Who was Turner anyway?

Who was Turner anyway?

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A Turner Bugler, 2004

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First Firing of the Great Floyd Gun.

NEWS OF 150 YEARS AGO

September/October 1860

From The Missouri Democrat, Wednesday, September 5, 1860.

First Firing of the Great Floyd Gun.

[Correspondence of the New York Times.]

OLD POINT COMFORT, (Va.) August 29.

The curiosity of the artillery officers, and of the guests at Old Point was gratified yesterday by the first firing of the great “Floyd” Gun, of which I have before spoken.  The first shell, weighing 360 pounds, was thrown fifteen hundred and forty yards at an angle of five degrees—and striking the sand, bounced seven hundred and fifty yards further.  The second shell weighing 328 pounds was thrown something upwards of four miles on the water, at an angle of forty degrees, and with a charge of 25 pounds of powder.  The powder with which this gun is fired is in grains of about one inch cube.  The report is not as loud as that made by the ten-inch guns on the rampart, but the whistling of the shell through the air is terrific.  The shell thrown upon the water was forty-two seconds in the air before striking.  The “Floyd” gun is pronounced a success, and there seems to be no doubt it will reach a range of six or eight miles.  It weighs 49,099 lbs., and cost in it casting $10,000.  Both the projector, (Capt. Rodman,) and the proprietor of the Pittsburgh foundry, (Mr. Knapp) where the cannon was cast, are here superintending the firing of this monster gun.  The experiments are conducted by Capt. Dyer, of the Ordnance Department—one of the most experienced and scientific officers belonging to the army—and quite an accomplished gentleman as he is an able officer.