Ka-Boom!

[Private Watkins]

Whenever it happened, it wouldn't have been pleasant to be around...

Hardly seems like the thing they would gather around for a group picture if it had exploded and hurt/killed comrades at a previous reunion; instead it seems more like a war trophy photo...

 

[UCVRelics]

I believe that this is a newspaper artists rendering of an event. I can insure you that when the seacoast gun was fired there was no one near close that beast. The back-blast and recoil of those gun was massive,

 

[Banjo Pete]

Very interesting image!

I wonder what the story is with this gent's left hand. Clenched fist in a baggy sleeve?

 

[John Winn]

Whenever it happened, it wouldn't have been pleasant to be around...

Hardly seems like the thing they would gather around for a group picture if it had exploded and hurt/killed comrades at a previous reunion; instead it seems more like a war trophy photo...

It does seem odd they'd gather 'round a post-war blunder but just looking at what's left I don't think it would have been in that condition nor would they have had all the pieces thirty years after the war. It's one of those photos where you just wish somebody'd have left even a brief note of explanation. Probably a good story there.

 

[Private Watkins]

Very interesting image!

I wonder what the story is with this gent's left hand. Clenched fist in a baggy sleeve?

I don't know... looks to me like he's just got his left hand tucked into his pants pocket, but I might be missing something.

 

[Private Watkins]

I believe that this is a newspaper artists rendering of an event. I can insure you that when the seacoast gun was fired there was no one near close that beast. The back-blast and recoil of those gun was massive,

Good point; poor choice of illustration on my part. I still would not want to have been standing beside the Missouri piece when it blew, whenever that might have been.

 

[Private Watkins]

Hypothetically speaking (and with understanding of those viewpoints that damage occurred post-war) if the damage did occur during the war, what battles occured near Fairplay Missouri in which such cannon might have been used?

The only thing I can think of is perhaps part of a skirmish involving Price's command in 1864 as it retreated back to Arkansas after the Great Missouri Raid... any other ideas?

 

[Private Watkins]

It does seem odd they'd gather 'round a post-war blunder but just looking at what's left I don't think it would have been in that condition nor would they have had all the pieces thirty years after the war. It's one of those photos where you just wish somebody'd have left even a brief note of explanation. Probably a good story there.

They might have still had the pieces had it been sitting on some remote private property; it doesn't look like they're in the town square. Hard to tell on the condition...

I agree that there's a good story there one way or the other... would love to find out!