42 Pounder from U.S.S. Cairo

The 42-pounder is believed to be a Model 1836 commonly used by the US Navy in the 1800’s. The USS Cairo had four 42-pdrs on board. The Cairo was a city class Ironclad which sunk in Dec. 1862 in the Yazoo River near Vicksburg, Mississippi. The Cairo was in war maneuvers with other Ironclads preparing to go against Vicksburg, (Vicksburg fell to General Grant in May or June of 1963). The USS Cairo was the first ship in naval history to be sunk by an underwater "torpedo," or what we call a mine. The Cairo was raised in 1964 and has recently been restored and turned into a museum near Vicksburg.