How Did Rodman Use Columbiads During The Civil War

Columbiads provided a multi-purpose, heavy hitting gun that could easily change the outcome of a battle. Invented by Colonel George Bomford in 1811, Columbiads eventually became a common weapon seen throughout various battles, especially during the Civil War. “Simply put, the columbiad was a large-caliber, smooth bore, muzzle loading artillery piece able to fire solid shot or shell at both high and low angles.” Columbiads were best used as seacoast defense weapons, extremely well suited against ironclad ships. During the Civil War, eight, ten, fifteen, and twenty inch (in bore diameter) Rodman style Columbiads were used and produced. Lieutenant T. J. Rodman developed a new process of gun casting, and this method enhanced the Columbiads’

Rodman revolutionized heavy artillery forever by inventing a process for casting massive siege weapons that allowed these guns to last much longer and enhanced their performances in battle, ultimately altering the outcomes of several battles. Lieutenant T. J. Rodman wanted to solve a problem with casting large iron artillery. This problem was that after casting these huge iron weapons, the metal was cooled from the outside in. Consequently, this resulted in cavities forming within the metal, and eventually, the metal cracked or burst to pieces when fired. Rodman took note of this complication and devised a plan to solve it. “He outlined a plan to cast cannon around hollow cores, to be cooled from the inside, rather than externally, by a stream of running water.” Basically, Rodman devised a process of hollow cooling, resulting in a much denser and sturdy gun. In order to ensure the success of his cooling system, Rodman put his guns through a number of trials against regularly cast guns. The outcome was magnificent. In on of his trials, his gun was fired 1,500 times, while the traditional weapon burst on its 299th shot. Satisfied with Rodman’s trial results, the War Department issued for a 15-inch Columbiad gun to be built using Rodman’s method. The request was fulfilled, and “The Lincoln Gun” was a huge success. Because of its effectiveness in casting large iron artillery, almost every gun began using Rodman’s new method. A “Rodman gun” refers to almost any gun that was cast and used during the American Civil War. In conclusion, Thomas Rodman and his ingenuity with casting guns had a major impact on the way heavy artillery was made and used throughout the American Civil