4 pound cannon at Evansville, Indiana

101 10 might be the weight of the gun? I recall Britain used to use a antediluvian system of hundredths weight and some such?
The system worked liked this.
The first number(s) would be multiplied by 112 lbs.
The second number was multiplied by 28 lbs. (28 is one fourth of 128)
The third number was simply lbs.
Adding the three numbers togethers gives the total weight of the tube.

The US Navy marked the weight of at least some tubes in this manner until the 1830s, possibly later.

If the number are 10110, it would have to as follows:

10 - 1 - 10 would be 28 plus 10, total 1158 lbs.

(101 X 112 plus 28 plus 10 would be 12, 508 lbs., many times the actual weight of this tube.)

10, 110 lbs. is likewise far too heavy.

I would estimate that the actual weight of this tube to be 700 to 800 lbs. I said estimate, or maybe guesstimate.

Although an iron 12 pdr., the shorter barrel and thin nature of the barrel, I think that the weight would make it lighter than many iron 12pdrs.used in the Civil War.

I wish we knew the answers to all the questions about this piece.
 
Interesting. Been to Evansville several times when lived in Indiana. Don't remember this cannon.

I thought interesting that the packet hauled the circus for a while.
The monument is now inside the traffic circle at Sunset Park. It has been at several locations during it's existence.
 
The system worked liked this.
The first number(s) would be multiplied by 112 lbs.
The second number was multiplied by 28 lbs. (28 is one fourth of 128)
The third number was simply lbs.
Adding the three numbers togethers gives the total weight of the tube.

The US Navy marked the weight of at least some tubes in this manner until the 1830s, possibly later.

If the number are 10110, it would have to as follows:

10 - 1 - 10 would be 28 plus 10, total 1158 lbs.

(101 X 112 plus 28 plus 10 would be 12, 508 lbs., many times the actual weight of this tube.)

10, 110 lbs. is likewise far too heavy.

I would estimate that the actual weight of this tube to be 700 to 800 lbs. I said estimate, or maybe guesstimate.

Although an iron 12 pdr., the shorter barrel and thin nature of the barrel, I think that the weight would make it lighter than many iron 12pdrs.used in the Civil War.

I wish we knew the answers to all the questions about this piece.
A friend who has considerably more knowledge of artillery than me informs me that the "112 28 1" system of recording the weight of artillery tubes is called the Cwt. (hundredweight system). He also says that the US Navy used this system on 32 pdrs. as late as 1852.
(West Point foundry 1850, Bellona and Tredegar until 1852)
 
It has the bore diameter of a 12 pounder, but the tube is thin.

12 lb carronade is @ 4.5"
18 lb is @ 5.15"

Mentioned on p.366 (below) as having the 4 lb cannon, but no citation (unlike the rest of the article, which has copious citations).

Like p. 362, "The "Charley Bowen" was a fast stern-wheeler, built on the Monongahela River near McKeesport, Pennsylvania, in the fall of 1855. She was 138' long, by 2' beam, by 4'8" depth of hold. Named for Charles Bowen of Waterford, Pennsylvania, she entered the Evansville, Paducah, and Cairo trade on November 12, 1858."

citing the Evansville Daily Journal, May 1st 1861.

Finally, per p.376, the Charley Bowen arrived at Evansville on March 18th 1863 and was subsequently part of the expedition to Helena Arkansas, attempting to force a channel from the Mississippi to the upper Yazoo River in order to turn General John C Pemberton's flank and make possible an attack on Vicksburg.

Evansville Steamboats During the Civil War​

Milford M. Miller
Indiana Magazine of History
Vol. 37, No. 4 (DECEMBER, 1941), pp. 359-381
 
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Gunades marked F on one trunnion and SOLID on other were made by Fawcett, Preston & Co. Liverpool. There are a few others just like this one in recent postings on the Facebook “Big Cannon Project” group. Info from Ruth Brown in UK, one of the worlds top cannon experts.
 
Gunades marked F on one trunnion and SOLID on other were made by Fawcett, Preston & Co. Liverpool. There are a few others just like this one in recent postings on the Facebook “Big Cannon Project” group. Info from Ruth Brown in UK, one of the worlds top cannon experts.
Thank you for the update on this.
 
A 12-pounder gunnade was among the cannon emplaced by the Texians at the siege and Battle of the Alamo. It fired from a port placed in the west wall of the old mission compound. As posters have stated, these were fairly common pieces used aboard merchant ships as well as older wooden naval ships.

A four pounder, as everyone knows I'd think, would be a rather small gun for use on land on a field carriage. It would have limited utility aboard a ship. Glad to see researchers setting things straight!

You sir, may be among my favorite of CWT members due to your enthusiasm for the Texas Revolution.

I know I am late to the discussion - but reading through this thread for the first time - the Alamo immediately come to mind.

Rick Range published some great info on the gunnade present during the siege, for sure.
 
I have photos of another one in CA, interestingly the "F" is incised vice the ridge shown in yours.

IMG_3526.JPG


IMG_3528.JPG
 
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