Confederate 8-inch Columbiad
"And at the Avery house, a residence of about the same length of time resulted in the same experience, although this house was less prominent. In October the enemy placed in barbette an 8-inch Columbiad directly opposite this house under the cover of darkness, but kept it there only three days, during which it was fired but once or twice. The first shell thrown from it fell directly in the door-yard in front of the house and by a piece of good fortune failed to explode.”
William R. Driver, "Siege of Petersburg After the Capture of the Weldon Railroad," in Papers of the Military Historical Society of Massachusets, vol. 5 (1906), 312-313
William R. Driver, "Siege of Petersburg After the Capture of the Weldon Railroad," in Papers of the Military Historical Society of Massachusets, vol. 5 (1906), 312-313
Location of Confederate 8" Columbiad inside Rives Salient, showing ranges to Forts Meikle, Rice, and Sedgwick.
LC 11724. "Rebel gun in front of "Fort Hell," April 1865," photograph by Capt. Andrew Russell (attributed). Russell's assistant with the leather cap is posed with a lever used to shift the gun's position.
LC 02580. "[Petersburg, Va. Heavy gun mounted on inner line of Confederate fortifications], photograph by Capt. Andrew Russell (unattributed). These photos were both taken near noontime, according to the shadows; the camera angle is slightly different.
The 8-inch Columbiad Battery. The re-discoverers.
Blow-up of Colonel Avery's house in the background of LC 02580. This was G.K. Warren's headquarters. Col. Avery was one of the richest men in Prince George County. That may account for the fact that the Confederate guns in easy range did not destroy the house.
The Avery House complex as depicted on the 8" = 1 mi. Michler map. Batteries 18, 19, and 20 were part of the original Confederate Dimmock line. The Petersburg-Norfolk railroad passes through the right of the image.
