Cannon named "Jesus" probably came from presidio of Monterey

[cannonmn]

The US Naval Academy at Annapolis MD has an extensive collection of Spanish bronze cannon on display around the Yard. Many of the cannon are marked, either by brass tags fastened to the barrels, or by metal stampings on the muzzle face, "TAKEN BY THE NAVY IN CALIFORNIA 1847." I checked with the USNA museum registrar to determine whether any more precise provenance is available, and it is not.

Recently I began exchanging information on Spanish cannons in early California with Michael Hardwick, who is doing research on the armament of the Spanish presidios. One quote in a paper he authored rang a bell.

"1842, October 20, Thomas Catesby Jones account:
At twelve our forces took possession of the fort at Monterey. The Mexicans abandoned the works as we marched up the ravine… On reaching the summit of the hill, about twenty yards from the fort, we found nine long brass guns, concealed by green branches of trees, put in order of threes, above each other, commanding the whole ravine, these guns loaded with copper grapeshot and escopette (sic.) balls, all primed, and with the linstocks lighted and at hand, burning within a few inches. (In taking possession of the fort, we immediately unloaded these guns, and removed them to the breastworks again.) Every gun had a name –Jesus, San Pedro, San Pablo and other saints." (September 16, 2009 Arms and Armament Presidios of California Copyright © Michael R. Hardwick)

One of the Spanish cannons in the Yard is named "Jesus." It was cast in Lima in 1678 and bears markings of the Spanish Viceroy of Peru, in addition to the usual maker's marks, Spanish royal cypher, and the gun's name. Other quotes in Mr. Hardwick's paper mentioned bronze cannons at Monterey having origins in South America and dates of manufacture during the 17th C. So many bronze cannons were manufactured by Spain, both in Spain and in her colonies, that it is within the realm of possibility that more than one cannon named "Jesus" was cast. However, in my opinion a strong case can be made that the cannon now at USNA, named "Jesus" was once part of the armament of the presidio of Monterey.

I haven't yet attempted to match the other USNA cannons to specific locations in California, but if doing so in this case was as straightforward as it seems, I expect more matches will be made before long.

The slideshow contains about a dozen photos of "Jesus" which I took during a visit there in 2008.

 http://s17.photobucket.com/albums/b62/cannonmn/miscforumsetc/forums46/?action=view&current=52c5ce54.pbw

[cannonmn]

Before I forget, I should mention something I read in K. Jack Bauer's SURFBOATS AND HORSE MARINES, U.S. Naval Institute, Annapolis, MD 1969, pp. 123:

"After the abandonment of Tabasco, Commodore Perry reorganized his squadron and sent home the ships no longer needed.  The frigate RARITAN, carrying three guns captured at Tabasco, was the first to leave.  Perry suggested that two of the trophies be sent to the Naval School at Annapolis in recognition of the part its graduates had played in their capture..."

I don't know which two guns now at USNA may have been the pair Perry selected, but I'd bet they are more or less a matched pair.  Since only two of the three guns taken at Tabasco were designated to go to USNA, it is possible that the other is now at the Washington Navy Yard.  If I had to guess which one that might be, having studied the Spanish guns at the Navy Yard for many years, I'd guess it was SAN BRUNO, cast by Andres Melendez in 1686.  The Navy's provenance for this piece holds that it was captured during the Barbary Wars, but I have my doubts because it fits so neatly with a pair of cannons on the "Mexican Monument" at USNA.  This trio, in my loose way of thinking about these guns, could very well have been the three captured at Tabasco.  The common thread is their caliber (six pounder), their maker (Andreas Melendez) and their dates of manufacture (1686-7.)  The two guns (of four) of interest at the Mexican Monument are named S. Joseph and S. Damian.  The link goes to a slideshow of SAN BRUNO which I photographed at the Navy Yard in 2008.

http://s17.photobucket.com/albums/b62/cannonmn/miscforumsetc/forums46/?action=view&current=9bce3b12.pbw