Hello,

For the main source of the heavy guns for these forts along the Mississippi River (including the guns at Columbus, KY) as well as those in Middle Tennessee along the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers, one need only look at the huge numbers of guns captured when Virginia forces took control of the Gosport Navy Yard at Norfolk from the US Navy. The 24 through 42 pounder guns used at these forts, plus any 32 pounder carronades (such as the two at Fort Donelson) were all taken at Gosport and shipped west via railroad. Any Columbiads, 6.5 inch rifled and 10 inch smoothbores (same sized tube - bored differently) were cast at Tredegar in Richmond and shipped west.

There is an 1861 document presented to the Virginia Legislature that lists all of the massive captures at Gosport and I have a copy of this in my files. Hundreds of heavy guns were taken there. Had they not been so captured, the Confederacy would simply not been able to arm the many forts they built along the rivers and coastline.

Greg Biggs