![]() NPS Photo The USS Cairo carried thirteen big guns. At the time of it's sinking in 1862, the USS Cairo was armed with three 8-inch smoothbores, three 42-pound rifles, six 32-pound smoothbores and one 30-pound rifle. A 12 pound howitzer was added to reduce the threat of boarding parties, and was not regularly used in combat. This 32-pdr Navy smoothbore, mounted on its original carriage, could fire a solid 32-pound cannon ball about a mile. It required an eleven man crew to load, maneuver, and fire. |
Last updated: November 30, 2023