When I look at this image of the famous 13-inch mortar nicknamed the “Dictator,” taken some time between mid-July and late August 1864 during the Siege of Petersburg, Virginia, I’m not only impressed with the size of the death-dealer, but also how “hot” this image feels. It must have been sizzling on that flatcar.
The gunners, members of the 1st Connecticut Heavy Artillery, have stripped to their shirtsleeves to fire the behemoth. Every time the mortar discharged, it caused the flatcar to roll backward 10 to 12 feet down the tracks.
This was the first position for the Dictator. It later moved to other locations, and if you visit Petersburg today, you’ll see the mortar displayed at its final position, on land at Union battery 5. No matter where the Dictator was located, it was throwing some high heat.
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