|
This iron tube, mounted on a
reproduction Prairie Carriage is an American made four pounder gun; making its
smooth bore 2.5 inches in diameter. The
tube has scattered light pitting inside and out, some of which is rust and no
doubt some of it is from the casting process. The tube is 38 inches long and the wheels are 42 inches high. The Prairie carriage is accurate and in
excellent condition. Including the
trail, it is 82 inches long, and 54 inches wide at the hubs.
I do not deal in artillery shells very much so I was surprised to learn
that the Confederacy used three different 2.5 shell/bolt patterns. They are the 2.5 CS Blakely, 2.5 Britten Bolt
and the 2.5 Bourreleted Read Shell. Not
only was I surprised by this, but I found that they used 22 different makes and
patterns ranging from 1.5 to 2.5 inch,
including 1.5, 1.7, 2.13, 2.17, 2.25, and 2.32 inch shells/bolts/cannister
rounds.
All except the 2.25s and a single
known CS marked 2.13 inch smoothbore gun located in Atlanta, Georgia were used in
unidentified pre-War cannon similar, if not exactly the same, to the gun shown
here. The only small bore that we know
of that was truly Confederate produced were 19 of the 2.25 inch CS Mountain
Rifles. These were called the Model of
1862 and made at the Tredegar foundry in Richmond. Clearly with all those different small bore ammo
variations being produced there had to be a number of these small pre-War
pieces being used by the Confederate forces.
I cannot say for certain that this was used by
the Confederacy, but what I can say for certain is that it was made in America
prior to the War Between the States and that if it was in the South, there is
little doubt that it was used by the Confederates.
I purchased the cannon from a widow in Murfreesboro, North Carolina, but
cannot say where it came from originally.
This is a lot of bang for your buck!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I will deliver this free of charge to within 100 miles of my route from my
home in Arkansas to the following shows:
Franklin, Tennessee - Dalton, Georgia
- Baltimore, Maryland - Spring Gettysburg, Pennsylvania Show - Doswell, Virginia
– Fall Gettysburg, Pennsylvania Show. If
the delivery requires longer distances or an individual trip, billing will be
at $1.00 per mile for the round trip. Or,
if cheaper, the actual cost supplied by a trucking company.
You may also pick it up at my Arkansas
home.
|