Whistling Dick

18 pound Confederate Cannon called 'Whistling Dick'

       There are several artillery pieces used during the Civil War that have famous nicknames. There is the famed Federal siege gun called the 'Swamp Angel' at Charleston, South Carolina. Brigadier General William Pendleton who was a pre-war preacher named his four cannons after the four gospels of the Bible. There is also the famed 'Widow Blakely' of Vicksburg fame. There was another artillery piece at Vicksburg with a nickname and that piece was called 'Whistling Dick'. 

       'Whistling Dick' wasn't that large of a piece, it was small in comparison with the 150 pound Armstrong and other siege guns. It was too heavy to be used in field service. Although there were 20 pound field pieces and even 32 pound field guns, 'Whistling Dick' was heavy for an 18 pounder. The iron cannon was rifled and had reinforced bands on the back to prevent the tube from exploding when fired. It had been built at Tredegar Ironworks in Richmond. 

       The gun would gain fame because of a whistling sound the oddly rifled weapon caused the shells to make in flight. The weapon was originally a model 1839 smoothbore cannon that was later rifled. It became a legend when Union veterans at post-war reunions would claim to have been narrowly missed by fire from 'Whistling Dick'. There have been many theories on why the shells made a whistling sound after the gun was rifled, but no one today can be sure what caused this phenomenon. 

       'Whistling Dick' served more as a psychological weapon than a true threat to Federal forces. It interrupted Ulysses Grant's canal digging operation when he tried to bypass Vicksburg. Although the chances of 'Whistling Dick' hitting someone was minute, it caused slaves and soldiers Grant used for digging to run for cover. It is also rumored to have caused severe damage on Federal dredging machines. 

       The ironic part about the famous Confederate artillery piece is the fact that it was served by a company of Louisiana Cavalry. These cavalrymen were well disciplined and learned to handle 'Whistling Dick' rather well. They have been credited with sinking the Federal ironclad U.S.S. Cincinnati. The most amazing part about this particular cannon is the fact that it served well throughout the siege of Vicksburg and following the surrender of that river fortress it disappeared. There is no evidence today of what happened to this famed Confederate artillery piece that earned the nickname 'Whistling Dick'. 

Sudden Death: Charles S. Stewart

Lieutenant Colonel Charles S. Stewart

       Charles S. Stewart was born in New York in 1828, but moved to Mobile, Alabama where he made a living as a merchant. He would marry Julia Brown before the Civil War began. When the war began, Stewart joined the Confederate Army and fought at Shiloh and the actions around Corinth. In May of 1862, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel and placed in command of Fort Morgan guarding Mobile Bay. 

       

Fort Morgan as it looked during the war

       Congress authorized the construction of Fort Morgan following the War of 1812 when it was realized the country needed these fortifications to guard against invasion. It took over seven million bricks to construct the fort. The fort was named after Revolutionary War hero Daniel Morgan and was completed by 1834. 

       In early 1863, a rumor reached the South that a new fleet of ironclads were about to attempt taking Mobile. Stewart wanted to test the strength of his forts heavy caliber cannons. The brave leader decided to oversee the cannon fire for himself. Somehow, one of the 32 pound cannons had accidentally been loaded with twice the powder needed. When the order to fire was given, the gun exploded. Large pieces of the metal tube flew in all directions. 

Death of Charles Stewart

       Five artillerymen were killed by the exploding artillery piece. Charles S. Stewart was struck in the head by a two hundred pound fragment of the gun tube. Reports state that Stewart was beheaded by the flying shrapnel. 

       One soldier wrote, "I immediately went over and found that his head had been entirely severed from his body and scattered around for some distance, one side badly bruised and one arm broken. All the pieces of his head were picked up and carefully washed and placed in the coffin."

       A dental bridge in Stewart's mouth was knocked out and twisted. It was recovered by an officer along with the stars of his lieutenant colonels insignia and a few buttons. They were sent to his grieving wife. 

Dental bridge, stars, and buttons

       One of Charles Stewart's granddaughters placed a monument at Fort Morgan supposedly at the spot where he died. Legend holds that Colonel Stewart's blood still stains the bricks there. 

Monument marking spot of Stewart's death

       Today, Lieutenant Colonel Charles S. Stewart rests in Mobile's Magnolia Cemetery. He was a brave leader. He proved this at Shiloh and around Corinth. He also proved his bravery when he stood with the cannon crews as they test fired the guns he was commanding to hold Mobile Bay. 

Stewart's grave in Magnolia Cemetery, Mobile, Alabama

*Update on this blog: I found an entry on Findagrave.com that placed Stewart's grave in Birmingham's Elmwood Cemetery. I'd wondered why he would be carried to Birmingham for burial when he actually lived on Dauphin Street in Mobile. Thanks to Martha Blount, a direct descendant of Colonel Stewart I have finally located his grave. He is not buried in Birmingham. Someone made an error on Findagrave. Martha taught me a lot of good info on Colonel Stewart and his wife that I plan to share in a future blog in the next week or so. Thank you Martha for the correction and I can't wait to visit his grave soon. Now if I could just talk Martha into one of Colonel Stewart's autographs to go on my wall with the rest of my collection.