Cannon found !!

[Smith1]

Found this cannon and lead ball at a suspected civil war training site. The cannon is brass and is bored inside and has a fuse hole. I was told this was a training aid. Looking for more info! Thanks to all and HH

 

[OutBack Duo]

great find, I never understood why they made these little things, I guess it doesn't matter. Congrats

 

[CRUSADER]

Cool cannon! But why is it so small? was it a child's? or were all training cannons that small?

Its not a training cannon. Its an expensive (at the time) toy for an adult or rich kid & it actually fired using black powder, some exploded on firing. Pretty dangerous, but a good after dinner talking piece for the refined gentleman.

 

[whitesPA]

nice find . i think its cool the little cannon

 

[Westfront]

Cool find. Love it. I would restore it to shooting condition. I have seen a youtube video a few weeks ago firing a little cannon using blackpowder and lead. Not really a toy... Cant find the vid again, sorry..

 

[scotto]

Oh man is that a score.

 

[Smith1]

Thanks for all the replies! Enjoyed the pictures!! My digging pard has seen a picture of a cannon like this used to train raw troops. They would clean off a place on the ground and set these up ,I guess to show them how to deploy the cannons or to move against them. But I guess it could be a gentlemens toy. Still doing research

 

[Iron Patch]

Thanks for all the replies! Enjoyed the pictures!! My digging pard has seen a picture of a cannon like this used to train raw troops. They would clean off a place on the ground and set these up ,I guess to show them how to deploy the cannons or to move against them. But I guess it could be a gentlemens toy. Still doing research

They may have been used such as you describe, but without question the vast majority were toys, there's just too many that turn up.... not to mention they still sell them today.

 

[SimonLakeSub]

There is a book called "New York City's Buried Past" A Guide To Excavated New York City's Revolutionary War Artifacts 1776-1783 By Robert Apuzzo. On page 141 of the Toys section, there is a picture of a miniature lead cannon that was found at Fulton and Water Streets back in 1981.

Simon...

 

[pepperj]

Cool cannon! I dug my first one last fall in england.

 

[CRUSADER]

Thanks for all the replies! Enjoyed the pictures!! My digging pard has seen a picture of a cannon like this used to train raw troops. They would clean off a place on the ground and set these up ,I guess to show them how to deploy the cannons or to move against them. But I guess it could be a gentlemens toy. Still doing research

no guess about it, they are well documented in the UK, no links to Military uses.

 

[tuatara]

As many people here have told already, it's a big boys' toy and a very common one. Could be used for training purposes only against ants or other pests

 

[Bradley137]

Nice. I like it.

 

[RON (PA)]

That is an awesome find. Keep up the great work. That is on my list of things to find.