There is a cannon they are calling a confederate 3 incher. I don't think it is real. I think that if it was real, in the condition it is in, people would have it bid so high that no one could afford it.
Well, I went and looked at it today. They drilled out the touch hole and tapped in a rather large bolt. The carriage is a wreck that they tossed some paint on and the wheels are held on by about 2 threads on the shaft. All of the accessories are concrete tools. It is definitely a replica like Smokythecat said. My friend wanted it to fire. You could not pay me to touch one off on that thing. And I am an Artillery man.
If I may make a suggestion, they could carry this gun to Washington D.C. and let Nancy Pelosi test fire this gun. She's fearless, along with another few choice words that I will not elaborate on.. Chuck Schumer and Schiff ca Bob could serve on the gun alongside of the squeaker....I mean speaker.
An actual civil war era 3"-caliber cannon would have rifling-grooves in its bore. None are visible on this cannon.
Its reported weight suggests it is an iron cannon -- not a movie prop made of plastic, nor a battle-reenactor Reproduction made of cast-aluminum. As such, a cannon of this size is worth more than a couple of hundered dolalrs. But as Faribo indicated, firing it on that rickety carriage even with a "blank" charge would be extremely unsafe.
Just doing some theoretical exploration of possible identifications... it might be a Colonial Era 3-Pounder caliber smoothbore, whose bore diameter was 2.9-inches. But this one differs from most cannons of that era, in that its body lacks any decorative features, such as raised bands/rings, except for a single one (called an astragal) encircling its muzzle.
As such, somebody "overpaid" by more than a little bit, as the now-closed auction reports that the winning bid was $2,910. When the winner finds out it was seriously misrepresented (as being a Confederate cannon), that's legal grounds for a full refund.
So CannonballGuy, you are saying it could be a Colonial Era 3-Pounder caliber smoothbore mounted on a more modern carriage? Possibly?
Except the astragal is not correct for that style?
What where the Colonial Era 3-Pounder caliber smoothbore cannons often mounted? Were these naval cannon, infantry or what exactly?