Bomford developed the first heavy coastal defense howitzers that would come to be referred to as Columbiads at the weapons development center.
The heavy coastal defense howitzers designed by Bomford combined attributes of the gun, and the mortar, to produce a long-range, high-powered, anti-ship weapon. The first prototype guns of this type, Model 1811 produced by the Alger Foundry, came to be referred to as Columbiads after the epic poem by, and in honor of, Joel Barlow, poet and diplomat married to Bomford's wife's sister. Bomford and his wife Clara lived on the estate of Joel Barlow, known as "Kalorama". The army stationed 8-inch and 10-inch Columbiads Model 1844 around the country as a part of the Third System of Defense. Bomford's design was improved by the Navy's Dahlgren Gun, but was superseded by the Rodman gun (Thomas Jackson Rodman) of the Civil War.
It was considered an improved Columbiad, especially the later models with rifled barrels. The Rodman Gun was considered more reliable than the larger sized Parrott rifles (which were eventually pulled from inventory) or the early Columbiads.
