Fort Massachusetts was built in the first half of the 1860's to defend American shipping lanes in the Gulf of Mexico. Though it was designed for a total of 37 guns, it only received a total of seventeen in 1868: Thirteen 10-inch Rodmans in the casemates and at least one along the terreplein at the fort's "rear," two 15-inch Rodmans in the demibastions, and a pair of 100-pounder Parrot Rifles over the sallyport.

The only complete gun left at Fort Massachusetts is a doozy: A lovingly cared-for 15" Rodman on its original mount. Local lore has it that the sole person left on Ship Island during Hurricane Camille in 1969 survived that murderous storm because he sopmehow managed to get himself inside this gun's bore. Having investigated that bore myself, I don't think I would have survived Hurricane Camille.

Also tastefully arranged above the sally port and in the southern demibastion are the remains of the other 15" Rodman, and two Parrot Rifles. These attractive bits of iron come to us courtesy of the early-20th-century notion that it would be easier to remove these guns in little pieces than as a whole.