6-Pounder Field Gun No. 53 - Sharpsburg, MD - Static Artillery Displays on Waymarking.com

This cannon is bronze and now green due to oxidation. The wheels and hitch are in good shape. The wheels sit about 5 feet high or so. The muzzle is stamped with the initials N.J., presumably as it was attached to a New Jersey Battery. The gun was cast at the Cyrus Alger & Company Foundry in Boston, as evidenced by the stamps on the trunnion. The other trunnion features the stamp of the model 1841. Officially, my source lists this as a 6-pounder bronze field gun, Model of 1838, with the following information made available:

First Cannon: Alger - Reg# 53 - INSP WM - YR 41 - WT 701 - muzzle face stamped "N.J."

The 6-Pounder designation of the name refers to the size of munition fired. The cannon part weighed between 700 & 710 pounds, each canon being cast individually, thus having different varying characteristics. I believe these 1838 models were manufactured in 1841. SOURCE

There is a small identification marker sticking out of the ground which reads:

MODEL 1841 6-POUNDER GUN

Although of Mexican War vintage this smoothbore was
still being used by some Confederate batteries at
Antietam

Just a point of fact, the smoothbore reference means the inside of the bore was not rifled. It is missing those spiraling grooves which makes the flight of the projectile more predictable and accurate.

The artillery display includes examples of common weapons used during the Civil War. From right to left are this gun, a 6-pounder Field Gun Model 1841, next to it a 12-pounder Field Gun Model 1857 "Napoleon", next to that a 3-inch Ordnance Rifle Model 1861 and finally on the far left, a 3-inch Parrott Rifle Model 1863. All are in excellent condition and except for the 12-pounder Field Gun (Napoleon), all have little identification plaques to the rear of them. When I visited on August 10, 2011, the Napoleon marker was missing.

What type of artillery is this?: Smoothbore Cannon Where is this artillery located?: Monument grounds What military of the world used this device?: Federal Army of the Potomac Confederate Forces Date artillery was in use: 09/17/1862 Cost?: 0.00 (listed in local currency) Artillery is no longer operational: yes Still may work: no Are there any geocaches at this location?: No. National Park Service Site. No physical caches allowed. Date artillery was placed on display: Not listed Parking location to view this Waymark: Not Listed

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