THE CIVIL WAR ARTILLERY PAGE

Civil War Cannon Costs

By Wayne E. Stark

It is difficult to make a direct comparison between the cost of like kinds of Union and Confederate cannon because, unlike the Union, the Confederates didn't continuously make the same kind of cannon throughout the war. The only exceptions are the 10-inch Columbiads and rifled Columbiads which Tredegar Foundry cast from late 1860 until 19 January 1865. Tredegar also made 10-pdr Parrott rifles for most of the War.

Generally speaking, no bronze cannon were made in the South after late 1863. The North evidently didn't need any more after 1863, and the South substituted iron Napoleons beginning in January 1864.

A general rule comparing the rates of inflation is that prices for large iron cannon increased about 100% in the North over a period of four years whereas the same type cannon increased 1800% in the South during the same period, the greatest increase occurring after mid-1863.

CONTRACT PRICES OF 10-inch IRON COLUMBIADS IN $ PER POUND OF FINISHED WEIGHT
DATE	UNION	TREDEGAR
1861	.065	.065
1862	.078	.080
3/63	.0975	.160
10/63	.0975	.1984
4/64	.0975	.50
11/64	.120	.50
2/65	.120	1.40

For the Federal government, a 10-inch prototype Rodman invoiced on 12 Sep 61 cost $985; a 10-inch Rodman invoiced on 6 Apr 65 cost $1795. A 10-inch Confederate Columbiad invoiced on 19 Feb 1861 cost $1012; one invoiced on 1 Feb 65 cost $18,750.

CONTRACT PRICES OF BRONZE CANNON IN $ PER POUND OF FINISHED WEIGHT
DATE	UNION	TREDEGAR
1/61	.40	.46
6/61	.46	.55
11/62	.46	.60
5/63	.46	1.00
7/63	.46	1.24
2/64	.50	1.50

In applying the figures from this table, remember that a typical 12-pdr Napoleon weighed about 1227 pounds. The cost to the Federal government, therefore, rose from about $490 at the start of the War to about $614 by early 1864. For the Confederacy, the corresponding costs would have been $565 and $1840.

One reason Confederate bronze cannon escalated only 300% while iron cannon escalated about 1800% is that the Confederate government was selling copper to Tredegar at less than market prices, and it was also supplying bells and old cannon to be remelted into new cannon.

2.9-inch & 3-inch (10-pdr) PARROTT RIFLES (both WPF and Tredegar billed these per rifle)
DATE	WPF	TREDEGAR
5/61	$180
1/62	$180	$ 300
11/63	$180	$ 558
2/64	$180	$1175
4/64	$187	$1250
2/65	$187	$3000

Tredegar did not cast its first 10-pdr Parrott rifle until 18 Nov 61. Turning and banding required until Jan 62 to complete it and invoice; so the first pricing record is that date. Inflation would normally have increased the cost of all Union Parrott rifles more than prices reflect. Robert Parker Parrott absorbed much of the inflation and made only small increases in the cost of his rifles, large and small, during the course of the war.

It is instructive to compare the cost of 10-pdr Parrotts to their rival, the 3-inch ordnance rifle. The first 600 3-inch ordnance rifles cost $330 each, per orders dated 24 July and 3 December 1861. The next 300 were $350 each, per orders of 27 March and 1 September 1863. The last order was for 100 on 28 Oct 1864, at $450 each.

3.67-inch (20-pdr) PARROTT RIFLES (both WPF and Tredegar billed these per rifle)
DATE	WPF	TREDEGAR
10/62	$380	$ 550
12/62	$380	$ 600
5/63	$380	$ 625
11/63	$380	$ 775
4/64	$387	$1650
3/65		$4500

Sources

Tredegar Iron Works Foundry Record of Guns Cast 1861-1865, Virginia State Library, Richmond VA.

U.S. Congress, House, Ordnance Departrment, 40th Congress, 2nd Session, Executive Order No. 99. Also printed as 219-page report in Serial Set No. 1338.

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