Cannon Experience

[tompritchett]

And you're exactly right, it's a noise maker to me.

If it going to be just a noise maker and you have no intention of every using it at a reenactment, I would also recommend that wait a considerable time (10 -15 minutes) between firing consecutive rounds even after cleaning out the tube after shots. You will be much less likely to lose a hand or other part of your body that way. Semi-rapid firing of cannons leaves little room for error and when those errors do occur they can seriously main you for life.

[Farmer Dean]

Thomas, good advice. I'd be in no hurry, if I set it off more than once in a day there would be a goodly amount of time between firings. Dean

[creel]

http://www.swcp.com/~pvtpappy/PageMi...s/4TexBrf.html

These guys are great. I fallen in with them on US and CS infantry impressions on the east coast. They, as I understand it, also use cannons out west and have memebers from the several states there.

Larry Pope is commander and could probably put you in touch with others near CA.

your servant,

[Jeffrey Cohen]

The NCWAA artillery school is coming up soon. This is a great place to learn the ropes from the best in the biz.
Here's their site:
http://www.ncwaa.com/
Did you drill your own vent hole in the barrell?
I'd recommend having a copper vent installed.
You can email me at:
Grepse@comcast.net
I have some information I'd like to send you on cannon accidents.
One can never be too careful.

[jda3rd]

I'm a little gun-shy around the NCWAA folks. I've had 2 bad experiences with members of this group (one, wearing a colonel's uniform at Bridgeport, Alabama several years ago, was a "Safety Officer and Instructor for the NCWAA), both on safety-related issues. On both occasions, I observed their drill, and was appalled. I know these two incidents can't paint the picture of the whole organization, but I'm not comfortable with them.

Frank Brower

[Jeffrey Cohen]

Was it the NCWAA drill or a paricular unit's drill?

[Forquer]

I'm a little gun-shy around the NCWAA folks. I've had 2 bad experiences with members of this group (one, wearing a colonel's uniform at Bridgeport, Alabama several years ago, was a "Safety Officer and Instructor for the NCWAA), both on safety-related issues. On both occasions, I observed their drill, and was appalled. I know these two incidents can't paint the picture of the whole organization, but I'm not comfortable with them.

Frank Brower

Frank -

The problem is that in many cases NCWAA is the only game in town. I would have to agree with Mr. Cohen that the drill itself is not unsafe, it may very well be the people deviating from it. My problem with NCWAA is how it differs from the publshed manuals of the period.

Sadly, many organizations have to use NCWAA because their insurers or state regulatory agencies require cannoneers to be "certified" and have approved the course for that reason.

Oh, one day to see an entire gun line using HB&F!!!!!

Hey, I can dream, can't I?

[jda3rd]

Greg,
I prefer Snowden Andrews' manual of the piece but "Instructions for Field Artillery (HB&F) is the best general manual I've found. It's best to have HB&F first, and then study Andrews. The only thing I can't seem to find is any mention of unhooking the sponge bucket and putting it on the ground. But you know good and well the piece was not fired with the bucket hanging.

I agree, having read the NCWAA drill, that my main problem with them is their deviation from the period drill. Why? Because those old procedures were developed over many years of practical use of muzzle loading artillery, and every step is designed to, A: result in the death of an enemy, and B: insure the safety of the detachment. The fundamental difference between using artillery as it was intended, the "practical application", and a "hobby" interest in artillery is that safety becomes our primary goal, even before authenticity. I feel the original drills are the safest, not someones latter day interpretation and revision of them. The NCWAA drill appears safe, though, if adhered to.

My experiences were with individual detachments. The first occurred a few years ago at Bridgeport, when there was an original CS field howitzer stationed beside us. We were drilling, and a fellow was leaning on the howitzer watching us. He asked if we would show him some of the things he needed to know to work a gun, as he would be serving on the howitzer, and no one had showed up to train him. He told us he would be No. 1, so that was the post we taught him. We showed him how to use the sponge and rammer, and made sure he knew what to do in a misfire. When the rest of his detachment arrived, just before the battle, they didn't run a practice drill. There was a Colonel with the group, who told us that "That gun has a history. It took a boys arm off during the Centennial". I wish I had had the presence of mind to remind him that guns don't kill people, people kill people. That gun is an inanimate object with no will or conscience. Not long into the battle there was a misfire on the howitzer, and I was interested to observe their handling of the situation. My chum and I were Nos. 1 and 2 on our piece, and as our gunner had not given a load command we were able to watch. Their drill was pretty good, with everyone in the correct position, including the fellow we had just trained. It went well, but misfired a second time. This was when the Col. stepped in, and ordered No. 1 to "re-ram the charge"! No. 1 was about to put his rammer in the tube when I yelled "CEASE FIRE" and stopped him. Everyone froze, and the Col. turned white. He stammered a bit, and said "I'm a safety officer for the National Civil War Artillery Association. I can't believe I just did that!" He thanked us for intervening, and after the battle came over and apologized for his lapse, and to give him credit, he apologized to the young man he almost killed.

The second incident was at Perryville this past fall. A gun on the CS line was reported to have a NCWAA certified gun crew: "y'all watch these guys, they know their stuff!" I had walked the line while my section was drilling. I saw a 10pdr Parrott pointing directly up a road, perfectly flanking a line of spectators about 50 to 75 yards away. When we had a gun commander's meeting just prior to the battle, I mentioned this, and suggest that whoever it belonged to might want to oblique the gun to the left to clear the spectators line. A fellow said, "They'll move after the first shot or two!" I expressed my disbelief that he would even consider firing with anyone that close to his muzzle. He said that if he obliqued to the left to spare the audience, then every gun on the line would be exposed to his muzzle. Granted that is a valid safety concern, but better for us to be in danger than the paying public. Turns out, this was the NWCAA certified crew. As a section chief with good gunners, I had the opportunity to watch them in action.

This is what I saw: Excessively loud discharges from the muzzle of the Parrott. This indicated to me that they were using heavy loads. I shoot 9 ounces with no filler in my Parrott, and in fact we were using 9 ounce loads with no filler in a 12pdr field howitzer, with plenty of 'bang'.

Smoke escaping from the vent, repeatedly during loading.

A fairly well-schooled detachment performing their duties, but for No. 1, who sponged the tube as if it might go off at any second. After delicately sponging, he would tap the muzzle with his rammer, and when the round was placed in the tube, he stood at the muzzle, and with a firm grip on his rammer, shoved the round to the breech. Then, to make sure it was seated, he vigorously slammed it 2 or 3 times. This happened every time they loaded.

When No. 4 was given the "Fire" command, he snatched the lanyard like he was trying to start a lawn mover.

On a misfire drill, Nos. 1 and 2 performing as they should, with Nos. 3 and 4, and the Gunner, all huddled at the breech, watching.

This was the "certified" gun crew.

This is why I have little respect for the NCWAA. They have not shown themselves in a good light, as far as I'm concerned.

Frank Brower
Jeff Davis Artillery

Off to Shiloh this weekend for Mounted Artillery demonstrations for the NBP.

[Jeffrey Cohen]

In my defense, I do know that some people claim to be certified and reaaly are not.

[Ringgold]

Greg,
. . . But you know good and well the piece was not fired with the bucket hanging. . .

Frank Brower
Jeff Davis Artillery

Actually, Frank, that's exactly where it was when a piece was serviced in the field. There are images showing pieces within fortifications that have had their sponge buckets dismounted and placed upon the ground, but they aren't going to have to limber up and leave in a hurry now are they?

The reason for your doubting the "hanging bucket" is most-likely caused by your understanding of the gun drill through 21st Century eyes. (Most people today are guilty of the same problem) If you comb through Andrews' Mounted Artillery Drill, The Field Artillery Tactics, or even Roberts' Hand-book of Artillery, for the service of the United States, you will not find the cannoneers of the time damping their sponges like we do today. We are taking a more safe and non-hazardous route by utilizing a damper sponge than was used during the Rebellion, and for very good reasons that only a dolt would argue against. Also, the sponges used back then were much better than the poor excuses that I have had the misfortune of having seen in use by re-enactors today. There are very few sponge covers in service today that would pass muster when compared to Gibbon's description on page 291 of The Artillerist's Manual.

Anyhow, back to our regularly scheduled program, already in progress . . .