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
Overlay of Location of Confederate 8" Columbiad inside Rives Salient, showing ranges to Forts Meikle, Rice, and Sedgwick.
LiDAR overlay image showing surviving remnant of Confederate defenses and the Columbiad and mortar batteries.
LC 02580. "[Petersburg, Va. Heavy gun mounted on inner line of Confederate fortifications], one side of an unattributed stereo image shown below.
LC 1s02632. A Large Gun in the Revel Works. "It is stated that during the fight, Sunday April 2d, 1865, Gen. Lee stood on the little knoll in the foreground, and actually shed tears when he saw his own troops being driven back by the Union soldiers. This view was taken April 3d, after the storming of Petersburgh, Va." Imprint by E & H.T. Anthony. Stereo card of the above image. Roche was working on commission for the Anthonys at this time.
LC 11724. "Rebel gun in front of "Fort Hell," April 1865," photograph attributed to Capt. Andrew Russell. The man with the leather cap posed with the gun spike (used to shift the gun's position) is photographer Thomas C. Roche.
The 8-inch Columbiad Battery. The re-discoverers.
From the Columbiad to the Avery House complex as depicted on the 8" = 1 mi. Michler map. Batteries 17, 18, 19, and 20 were part of the original Confederate Dimmock line. The U.S. Military Railroad passes through the right of the map detail.
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.
