Name/Title
Union Soldiers Operating 'The Dictator' Siege MortarEntry/Object ID
1998.10.0066Tags
Civil WarDescription
Black and white photograph depicting 'The Dictator,' a massive 13-inch Union seacoast mortar used during the American Civil War . The image shows members of the 1st Connecticut Artillery attending to the enormous weapon, which was mounted on a specially reinforced railroad flatcar for mobility along the Union lines. Primarily employed during the Siege of Petersburg, Virginia, in 1864–1865, 'The Dictator' was capable of firing a 200-pound explosive shell over a distance of more than two miles. Shows members of the 1st Connecticut Artillery attending to the massive weapon.Photograph Details
Subject Place
State/Province
VirginiaCountry
United States of AmericaContinent
North AmericaCollection
Photograph CollectionMade/Created
Date made
circa 1864 - circa 1865Time Period
19th CenturyLexicon
Nomenclature 4.0
Nomenclature Secondary Object Term
Photograph, Black-and-WhiteNomenclature Primary Object Term
PhotographNomenclature Sub-Class
Graphic DocumentsNomenclature Class
Documentary ObjectsNomenclature Category
Category 08: Communication ObjectsCondition
Reason for Exam
InventoryOverall Condition
Very Good