American Civil War Battlefields 
Fort Sumter National Monument 
Charleston Harbor, South Carolina 

100-pounder Parrott rifles on their original carriages at Fort Sumter. 

Photo courtesy of LCWRT member Paul Fridell,

 text courtesy of LCWRT Member Holly Jenkins-Evans. 

Post Civil War, the U.S. Army Engineers leveled the damaged higher walls of the heavily battered Fort Sumter. When the gun casements were rebuilt, they housed 100 pound Parrott rifles. The Parrott guns were invented by Capt. Robert Parker Parrot who, after his military service, was the superintendent of the West Point Foundry. He patented the cast iron Parrot rifle with a wrought iron reinforcing breech band in 1861. 

Before the Civil War was over, and despite a reputation for shattering, both Union and Confederate forces were using the Parrott guns in a variety of sizes. These guns were made in sizes from 10 -pounders up to a 300-pounder. These 100-poumd Parrots were naval guns 138" in length and weighing 9727 pounds. Manned by a crew of 17, they fired either an 80 or 100-pound shell to a range of up to 6,900 yards for the 80-pound shell or 7810 yards with the 100-pound shell.