Civil War Cannons Lecture Notes

Types of Cannons

• Cannons on Civil War battlefields today:
  • Green or Blue Barrel Cannons
    • Made of bronze or brass
    • Older, smoothbore guns
    • Fire round cannonballs
  • Black Barrel Cannons
    • Made of cast or rod iron
    • Rifled guns
    • Fire shells that spin for greater accuracy and range

Cannon Operation

• Both types of cannons work similarly:
  • Use a solid piece of iron or lead (10 or 12 lbs)
  • Insert with a bag of black gunpowder
  • Puncture powder bag with a pick through a vent
  • Insert a friction primer to create spark
  • Attach primer to a rope, pull it to ignite powder
  • Explosion propels ordinance out
• Recoil:
  • Cannon can recoil 8 feet
  • Reenactments don't use full gunpowder charge, thus less recoil

Cannon Capabilities

• Range:
  • Solid shot can travel half a mile to a mile and a half
  • Can disable enemy cannons, sink ships, knock down buildings or tree limbs
• Types of ammunition:
  • Solid Shot: Iron or lead balls
  • Shells: Explode via fuse or percussion
  • Shrapnel: Invented by Henry Shrapnel
  • Canister or Grape Shot: 12-20 small balls packed in sawdust, fired like a shotgun blast

Cannon Crew

• Ideal operation requires 8 soldiers with specific roles:
  • Sponging barrel to prevent pre-ignition
  • Rolling cannon back into position post-recoil
  • Holding thumb over vent to block oxygen
  • Sighting and aiming gun
  • Observing effects, directing aim adjustments
  • Transporting ammunition
• Equipment includes limbers and caissons for carrying ammunition and supplies

Identifying Cannons

• Look for trunnion markings:
  • Manufacturer, model, and patent details
  • Serial number, weight, inspector initials
• Example given: 3-inch Ordinance Rifle from Phoenix Iron Company
• Original barrels often mounted on replica carriages

Respect for Historical Artifacts

• Original Civil War cannon barrels are historical artifacts worth respecting when visiting battlefields.