Liverpool Forts and Coastal Defences

[dazza]

The 32-pounders and 18-pounders would have been usual for coastal defense in the late eighteenth century and early nineteenth century. In fact, Fort McHenry in Baltimore harbor was protected by similar guns in the fort itself and in nearby batteries when Baltimore was attacked by the Royal Navy in September 1814. The bigger and longer guns, 36-pounders, were actually from a French warship French warship named the L'Eole that had been wrecked off the coast of Virginia some years before and recently sold at auction. Mounted in the fort's water battery, they kept most of the British attack squadron at bay, with only the British bombships able to lob mortar shells at the fort a distance of two miles (!) during the 25-hour bombardment. See also this blog posting on Fort McHenry -- the cannons at the fort today are misleading because they are larger Rodman coastal defense cannons dating from the 1870's. The 1814 water battery though has been recently recreated with replicas of the long French 36-pounders.

Thanks Chris, interesting link. And great photo of the 18" & 36" pounders ... it helps put some persepective on what any vessel would be up against if they entered the port of Liverpool. Also, Baltimore looks like it benefited from some high ground to mount their defenses on. One of John Stobart's painting's of Baltimore here: http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/framingfox_2178_146562927

The USS Constellation looks like an interesting ship - presumably it's open to the public?