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Reproducing the Ellsworth Gun - History of the Ellsworth Gun

The small "Ellsworth" guns were one of only two types of breech-loading artillery purchased by the Union government during the American Civil War. The other type purchased by the Union was one 70pdr Whitworth rifle. Additionally, Whitworth 12 pdr breech-loading guns in Federal service were donated by America citizen's living in England, but were not purchased by Lincoln's government.

Credit for the invention of these small breech-loading cannons has been given to Eli Thayer, an inventor and politician from Massachusetts. Mr. Thayer held the manufacturing rights to Joslyn's 1855 firearms patent (No.13507) on which these guns were based. In an 1861 newspaper article, Thayer claimed that his "Massachusetts Emigrant Aid Society" (later the New England Emigrant Aid Society) had 12 of these small guns manufactured and had sent them along with Sharps rifles to "Bleeding Kansas" during the Kansas-Missouri border conflict. The only possible mention of them that could be found comes at the destruction of the Free State Hotel where one 12 pounder brass howitzer and four other small cannon were surrendered along with some Sharps rifles. It is uncertain that these are Thayer's guns, but seems the most likely candidate.

Lucius W. Pond, also an inventor and manufacturer; claimed the invention of these guns in the Scientific American, a paper which showcased patents and inventions, and a least one other publication. Mr. Pond was later to find trouble with patent right infringement with Smith & Wesson over a pistol he was manufacturing and check fraud which would land him in jail. It is unclear whether Pond or Thayer actually invented the guns, but given Pond's criminal background, one can assume that Thayer is most likely.

In April of 1861 the Union Defense Committee of New York City purchased two of the small guns for use by Colonel Elmer Ellsworth's 11th New York Infantry known as Ellsworth's Zouaves. The guns took the name of Ellsworth's from the first regiment who were to receive them.

Mr. Thayer, using his political connections, went to Washington and convinced President Lincoln to order the purchase of 20 guns at a cost of $350 each and to be subject to the inspection of General McClellan's chief of ordnance, Colonel Kingsbury.

The 20 guns ordered by Lincoln were manufactured by the firm of Goddard, Rice & Co. and sent to Washington D.C. in November 1861. The guns that they sent were four feet long, six inches in diameter at the breech and three and a half inches at the muzzle. They had a one and a half-inch rifled bore with fifteen lands and grooves. Opposing wedges operated by handle went through the breech of the gun holding the breechblock in place for firing. A truncated cone on the front of the breechblock forces against two tapered rings to create the gas seal for the breech. (Much like the rings on a piston in an internal combustion engine.) A handle on the back of the breech–block pulls the block back to break the rings free. for more information on how the guns actually work, and how we got them to work, read Reproducing the Ellsworth

This small artillery piece fired an 18 ounce chilled iron conical ball wrapped with tallow soaked cord that was put in a cup at the end of a brass cartridge. The brass cartridge is another innovative design incorporated into these guns which puts it ahead of its time. Cartridges were a feature that had just begun to be designed for firearms of the period. The piece was fired by a three-ounce charge that was ignited through perforations near the base of the cartridge. It was estimated that the piece could throw its shot approximately three miles.

When he recieved the guns Colonel Kingsbury, Gen. McClellan's ordnance chief, thought the guns were "in many respects superior" to the original model received. These changes to the guns form the original model may be what Mr. Pond claims as his invention. Col. Kingsbury accepted them and paid the bill of $8811.87.

All twenty of the guns remained in Washington until General John C. Fremont asked for them in the spring of 1862 when the Ellsworth guns were all sent to Harper's Ferry. This was in support of General Fremont while Confederate General Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson was in the northern part of the Shenandoah Valley. As Jackson moved to help near Richmond, some portion of the guns must have moved south with the Union Army. The first report of use found of the Ellsworth gun is at Mechanicsville on June the 29th, 1862. Captain James Woolpolk of the Ashland Artillery (CSA) commented that we "fired very rapidly, receiving in reply an incessant fire from the enemy's battery, composed, as we afterward learned from prisoners, of thirteen breech-loading guns." At Gaine's Mill the Fourth Texas Infantry, with the Eighteenth Georgia in support attacked a hill fortified with logs, entrenchments, and artillery with two lines of infantry. After sustaining heavy losses, the Texans and Georgians captured fourteen pieces of artillery. The Fifth Texas, another regiment near the 4th and 18th, caught nearly an entire union infantry regiment. In General Trimble's report, after his description of the ground, he said "to which Yankee ingenuity had added a sort of "repeating gun" called a telescopic cannon, discharging 60 balls per minute." He had grossly over estimated the rate of fire, but a battery of several guns could fire that many rounds, and he seems to mention the sighting system in the reference to "telecopic cannon".

There is not another report of their use until Confederate General "Stonewall" Jackson headed toward Harper's Ferry during the Lee's first invasion of the north. During the siege at Harper's Ferry, Captain Acorn of the 12 New York Militia took a detachment of Ellsworth guns to Maryland Heights where they rendered "valuable assistance" in defense of the garrison expending about eighty rounds. The effect of the shot on the assaulting Confederates is unclear as there is not a mention of the guns in Confederate reports.

It is also unclear as to just how many guns were captured when Harper's Ferry fell to Jackson. Union Brig. Gen. Julius White in a report stated that there were 46 pieces of artillery present at Harper's Ferry "excluding the seven small guns known as Ellsworth guns". While this is in the Official Recrods, some sources believe that there were more Ellsworth guns captured at Harper's Ferry. After the surrender of Harper's Ferry, Jackson's reports and list of stores captured does not mention the little guns, although his report does mention 17 "revolving guns" which are enigmatic, and could be a misunderstanding of how the Ellsworths work. About the same time that Fremont had requested the Ellsworth guns he also tested two Agar machine guns and found them so satisfactory that he personally ordered two for his troops, but they had not yet arrived. Could there have been a combination of Agar's and Ellsworth guns and the Confederates did not yet understand how the Ellsworth worked? This seems plausible because there is no doubt that a large number of the Ellsworth's were captured. Confederate reports account for many more than those seven mentioned as being at Harper's Ferry.

Union General Benjamin Butler also purchased two Ellsworth guns with his own funds. These guns sailed with him to the Department of the Gulf and were managed by the 8th Vermont infantry. The 8th Vermont reported their use several times. On September 6, 1862 near Algeirs, Louisiana the two Ellsworth guns, "after being rendered useless by throwing portions of them into the river, fell into the hands of the enemy." (2)

Brigadier General John Hunt Morgan had received his two Ellsworth guns early enough to have had them on hand at Hartsville Tennessee on December 6, 1862. These guns were attached to Morgan's own cavalry command. They appear on a later 1863 inventory of material in the Army of Tennessee, but no further mention of them with Morgan can be located in the ORs. Perhaps they were still with Morgan when he was captured on the Ohio raid.

Six of the guns were sent to the Trans-Mississippi theater. The Trans- Mississippi Department was still showing six Ellsworth's guns on hand as late as September 1864. Their use in the Trans-Mississippi theatre is not known. (I have been told, but am unable to confirm that all six guns were surrendered with Kirby Smith at Galveston on June 2, 1865.)

If the Confederates didn't initially know what they were as demonstrated in Jackson's report, they learned soon after they captured them. On December 8, 1862 two of the guns were transferred to the third military district of South Carolina and manned by a company of Jefford's Battalion (5th South Carolina Cavalry) which was organized as horse artillery. These guns belonged to the state of South Carolina and were to be marked "S.C." and sent to the ordnance depot. (3) It is possible that one of the guns is still near the location of the State Arsenal in Greenville S.C. mounted on concrete pedestal. However, the Ellsworth in Greenville is nor marked with "S.C" but rather only has a large font number 15 stamped on it. This could be the number assigned it when initially manufactured and if so it is likely part of the 20 guns ordered by Lincoln.

Above is the Ellsworth barrel in Greenville S.C. It is probable the irons were still on the wood when it was set in the concrete. The people at the Greeville Historical Society do not know why or when the gun was placed here. It has since been removed from the conrete, and stored indoors at a museum in Greenville.

There were many small guns used during the American Civil War. One of Mr. Lincoln's other purchases, 20 Woodruff muzzle loading guns, suffered much the same fate as the Elssworth, obscurity and capture by the south. Other than a couple of actions in Missouri and their mentioned use on Greirson's Raid little is known of their use. Some of the other small guns were the Filley gun, 30 2.125" iron guns of which 15 were rifled and 15 were smoothbore. The William's breechloading "machinegun" or which there were 36 in C.S. service, the Travis gun, 6 bronze breech-loaders captured before reaching General Forrest (C.S.), 2.25" Confederate mountain rifles and some 50 C.S. Hughes smoothbore breech-loaders of 1.5" to 2" caliber which there are no known surviving examples. Two survivng Hughes guns have been located since this article was first written. One appears to have been a 1.5" rifle.

All of these guns drifted into obscurity. There are only sporadic reports in the Official Records od the "The War of the Rebellion" which indicate when and where these guns were used. It is believed that the ordnance departments on both sides did not regularly count these small guns as part of their stores since the guns may be mentioned in a report, but not on a corresponding ordnance list. Most of these guns were assigned to cavalry or infantry units (as were many mountain howitzers) whose reports concentrated on the movements and action of the troops and only mention the guns for some gallant action. With the exception of the Ellsworths, and possibly the Hughes guns, all of these guns were smoothbores and fired shot, shell, and canister.

Ammunition used by the Ellsworth guns. Left is a Confederate version found at the Selma Alabama arsenal site. On the right is the Union version of shot. Both were to be wrapped in tallow soaked cord. They weighed about one pound, two ounces.( Photos courteously of http://www.civilwarartillery.com used with permission.)

The Ellsworths only fired the 1.5" iron shot. Even a direct hit on another field piece would cause little damage compared to the shot of the bigger guns. Its rifling and small bore would render canister ineffective. Simply put, it just could not compete with the bigger guns of the time, and so may have found limited purpose on the Civil War battlefield. The design, however, is similar to the role filled in later times bby mountain rifles or anti-tank guns.

Of the 36 Ellsworth guns known to have been built there are only six known to remain. Of the six only two are accessible to the public. One on a monument in Greenville S.C. (and now in a museum there), the other at the Gettysburg National Park next to a Whitworth 12 lb. Rifle in the museum. None have the original carriage, although fragments have been found in South Carolina. We may never know for sure what they looked like when they were delivered new. Recently, some light has been shed on the carriage issue.

The city of Greenville, S.C., while trying to move their mounument broke the concrete pilar that the barrel was sitting on. The broken concrete revealed a complete set of irons inside. It is likely that these irons are original to the barrel, but unclear whether they were Union or Confederate Manufacture. Are the irons the type found on the original 12 guns sent to Kansas, or the 20 guns ordered by Lincoln, the two bought by New york, or something Confederates put together to fix a damaged gun? We may never know.

The Museum and Library of Confederate History managed to obtain the Ellsworth gun and irons from the City of Greenville for their museum. They are now in the process of restoring the Ellsworth gun parts and carriage. Until an identified period picture of an Ellsworth gun turns up, a carriage based on these iron will only be conjecture.

The Ellsworth guns did represent a view of the wave of the future in artillery. It has a cartridge and bares very strong resemblance to the Hotchkiss mountain rifles of the 1890s. It also has a breech-block which travels through the breech portion of the gun and is of 1.5" caliber. Later wars would continue the small caliber in specialty guns such as anti-aircraft and anti-tank in 37mm.

If you have futher infomation or require information please contact Bob Hubbard.

Works Cited

Lincoln and the Tools of war by Robert V. Bruce
Feild Artillery Weapons of the Civil War By Hazzlet
Official Records of the Union and Confederate armies By the U.S. Goverment
www.civilwarartillery.com
Linclon Lore , Nov. 1976 Number 1665

Official Records Reports, On-line.

Miscellaneous Ellsworth Gun Information

From New York Tribune, Thursday, 13 June, 1861. Page 8, Columns 4-5.
JOCELYN'S PATENT GUN. There is on exhibition at the office in Eli Thayer, No.7 Wall Street, the first of a number of iron breech- loading cannon ordered for the Ellsworth Zouave Regiment. The gun is 48 inches long, has a bore of 1 1/2 inches, and carries a chilled-iron ball weighing 17 ounces. The bore is continued all the way through the breech, and the hole stopped by a pin made of a cone and expanding rings like the Jocelyn breech- loading rifle, with which many of our readers are familiar. The pin is withdrawn by a handle to which it is attached, and kept to its place by a heavy key inserted in a mortice through the gun and through the shank of the breech-pin. The key is made of two tapering pieces of steel made tight by the operation of a compound lever. The cartridge is contained in a brass case, the ball forced into the cup left for its re ception. The ball is patched with a cord or other fibrous material wound or drawn around it , and saturated with tallow. Through a row of holes perforated through the cartridge about an inch from the butt the fire is introduced. The ball is cone-shaped. The gun is made of best Swedes iron put into skelp and welded up. Its weight is about 300 pounds, and, with a carriage complete, probably 400 pounds. The cost of the gun and carriage is $400 ; the ammunition about 10 cents * per cartridge.

This form of gun was first introduced here by the Hon. Eli Thayer in 1856, when he had twelve of them made for his Kansas emigrants to defend themselves against the Border Ruffians. The two guns now in the city were ordered by the Union Defense Committee for Col. Ellsworth's Zouaves, about two months ago. They will carry their ball as far as any other gun of the same size and caliber. It is claimed that there is no escape of gas whatever, and that the two-ounce charge used will therefore be ample in any possible contingency. The gun is intended to occupy a place between the James 6-pounder, and the small arm of the infantry. It is so light that it may be easilly [sic] handled by six men and no doubt would do efficient service .

The above article was provided to me by John Ludwickson of Nebraska.

A Portion of Hood's Report

HEADQUARTERS TEXAS BRIGADE, July 10, 1862. SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the part enacted in the engagement of the 27th ultimo near Gaines’ Mill by this brigade: Arriving on the field between 4 and 5 p. in., I was informed by Col. J. M. Jones, of General Ewell’s staff; that his troops were hard pressed and required assistance. Line of battle was formed at once with the Hampton Legion, Lient. Col. M. W. Gary commanding, on the left, with orders to gain the crest of the hill in the woods and hold it, which they did, the Filth Texas, Col. J. B. Robertson commanding, engaging the enemy on the right of the Legion, and the First Texas, Col. A. T. Hainey commanding, on the right of the Fifth Texas. The brigade moved gallantly forward, soon becoming engaged from left to right. The battle raged with great fury all along the line as these noble troops I)ressed steadily on, forcing the enemy to gradually give way. Directing in person the Fourth Texas Regiment, Col. John Marshall comnmanding, on the right of my line, they were the first troops to pierce the strong line of breastworks occupied by the enemy, which caused great confusion in their ranks. Here the Eighteenth Georgia, Lient. Col. S. Z. Huff commanding, came to the support of the Fourth Texas, and these regiments pressed on over a hotly contested field, iliclining from right to left, with the Fifth Texas on their left, taking a large number of I)risoners and capturing fourteen pieces of artillery, whemi night came on and farther pursuit of the enemy ceased. The guns were captured by the Fourth Texas and Eighteenth Georgia and a regiment was takeim prisoners by tIme Fifth Texas Regiment. 1mm this engagement I regret to report the loss of many gallant officers and men. Among those who fell, either killed or mortally wounded, were Col. John Marshall, Lient. Col. B. Warwick, Capts. E. ID. Ryan, J. W. ilutcheson, P. P. Porter, and T. M. Owens, acting commissary of subsistence, and Lients. IR. J. Lambert, C. Reich, D. L. Butts, L. P. Lyons, and T. H. Hollamon, of the Fourth Texas; licuts. J. E. Cli~te and W. G. Wallace, of the Fifth Texas; Capt. B. F. Benton, First Texas; Lieuts. L. A. McCulloch, T. J. Cohn, and Thomas Dowtin, of the Eighteenth GeorHia; also Major Key, of the Fourth Texas; Colonels Ilalitey, of the First Texas, and Robertson, of the Fifth Texas, received severe Woun(ls while nobly discharging their duties. All the field officers of the Fourth Texas being killed or wounded, th~ command of the regiment devolved upon Capt. (now Maj.) W. P. Townsend, who jed it most gallantly. There are many other officers and men distinguished for their noble deeds on that day, for which I will have to refer you to reports iu detail of regimental commanders. l)uring the engagement most efficient service was rendered me, in gallantly leading forward troops and transmitting orders, by Capt. W. II. Sellers, assistant adjutant-general; Lient. J. T. Hunter, of the Fourth Texas, aide-dc-camp; Col. J. H. Murray and General T. J. Chambers, of Texas, and Maj. B. H. Blanton, of Kentucky, volunteer aides-dc- camp; Licut. D. L. Sublett, aide~dc-camp, being ordered to remain with the or(lnance train. I also take great pleasure in acknowledging the distinguished services rendered inc by Lient. James Hamilton, of Geii- eral Taylor’s staff. As to the conduct of the officers and men, one and all, too much can- not, oi ever will, be said in their praise. The following is a recapitulation of casualties, the detailed list accom- panying report: