From the Earth to the Moon - Tapa dura

It is the year 1865. Following the end of the American Civil War. The members of the elite Baltimore Gun Club find themselves lacking any urgent assignments. Their president proposes that they build a gun big enough to launch a rocket to the moon. And when their rival places a huge wager that the project will fail, a daring volunteer escalates the mission to a "manned" flight. The gun club's dream turns into an international space race.