Mahan Towers-Innovation for Long Rifles during the Revolutionary War?

[Southron]

I keep running into fleeting references to Mahan Towers being used by the Patriots during the Revolutionary War.

Basically they were towers constructed so snipers (using Long Rifles) could place shots inside of enemy fortifications.

Obviously, this was a major tactical development centered around the accuracy of Long Rifles.

Has anyone done any research on this subject? Any books written?
THANKS!

[Jerry V Lape]

Seems a little out of chronological sequence to refer to Mahan towers in the context of the Revolution.  Mahan was an instructor and major figure in developing Engineer Officers at West Point - which was considerably later than the Revolution.  His students were significant in the Civil War, particularly in the application of Mahan's updated seige and fortification theories which accounted for changes in the effectiveness of the rifled firearms.  Mahan was one of those theorists who come along in military history and cause significant change in way the profession of arms on a very broad basis.  There were towers in his strategy early on which provided built up platforms for artillery to operate from and as strong points in a defensive system of breast works.  These didn't last long once rifled cannon appeared.  

I don't think he was old enough to have been a Revolutionary War participant and still be around at the time of the Civil War when some of his students left the field to consult him from the Battle of Petersburg.  Perhaps the name is being used in a retroactive manner to describe the rifle towers.  Towers have been used for thousands of years, even referred to in the Old Testament. 

[Gary]

Towers overlooking defensive fortifications dates back to the ancient times.  The Roman siege tower at Masada wasn't much higher than Masada's walls itself.  In China, the Mongols were known to build towers that would overlook the Chinese defenders (of course, Chinese disloyal to the Song emperor were more than happy to show and help the Mongols build them).  One major Mongol leader was killed by a single shot from a cannon ball (and his death was instrumental to the Western and Muslim world since the hordes returned to Mongolia to select a new leader).

Back on topic, the Mahan spoken of is not Alfred Thayer Mahan, the author of Seapower and Its Influence on Hystery.   Rather, it is South Carolina's Major Hezekiah Maham who first proposed the idea of a lincoln log type tower at the Siege of Fort Watson (April 15, tax day).  Lighthorse Harry Lee wrote about them in his memoirs.  It was then used again at Fort Granby, Fort Galpin and Fort Cornwallis and Fort Motte.  It was unsuccessful at the Siege of Ninety-Six.  The arrival of a British relief column ran off the American besiegers.  (This is discussed in Chapter 2 of the book: Sharpshooters (1750-1900)).

The last time the Maham type tower was used on the American continent was during the Siege of Vicksburg.   Lt. Henry "Coonskin" Foster built his tower out of railroad ties and from it, hung mirrors so Union mortarmen could adjust their aim into Confederate trenches.  Of course, the Corn-fed boys didn't appreciate being snooped upon and shot them out with regularity.  Foster replaced them every night.  Foster's tower was also used by him to sharpshoot at the Confederates.  Foster used to also make money by charging soldiers money to get a look from the tower.  Perhaps the biggest lost opportunity for the South was when Grant was observing the Confederate lines from it (presumably Foster didn't charge his commanding officer the customary fee).  One Southern soldier yelled at Grant for exposing himself and was immediately chastised by a Confederate officer for speaking badly to an officer, albiet a Yankee officer.  Had that soldier shot Grant, the war might just have ended differently.