French 10-Inch Siege Mortar
This 10-Inch Siege Mortar was used by the French Army to aid the Continentals during the Siege of Yorktown in the American Revolution. Siege mortars were a great boon to forces besieging fortifications. Because of its high angle of fire, it could launch projectiles over earthworks and other fortifications causing damage and casualties in areas that cannons could not. The angle of fire was fixed, so to adjust the distance of the projectile different amounts of gunpowder would be used. To accomplish this, skilled artillerists needed to be adept at judging and calculating distance and know how much powder to use to achieve such distances.
This 10-Inch Mortar is decorated with the crest of King Louis XV with a sunburst and monogram dolphin handles. This showcases the time and detail that went into making these instruments of war and that they were created to display the quality and grandeur of a nation as much as their destructive power.
Gallery
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French 10-Inch Siege Mortar
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French 10-Inch Siege Mortar
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French 10-Inch Siege Mortar