absolutely fascinating
Faemike55
Fascinating and wonderful
ArtistKimberly
Fantastic Image,
kgb224
Superb capture my friend. God bless.
jendellas
Really very interesting. x
RodS
Well, I thought those tracks had something to do with the guns... Now I see what!
Very cool shot, Bill!
X-PaX
Very nice capture Bill.
sharky_
I can imagine when they fire that canon....everyone keeping their ears closed. Interesting shot. Aloha
junge1
Great capture Bill and interesting information!
anahata.c
when I first saw this, you hadn't posted your reply to Mark. I love all you said, very informative, both about the maneuvers and about the difficult nature of the job. Also, when I first saw this, I couldn't help think of a huge distorted piano, or even rail car. Pianos, in dark silhouette in an old hall, can look a little like this. I always thought they were dark beasts...in any case, another wonderful example of your handling of 'monotonal' hues (which are never mono, but multi; but we call them mono because they're basically light-against-dark). This one in a green-tinted sepia. Beautiful sweep and mystery and shadow. And more of the light in the bricks. And the heavy overarching presence of the walls and ceilings. And all accented by that huge canon and its chassis---a beautiful heavy shot, with real presence and mass. Really superb work, Bill.