There are hundreds of cannons at Gettysburg, many of them flanking monuments and markers. Such is the case with this artillery piece. The carriage, wheels, limber and other tube carrying mechanisms all look well tended to and in good shape, sporting what appears to be fresh paint. The firing tube has a green patina from constant exposure to the elements. I peered into the bore and did not observe any rifling grooves, making this a smoothbore. The muzzle stamp on this one is worn and battered and identification was almost impossible. I learned the man who made the tablets which accompany the cannons also had a hand in restoring these cannons as well. Gettysburg National Military Park has hundreds of these historic artillery pieces on its field of battle. Their carriages, sights, limbers and caissons, however, have been restored. Much of the restorative work came from Major Calvin Gilbert who owned the Gettysburg foundry.
Calvin Gilbert owned a foundry which bore his name in Gettysburg. This man was responsible for creating all of the cast iron battery tablets (including this one) at this park. His work did not end there as his foundry created many of the carriages for the historic cannons at Gettysburg. Although almost all of the cannons are from the Civil War, their carriages, sights, and caissons have been restored at his foundry in the early part of the 20th century. Gilbert was in his 70s when he did this work and completed work at other battlefields as well.
The two Napoleons and the 
15th New York Independent Artillery Battery Tablet are located on the left or west side of South Hancock Avenue if traveling north. There are two 12-pounder Model 1857 Napoleons which flank the iron tablet. If facing the table, the cannon on the right was manufactured out of the Cyrus Alger Foundry out of Boston, MA, registry number of 29. The cannon on the left was also manufactured out of the Cyrus Alger Foundry out of Boston, MA, registry number 8. The Pennsylvania State Monument looms large and is due north not too far away. Directly across from the cannons is the Caldwell's Division Tablet (MN429). 
Parking is available along Hancock Avenue at enlarged shoulder cutouts on the side of the road, directly across from the other various monuments. The best parking is on Humphreys Avenue at a dedicated parking lot across from the Pennsylvania Monument. Be sure to keep vehicles off the grass or you will be ticketed by park police. I visited this monument on Thursday, July 5, 2012 in the later part of the afternoon. I was at an elevation of 575 feet, ASL. I used a Canon PowerShot 14.1 Megapixel, SX210 IS digital camera for the photos.
This muzzle is so worn as to make it almost impossible read. I managed to make out the 1861 manufacture date and knew it was on Hancock Avenue so again using my usual source, I narrowed it down to a 12-Pounder Napoleon, 1857 model, registry #8. My SOURCE for all things weapons at Gettysburg provided me additional information about this weapon which did not appear on the muzzle. I used red to designate that data. The rest is as it appears exactly on the muzzle, starting at the top, 12 o'clock position and moving clockwise.
A.M. Co. ......1215 ......1861 ......J.P.F. ......No 8 ......FDY #895
Registry Information Explanation
A.M. Co. stands for the Cyrus Alger Foundry out of Boston, MA and the foundry responsible for producing this weapon. 1215 lbs represents the total weight of the bronze firing tube which was very heavily in comparison to the lighter and newer 3-inch ordnance rifle of 1861 which weighed about four hundred pounds less than the Napoleon and was just as accurate and deadly. 1861 is the manufacture date which means in this year the foundry were still producing the older 1857 design from seven years earlier. J.P.F. are the initials of Joseph Pearson Farley, the Union ordnance officer responsible for inspecting the cannon before the Union Army took possession of it. No 8 is the registry or registration number, a way for the army to keep track of its weapons obtained from the foundry's commissioned to do so. FDY #895 is an internal control number specific to the foundry.
About the Inspector
Joseph Pearson Farley was a Civil War Union officer who graduate from West Point in June of 1861. His father, John Farley, was also a West Point graduate, lass of 1823. Farley was probably busy at the Alger Foundry as the only inspectors there were Farley and the famous Thomas Jackson Rodman, (T.JjR.). I believe he also inspected at the Revere Foundry in Boston as well. Pearson was an author as well writing about all things military. One book he wrote is called West Point in the early sixties, with incidents of the war (1902). Another, is called Rules for the Inspection fo army revolvers and gatling guns. Farley was burie at the United States Military Academy Post Cemetery at West Point, in Orange County, New York, Section 5, Site 3. SOURCE
About the Foundry
This armory was founded by Cyrus Alger (born in West Bridgewater, Massachusetts, 11 November 1781; died in Boston, 4 February 1856), Alger was a United States arms manufacturer and inventor. Early in life he became an iron founder, and established his business in Easton, Massachusetts. In 1809 he moved to South Boston, where he founded the works that since 1817 were known as the South Boston Iron Company. He supplied the government with large numbers of cannon balls during the War of 1812, and his works became famed for the excellent ordnance there manufactured. He was one of the best practical metallurgists of his time, and his numerous patents of improved processes show continued advance in the art practiced by him. The first gun ever rifled in America was made at his works in 1834, and the first perfect bronze cannon was made at his foundry for the U. S. ordnance department, The mortar “Columbiad,” the largest gun of cast iron that had then been made in the United States, was cast under his personal supervision. SOURCE
About the Gun
The twelve-pound cannon "Napoleon" was the most popular smoothbore cannon used during the war. It was named after Napoleon III of France and was widely admired because of its safety, reliability, and killing power, especially at close range. The Federal version of the Napoleon can be recognized by the flared front end of the barrel, called the muzzle-swell. Confederate Napoleons were produced in at least six variations, most of which had straight muzzles, but at least eight catalogued survivors of 133 identified have muzzle swells This bronze gun does not have that flare. Casting of these bronze Napoleons by the Confederacy ceased due to lack of resources and in January 1864 Tredegar began producing iron Napoleons. Just before this in early 1863, resources were so scarce, Robert E. Lee sent nearly all of the Army of Northern Virginia's bronze 6-pounder guns to Tredegar (another foundry) to be melted down and recast as Napoleons. SOURCE
Commonly referred to as the "Napoleon", this bronze smoothbore cannon fired a twelve-pound ball and was considered a light gun through each weighed an average of 1,200 pounds. This powerful cannon could fire explosives shell and solid shot up to a mile and charges of canister up to 300 yards with accuracy. The Napoleon was a favorite amongst some Northern artillerists because of its firepower and reliability. Two Union batteries armed with Napoleons at Gettysburg were very effective in holding back Confederate infantry attacks and knocking down opposing southern batteries. Battery G, 4th U.S. repeatedly slowed Confederate infantry attacks against the Eleventh Corps lines on July 1, while Captain Hubert Dilger's Battery G, 1st Ohio Light Artillery almost annihilated two Confederate batteries with accurate and punishing counter-battery fire at long distance. Most Union Napoleons were manufactured in Massachusetts by the Ames Company and the Revere Copper Company. SOURCE
12-pounder bronze gun, Model of 1857 Specifications
| Tube Material |
Bronze |
| Tube Weight |
1,227 lb (557 kg) |
| Powder Charge |
2.5 lb (1.13 kg) |
| Range (5° Elevation) |
1,619 yd (1,480 m) |
| At Gettyburg |
142 |
During the Battle of Gettysburg, the 15th New York Independent Artillery Battery served as a member of McGilvery’s Brigade in the Artillery Reserve, Army of the Potomac. The unit was commanded by Captain Patrick Hart (1827-January 22, 1892). Hart served in U.S. Regular Army. Patrick served in the 2nd U.S. Artillery from 1845 to 1850, rising to 1st Sergeant. He served in the Ordnance Department from 1850 to 1854, then in the Marine Corps until 1862. He was wounded @ Gettysburg on July 3 and again during the Overland Campaign. He was transferred to the 32nd N.Y. Light Artillery on 5 February 1865, from which he was mustered out with the brevet rank of Major on 12 July 1865. After the War he served briefly in a regular army infantry unit before becoming superintendent of the national cemeteries successively at Point Lookout, Md., Port Hudson, La., and Salem, N.J. He died at age 67.
The monument, marks the position and actions of the 15th New York Battery for July 2 & 3 of the battle and reads as follows:
Army of the Potomac
First Brigade Artillery Reserve
New York Light Artillery
15th Battery
Four 12 pounders
Captain Patrick Hart commanding
July 2 Engaged in the Peach Orchard retired about dark and reported to Brig. Gen. R.O. Tyler Artillery Reserve.
July 3 Ordered early to the front and took position in the Battalion on the left of Battery E. 5th Massachusetts. Directed by Maj. General Hancock to open on the Confederate Batteries with solid shot and shell. Upon the advance of the Confederate Infantry fired shell and shrapnel and canister when the line was within 500 yards. A second line advancing was met with double canister which dispersed it. The fire of the Battery was then directed against the Artillery on the Confederate right and several caissons and limbers were exploded by the shells.
July 4 Remained in this position until noon.
Casualties Killed 3 men. Wounded 2 officers and 11 men. Total 16.