12-Pounder Confederate Bronze Napoleon, Model of 1864, No. 83AF - Gettysburg, PA
N 39° 48.067 W 077° 15.376
18S E 306839 N 4408118
There are two 12-pounder Napoleons flanking the Taylor's Virginia Battery Tablet which represent the armaments used by the battery during July 1-3 @ the Battle of Gettysburg. This waymark is for the cannon to the right.
Waymark Code: WMEBXA
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Date Posted: 05/04/2012
Views: 5
There are hundreds of cannons at Gettysburg, many of them flanking monuments and markers. Such is the case with this artillery piece. The Taylor Tablet and accompanying cannons are on the left or east side of West Confederate Avenue if traveling south, exactly 100 feet south of the Millerstown Road, 4-way intersection. The Longstreet Corps Tablet is direclty across the road. The Confederate Avenue Observation Tower and parking lot is 450 feet south of this position. The lot is good for 15 cars. If you want to park at the tablet, there is intermittent cutouts along the road to pull over. Avoid parking on anything green or you will be ticketed by the park police. They almost got me. I visited this monument on Saturday, March 10, 2012 at 3:54 PM, just before the clocks were set ahead for the Spring. I was at a 600 foot ASL elevation.
The gun faces due east and the monument faces the west. The firing tube is no longer shiny but green as the bronze has long since oxidized. The carriage, wheels and other tube carrying mechanisms all look well tended to and in good shape sporting what appears to be fresh paint. My usual SOURCE for cannon documentation provided me with the following line of information (the same information I had trouble reading on the outer muzzle face) about this specific cannon:
Augusta - Reg# 83AF - INSP GWR - YR 64 - WT 1228 - W. Confederate Ave.
Augusta refers to the Augusta Foundry (Govt Foundry & Machine Works) in Augusta GA and the place where this gun was manufactured. Reg #83AF is simply the registration number and the foundry's way of documenting and identifying each individual gun produced by their company. The AF which accompanies the number refers to Augusta Foundry. INSP GWR refers to the military officer responsible for inspecting the final product to make sure it meets all standards. After a heck of a lot of searching about these initials I discovered the following passage: George Washington Rains: Colonel commanding Augusta Arsenal, Augusta Powder Mills, and Augusta Foundry and Machine Works (q.v.). Initials "G.W.R." are generally coupled with "A.F." (Augusta Foundry).. I would surmise then George Washington Rains surveyed all the weapons produced from the foundry and was in charge of quality control. SOURCE. YR 63 is the year of manufacturing and WT 1228 refers to the weight of the cannon or bronze tube which fired projectiles. Each weight of evey firing tube was unique to the weapon, like an individual's fingerprint. More information about the specifics of this weapon can be found HERE.
The nearby tablet describes the actions of McCarthy's Battery for the three days at Gettysburg, July 1-3, 1863.
Army of Northern Virginia
Longstreet's Corps Artillery Reserve
Alexander's Battalion Taylor's Battery
Four Napoleons
July 2 Took position here 4 p.m. and opened fire on Peach Orchard. Advanced at 5 p.m. with the infantry to a position about 400 feet north of Peach Orchard and east of Emmitsburg Road continuing actively engaged until night.
July 3 Took position 3 a.m. in main artillery line near Smith House northeast of Sherfy House on Emmitsburg Road and held it all day. Took part in cannonade preceding Longstreet's final assault supported that assault and aided in repelling sharpshooters afterwards. Retired from the front after night.
July 4 In position near here until 4 p.m. Then withdrew to Marsh Creek on Fairfield Road.
Losses killed 2 wounded 10.