Tell me more! Naming Artillery Pieces

[weasel]

Just out of curiosity, does anyone know if it was common for battery soldiers to name the piece they crewed? If so, does anyone have any example of names that were used? I'm not doing research where I need sources, it's just idle curiosity so source-less stories are fine.

 

[Lubliner]

Yes, @weasel check out @TomP post #19 has four names..
Surgeon Florence M. Cornyn Operates a 64(?) or 24-pound Howitzer at Shiloh? | Medical Care | American Civil War Forums (civilwartalk.com)
Lubliner.

 

[weasel]

Yes, @weasel check out @TomP post #19 has four names..
Surgeon Florence M. Cornyn Operates a 64(?) or 24-pound Howitzer at Shiloh? | Medical Care | American Civil War Forums (civilwartalk.com)
Lubliner.

Thanks, @Lubliner - I hadn't found that one, but I couldn't figure out some good search terms. 'Name' is too common a term for the search engine, apparently. Thanks for the pointer!

 

[Lubliner]

Thanks, @Lubliner - I hadn't found that one, but I couldn't figure out some good search terms. 'Name' is too common a term for the search engine, apparently. Thanks for the pointer!

'Dictator' was a name given to a heavy mortar outside of Petersburg used by the Yankees during the siege, 1864.
Lubliner.

 

[captaindrew]

The VMI Cadet Battery "The Four Apostles: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John"

Famous - The Cadet Battery - The 6-pdr. "Cadet Guns" of VMI | Arms & Artillery - Terrible Tools of War

VMI Parade Grounds, Lexington, Va. ©James N, 2018. These four "cadet" 6-pounders were designed specially for the use of the students at the Virginia Military Institute. They were slightly lighter than the regulation M1841 6-pounder and were mounted on custom designed smaller carriages...

civilwartalk.com

 

[Pollaco]

I'm pretty sure you'll find quite a few cannon were given names though probably not all were named by the battery doing the shooting. Some, like Whistling Dick, were possibly named by the people being shot at.

 

[Stone in the wall]

The VMI Cadet Battery "The Four Apostles: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John" https://civilwartalk.com/threads/the-cadet-battery-the-6-pdr-cadet-guns-of-vmi.168572/

"May the Lord have mercy on their poor souls, Fire!" W N Penndleton (First Mannassas)

 

[Tom Elmore]

There's also "Cora" at Gettysburg as Wallyfish once pointed out:

Famous Cannon at Gettysburg | Gettysburg

“Gettysburg Gun” – A brass twelve-pounder Napoleon of Battery B, 1st Rhode Island Light Artillery, issued to the battery after the Peninsular campaign. On July 2, the battery was placed in front of Cemetery Ridge. When Wright’s Georgia brigade advanced in the late afternoon, the battery was...

civilwartalk.com

 

[TomP]

Four 6-pounder smoothbores were cast from bells in Chowan County, NC and were known as the Edenton Bells Battery. Each gun was named; Edenton, St. Paul, Columbia and Fanny Roulhac. The Edenton, which was cast from the bell of the Chowan County Courthouse, is on display at Tour Stop #4, Ruggles' Battery's, at Shiloh NMP. The St. Paul is on display in Edenton, NC.

Fourteen years ago the City of Edenton had an exact replica of the Edenton cast by Steen Cannons and it was exchanged for the real thing for two years. Today, we have the original back and they have their replica. There is a photo of the two originals sitting side by side at his website which has more info https://docsouth.unc.edu/commland/monument/972/

 

[Mrs. V]

So happy to see that you made a thread for this @weasel. I do find it very interesting. We've always named cars, so it makes sense to me that one would name a cannon..Someone, somewhere, needs to record all the original cannons and their "voice". I suppose you might have to have a common load..with specified gunpowder measurements..still, it woud be cool..

 

[Coonewah Creek]

The VMI Cadet Battery "The Four Apostles: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John

Weren't those also the names of the artillery pieces supporting the attack of the boy's military school cadets in John Wayne's "The Horse Soldiers?"

 

[Pollaco]

Weren't those also the names of the artillery pieces supporting the attack of the boy's military school cadets in John Wayne's "The Horse Soldiers?"

You can see that John Wayne or John Ford or both were possibly a little bit of history buffs. Their movies (westerns) are sprinkled with little bits of historical facts.Not much but some.

 

[Tennis]

So happy to see that you made a thread for this @weasel.

I also enjoy this thread

 

[captaindrew]

Weren't those also the names of the artillery pieces supporting the attack of the boy's military school cadets in John Wayne's "The Horse Soldiers?"

Yeah that scene was inspired by the VMI cadet's attack at New Market.

 

[Quaama]

You can find a few more examples in this CWT Thread.

I think it was very common, especially early in the war (and mostly by the Confederates), and I'm keen to see more examples so I also thank the OP for this thread.

 

[major bill]

There is really no reason to name cannons, they will not come when you call them.

 

[Belfoured]

You can see that John Wayne or John Ford or both were possibly a little bit of history buffs. Their movies (westerns) are sprinkled with little bits of historical facts.Not much but some.

Ford never let facts get in the way of a good story. Ironically, some of his best work may have been what he shot live during the attack on Midway Island.

 

[Pollaco]

Ford never let facts get in the way of a good story. Ironically, some of his best work may have been what he shot live during the attack on Midway Island.

That's why I used the word "little". I wholeheartedly agree Ford was an entertainer but some facts were sometimes sprinkled lightly into a movie, but just in a wrong scenario, like the cadets or named cannons being in Mississippi.

 

[Mrs. V]

There is really no reason to name cannons, they will not come when you call them.

They may not come when called, but they are sure to "reply" regardless!

 

[Story]

Some other threads on this topic -

Hvy.Arty - "Long Tom" & "Laughing Charlie" - Named Cannon at Suffolk, Va. April 1863 | Cannons / Artillery & Crew Served Weapons

Image by goldenanchor https://www.flickr.com/photos/27454715@N04/7088344267 Many here may have heard before of the cannon known as "Long Tom." Renamed by its Confederate captors, "Long Tom" was a thirty-pounder Parrott rifle captured at First Manassas. In April 1863, we find "Long Tom" with his...

civilwartalk.com

Famous - The Dictator, a 13-inch Seacoast Mortar | Arms & Artillery - Terrible Tools of War

This gun, used in the siege near Petersburg, Virginia, was mounted on a railroad flat-car, making for an unusual and famous arrangement!

civilwartalk.com

Famous - Widow Blakely - Confederate 7.5-inch Blakely Rifle | Arms & Artillery - Terrible Tools of War

The Widow Blakely, ©James N., 2013.:CSA1stNat: This 7.5-inch rifle was called the "Widow Blakely" because it was one of only two 7.5-inch Blakely Rifles of that type imported from England. It's mate was in service at Evansport, Virginia until it was captured by Union forces at Shipping Point on...

civilwartalk.com

Hvy.Arty - Is This CS Fort Hindman Gun "Big Susan" | Cannons / Artillery & Crew Served Weapons

Came across this article in the CS Vets magazine from a CS soldier at Fort Hindman referring to one of the guns in the fort as Big Susan. The gun in the photo WAS in front of the State House museum and is a Confederate copy of a United States Model 1841 64-pounder siege gun, a navy artillery...

civilwartalk.com