Description:

QUINCY ADAMS GILLMORE
(1825 - 1888) Union major general who fought at Bermuda Hundred and Drewry's Bluff. He was severely injured pursuing Jubal Early in the Shenandoah Valley. War-date A.L.S. "Q.A. Gillmore / Maj. Genl.", 2pp. 4to., Brooklyn, Oct. 7, 1864. Undoubtedly while recovering from the injuries received in battle while pursuing Jubal Early, he writes to the engineer Alexander C. Twining about Twining's ideas for an improvement to "Parrott's gun." Having had practical experience with the now legendary 200-pounder (8-inch) Parrott gun known as the "Swamp Angel" just months earlier, he quickly pens "...I have received, and examined with interest, your description of a plan for reinforcing Parrott's gun. I think it a good one, although not new. Whether it is patentable, or not, is another question. Some of the recent trial guns in Europe, of two & three tubes, were put together by a screw. In my report of the operations on Morris Island last year, under the head of 'General observations notes & suggestions,' which has been in the hands of the printer for more than a month, I recommend the same thing, i.e. to taper the gun slightly at the breech & screw the reinforce on like at [sic, a] nut. I also recommend to heat the reinforce in oil to insure a uniform temperature, to cast the gun upon Rodman's plan, & to make the twist uniform. I have no intention of trying to secure any pecuniary benefit for my suggestion, & will therefore not be in your way if you desire to secure a patent. My opinion is that the idea is not patentable, for I am confident that its application to gun making has been practiced for some years...". In very good condition. Gillmore's book referred to in the letter, Engineering and Artillery Operations against Charleston in 1863, was published in 1865. A rarely encountered "gun content" letter of Gillmore.

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May 13, 2009 10:00 AM EDT
Stamford, CT, US

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