Cannon spotting-MTN Howitzer

[Double D]

Spotted this gun today...


















Very difficult to photograph indoors siting in a bright sunny window.

I will going by this gun again on Saturday.  If any one has a feature they need photos of, let me Know.

The Part Rangers told me they have all the accessories and accouterments for this gun in their warehouse in ther original shipping containers. If some one want to view these items, they can make and advance arrange and they will be made available.

I'll get mre details on Saturday

[GGaskill]

Great Falls of the Missouri?

[Double D]

Big Hole Battlefield

Sorry for forgetting that

[DarbinCo]

Very nice indeed..

[carronader]

good carriage   damn good display  still an extended pot boiler  man size haggis though.

[Double D]

I asked the lady Rangers if they ever shot this cannon, they both got this silly grin and said no they weren't allowed to.  The last time it was fired was November 8th 1889 when it fired 41 shots to commemorate Montana's admission to the union as a state.  40 shots for the previous 40 states and the 41st  a massive overload which broke the carriage.  

The ladies said they have a lot of accessories for this gun including things like sights.  

[Double D]

Again, if anyone needs additional pictures, let me know before morning,  I will leave computer connect about 8 am MDT.

[Cannoneer]

Douglas,
The barrel shows the scars of some active use; does the literature there state that it saw action in the 'Indian Wars'? Its impossible to tell by the photos if the prairie carriage and limber are originals, but if they are; would you take some photos of the limber?

[Double D]

Douglas,
The barrel shows the scars of some active use; does the literature there state that it saw action in the 'Indian Wars'? Its impossible to tell by the photos if the prairie carriage and limber are originals, but if they are; would you take some photos of the limber?

Yes this as the actual Cannon used at the battle of the Big Hole. it fired two shots and was over ran by the Nez Perce.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Big_Hole

[dan610324]

shouldnt the steel reinforcement in the front of the cheeks have the arsenal name stamped there ??
if so this is an reproduction, or ??

[Terry C.]

If the original carriage was broken in 1889 as per DD then this one is most likely a replacement. Looks too good to be a repair.

[Max Caliber]

That one has provisions for sights, a lot of them didn't. The little howitzer was just one step above a mortar in the accuracy department, but since it fired shell at a high angle it didn't need to be very accurate. It also had a vicious recoil, something like 35 feet or so on level ground unless the wheels were tied together which turned it into a sled.

I don't recall seeing a mountain howitzer with original trunnion plates that had arsenal markings on them like some field guns had.

[Cannoneer]

Max, I've never learned anything about the later Mt. Howitzer carriage trunnion plates not being marked with the arsenal of manufacture, date, and serial no., but I think that the metal work of the gun carriage (early pack carriage) thought to be from the famous mountain howitzer abandoned during the second surveying expedition of John C. Frémont in January 1844, (that was dicovered sometime in 2006) was found to be stamped by Watervliet Arsenal.
Dan, even if the trunnion plate is marked (according to Matt Switlik, an American artillery historian) the stampings are usually totally obscured by successive coats of paint, and I don't think the authorities of the US Park Service would take too kindly to just anyone off the street asking if they could remove the paint to check the marks.
Terry, its possible that the whole stock trail was replaced if it cracked in 1889, but the information about the carriage and limber being original might be right there on the display, or one of the rangers on duty may be able to answer that question (oftentimes these rangers carry a storehouse of knowledge in their heads).
I'm really interested in the limber, because I don't have any photos of an original limber.
 

[Zulu]

Boom J,
I have not heard that Fremont's howitzer was found.  Can you point me in the right direction to read about it?  I have interest in that gun.
Zulu

[GGaskill]

Here is one place to start.

[Cannoneer]

Boom J,
I have not heard that Fremont's howitzer was found.  Can you point me in the right direction to read about it?  I have interest in that gun.
Zulu

Zulu,
Not the barrel; but some of the people researching the 'Fremont Howitzer' are fairly certain that some of the hardware from the carriage has been found.

[Double D]

Here is one place to start.

Click on the word Here in George's post for the link!

[Double D]

According to the Rangers, w When the carriage of this cannon broke in 1889, the Army repaired it as was still an active piece. The Rangers said in the 1950's or 60's the carriage was again rebuilt as the wood had rotted badly.  They also said the original metal hardware was used for the rebuild.  The only marking that I could fine on the gun or carriage was on the muzzle.  I know I looked...the Rangers let me climb up on their display and look.  I was their first visitor that day, at 3 O'clock in the afternoon.

[carronader]

Is a damn shame such a first class display is not getting visitors.........what happens in UK , not enough visitors , next thing you know is carted off to LONDON to lie in a basement somewhere,usually never to see the light of day again, not sure about American system...maybe your State system gives some protection from Centralisation.

[Double D]

It's winter time, nobody in there right mind goes there in the winter.   Summer, tourist every where