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Museum/Artillery
Collections/Mortars
Artillery through the ages has played a very
important part of the History of Man. The evolution of Artillery
has sculpted the way wars were fought and won. In the United States
history from the Civil War through the Spanish American War, it
appears that very little changed. Upon close inspection the notable
changes were tremendous and made a tremendous impact. Some of
those changes have lasted through modern day weaponry.
Mortars have existed for hundreds of years, first
finding usage in siege warfare. However, these weapons were large
and heavy, and could not be easily transported. Simply made, these
weapons were no more than iron bowls reminiscent of the kitchen
and apothecary mortars from where they drew their name. Mortars,
whether chambered or not, are a very simple form of ordnance,
intended for lobbing heavy projectiles at a high elevation, typically
referred to as "indirect" or "plunging" fire.
An early transportable mortar was invented by Baron Menno van
 Coehoorn
(Siege of Grave, 1674). Coehorn mortars, of approximately 180
lbs weight, were used by both sides during the Civil War. Mortars
were typically muzzle loading until 1890 when the first breech
loading 3.6” mortar was developed.
3.6-inch Breech
Loading Mortar
This weapon listed on the 1899 ordnance report is a 3.6-inch breech
loading mortar, Model of 1890. This was a rare artillery piece
(only 76 were made) and were mainly used for training but first
used in combat in Cuba during the Spanish American War of 1898.
Museum Examples  3.6"
Field Mortar
The 3.6" Field Mortar was one of the mortars introduced
into federal service in 1890 to replace the aging Civil War muzzle
loading mortars. This new weapon featured a breech loading steel
rifled barrel mounted on a cast steel bed. The mortar, along with
its implements and platform were intended to be carried in the
artillery wagon and operate as part of the Field Artillery.
Fired from a wooden platform
the weapon could hurl either a 20 pound explosive common shell
or a time fused shrapnel shell to the maximum range of 3450 yards.
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