Mortar dictator during American Civil War

Page of text describing the mortar pictured in the accompanying plate.
Illus. in: Gardner's photographic sketch book of the war / Alexander Gardner. Washington, [D.C.]: Philp & Solomons, [1865-66], v. 2, [75].

Alexander Gardner (October 17, 1821 - December 10, 1882) was a Scottish photographer who is best known for his photographs of the American Civil War. He emigrated to the United States in 1856 and worked as a photographer in Mathew Brady's studio. Gardner was sent to document the American Civil War and produced some of the most iconic images of the conflict, including photographs of the battlefields at Antietam and Gettysburg. After the war, Gardner photographed President Lincoln and the American West, including images of Native Americans, settlers, and the construction of the transcontinental railroad.