Bacon Solid - Boalsburg, PA
N 40° 46.900 W 077° 47.720
18T E 264120 N 4518280
This cannon was captured by the US Navy during the War of 1812.
Waymark Code: WM15ZNC
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Date Posted: 04/01/2022
Views: 4
The cannon is displayed inside the Pennsylvania Military Museum.
The text of the sign:
British 18 pounder Iron Cannon ("Bacon Solid")
muzzle loader
direct fire
smoothbore
Anthony Bacon cast this 18 pounder gun sometime between 1774 and 1782. Bacon was the first English founder to cast his guns as a solid piece, then drill a hole down the length of the cylinder. Previous attempts to cast an already bored cannon allowed the bore to shift during the cooling process, which hurt the accuracy of the piece. This type of gun could be used either on a ship (as seen below) or as a garrison gun. It appears that this gun was originally cast as a 12 pounder, and later re-bored to an 18 pounder. It was captured by the U.S. Navy, most likely during the War of 1812.
Sizing Things Up Artillery pieces are usually referred to by the size of the projectile they fire, either the weight or the width. An 18 pounder fires an 18 pound shot.
Location/Address: 51 Boalsburg Avenue Boalsburg, PA 16827
County/Province: Centre
Website (related) if available: [Web Link]
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Photos Will Be Uploaded: yes
Date Erected/Dedicated: Not listed
Who put it there? Private/Government?: Not listed
Hours or Restrictions if Appropiate: Not listed
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