What is this please?

[cannonmn]

This forged iron "cannon" is at the Ralston Family Collections Center in San Antonio, TX., part of Alamo museum. Think it is about 4 ft. Long. I can see how the basic tube could be a swivel gun but the chains and big washers throw me off. Whatzit please?

 

[captaindrew]

Signal gun from a ship maybe? That wouldn't be something you'd expect to see in San Antonio I would think though.

 

[Rhea Cole]

Thanks for posting this. I had never seen a swivel gun with chains attached… & haven't found another.

Link to authoritative discussion of Spanish swivel guns:

Spanish Colonial Swivel Gun, ca. 1700

Appraisal: Spanish Colonial Swivel Gun, ca. 1700

www.pbs.org

Link to Spanish swivel gun in museum:

Spanish swivel cannon c. 1760 - Picture of Museum of the West, Grand Junction - Tripadvisor

Museum of the West, Grand Junction Picture: Spanish swivel cannon c. 1760 - Check out Tripadvisor members' 79 candid photos and videos of Museum of the West

www.tripadvisor.com

Just for scale, Hotel
des Invalides Paris:

Swivel guns were standard shipboard armaments;

Society for Combat Archaeology – Arms and Armour in 3D (4): 16th Century Swivel Gun

combatarchaeology.org

Swivel Howitzer - USS Constitution Museum

ussconstitutionmuseum.org

In the upper left of this image of the HMS Rose / HMS Surprise reproduction of a 6th rate RN frigate built in 1757 is the fighting top of the mizzen mast. Swivel guns were often mounted in the tops of each mast.

Sunset in the Gulf Stream. Photo by author

Note: This is purely speculative; the chains could have been used to transport the swivel gun by use of a pole between two men?

 

[JackADriscoll]

I would use that chain to keep the barrel from swivelling in the direction of the boys. Maybe it was used to help maintain lateral limits?

 

[James Brenner]

Is the cascabel designed in such a way as to incorporate a tiller/monkey tail?

 

[Rhea Cole]

Is the cascabel designed in such a way as to incorporate a tiller/monkey tail?

Look at the links I posted above. Good observation.

Also, not this one, but a lot of the 17th Century swivels were breechloaders. Makes sense given how they were mounted on bulwarks, fighting tops & parapets.

Swivel Gun from La Belle

www.thestoryoftexas.com

I don't know the nomenclature, but James Brenner's question about the "handspike" is insightful.

 

[7th Texas Mounted Rifles]

Signal gun from a ship maybe? That wouldn't be something you'd expect to see in San Antonio I would think though.

Not necessarily 'signal' guns, but swivels and wall guns, carronades, gunnades and esmerils among other more 'standard' pieces, sure.

You'd be surprised with how many naval artillery pieces were used (far) inland at the spanish missions/presidios/colonial settlements for defense against the indians, and remained in use/played key roles in the Texas Revolution… several pieces specifically salvaged from ships run aground/upset by hurricanes/etc.

 

[gary]

Rampart gun. There was a brass/bronze one found in some village that was overrun by the Indians in New Mexico. Trinidad College has plans to make three replicas out of drill rod.

 

[Story]

Rampart gun. There was a brass/bronze one found in some village that was overrun by the Indians in New Mexico. Trinidad College has plans to make three replicas out of drill rod.

Certainly the oldest firearm ever found in the continental United States, and possibly the oldest-known firearm produced in the New World, a rampart gun recently discovered in Arizona is one of six associated with Francisco Vázquez de Coronado's famous search for the "Seven Cities of Gold."

An Official Journal Of The NRA | A Conquistador’s Cannon Unearthed

Certainly the oldest firearm ever found in the continental United States, and possibly the oldest-known firearm produced in the New World, a rampart gun recently discovered in Arizona is one of six associated with Francisco Vázquez de Coronado’s famous search for the “Seven Cities of Gold.”

www.americanrifleman.org

 

[R. Porter]

Certainly the oldest firearm ever found in the continental United States, and possibly the oldest-known firearm produced in the New World, a rampart gun recently discovered in Arizona is one of six associated with Francisco Vázquez de Coronado's famous search for the "Seven Cities of Gold."

An Official Journal Of The NRA | A Conquistador’s Cannon Unearthed

Certainly the oldest firearm ever found in the continental United States, and possibly the oldest-known firearm produced in the New World, a rampart gun recently discovered in Arizona is one of six associated with Francisco Vázquez de Coronado’s famous search for the “Seven Cities of Gold.”

www.americanrifleman.org

Thanks for posting this! It's like having a mountain howitzer without the carriage.

 

[James Brenner]

Certainly the oldest firearm ever found in the continental United States, and possibly the oldest-known firearm produced in the New World, a rampart gun recently discovered in Arizona is one of six associated with Francisco Vázquez de Coronado's famous search for the "Seven Cities of Gold."

An Official Journal Of The NRA | A Conquistador’s Cannon Unearthed

Certainly the oldest firearm ever found in the continental United States, and possibly the oldest-known firearm produced in the New World, a rampart gun recently discovered in Arizona is one of six associated with Francisco Vázquez de Coronado’s famous search for the “Seven Cities of Gold.”

www.americanrifleman.org

This is an extremely interesting article. Thanks very much for posting it. It is actually more informative than the postings on the Coronado website,

 

[gary]

Certainly the oldest firearm ever found in the continental United States, and possibly the oldest-known firearm produced in the New World, a rampart gun recently discovered in Arizona is one of six associated with Francisco Vázquez de Coronado's famous search for the "Seven Cities of Gold."

An Official Journal Of The NRA | A Conquistador’s Cannon Unearthed

Certainly the oldest firearm ever found in the continental United States, and possibly the oldest-known firearm produced in the New World, a rampart gun recently discovered in Arizona is one of six associated with Francisco Vázquez de Coronado’s famous search for the “Seven Cities of Gold.”

www.americanrifleman.org

That is the very gun that will be made in Trinidad. The person who will turn it on a lathe is a former gunsmithing professor and Dean of Instruction (or something like that).

 

[Story]

That is the very gun that will be made in Trinidad. The person who will turn it on a lathe is a former gunsmithing professor and Dean of Instruction (or something like that).

Where's my social endorphin "LIKE" cookie for posting such????