The Mortar Battery

Named Battery Meigs, these two pits contained eight large 12-inch mortars. Each huge mortar was capable of hurling a 700-pound projectile in a high arc. The simultaneous firing of all eight would insure a clustered group of shells falling on ...

Mortar Battery

Mortar shells from this battery plummeted down in high soaring arcs upon the warships, tearing through the canvas sails and bursting upon the wooden deck.

This mortar battery, joined with heavy guns on both sides of the River, made running the ...

Mortar Battery

Four mortars occupied a single pit. With twelve other mortars in nearby pits, they were designed to fire simultaneously, lobbing 12-inch, 800-pound shells in high arcs, to penetrate ships’ lightly-armored decks. Built in the early 1890’s, this was the first ...

Mortar Battery

Four mortars occupied a single pit. With twelve other mortars in nearby pits, they were designed to fire simultaneously, lobbing 12-inch, 800-pound shells in high arcs, to penetrate ships’ lightly-armored decks. Built in the early 1890’s, this was the first ...