522:
698:
33:
488:
795:
435:
1267:
452:
901:
712:, but how they were deployed, or how many crew were assigned, is unclear. It is known that in the 1380s, however, the "ribaudekin" clearly became mounted on wheels, offering greater mobility for its operation. Wheeled gun carriages became more commonplace by the end of the 15th century, and cannon were more often cast in
495:
Prior to loading, the cannon would be well cleaned with a sponge to remove all sparks, filth, and dirt. The powder was added, followed by a wad of paper or hay, and the ball was thrown in. After ramming, the cannon would be aimed with the elevation set using a quadrant and a plummet. At 45 degrees
496:
the ball had the utmost range – about ten times the gun's level range. Any angle above the horizontal line was called random-shot. The officer of artillery had to ensure the cannon was diligently served. Water was available to dip the sponges in and cool the pieces every ten or twelve rounds.
668:
We can, with saltpeter and other substances, compose artificially a fire that can be launched over long distances... By only using a very small quantity of this material much light can be created accompanied by a horrible fracas. It is possible with it to destroy a town or an army ... In order to
602:
serves to carry the powder into the piece. It consists of a wooden box appropriated to the caliber of the piece for which it is intended with a length of a caliber and a half with its vent, and of a piece of copper nailed to the box at the height of a half caliber. This lantern must have three
499:
In the late 1770s it was said that a 24-pounder could fire 90 to 100 shots a day in Summer, or 60 to 75 in Winter. However, French artillery officers managed to have a cannon fire 150 shots daily during siege. A 16 or 12-pounder would fire a little more, because they were more easily served. The
583:
wound about its end, to serve for scouring the cannon when discharged, before it is to be charged with fresh powder. This cleaning prevents any spark or fire from remaining in the piece, which would endanger the life of the loading crew. Sponges were the most commonly used cannon cleaning
763:
could not be adapted for the operation of artillery, and towers were not good gun emplacements. There was even worry that the largest
Byzantine cannon could cause more damage to their own walls than the Turkish cannon. The changing needs of cannon operation thus led to the development of
759:: Sultan Mehmet II used 68 Hungarian-made cannons, the largest of which was 26 feet long and weighed 20 tons; this fired a 1,200 pound stone cannonball, and required an operating crew of 200 men, as well as 70 oxen and 10,000 men just to transport them. For the defenders, the
881:, printed London 1652 by W. Wilson and sold by George Hurlock (Thames Street). In the 17th century, large wheels were typical of field guns, as opposed to the lighter carriages used for fortress and naval cannon. At coastal fortifications, furnaces would be used for heating
752:, for example, they had to build barricades "in order to receive… the stones of the bombards." Timber wedges were used to control the barrel's elevation. The majority of medieval cannon were breechloaders, although there was still no effort to standardise calibres.
458:
456:
453:
457:
720:
sections together. There were still the logistical problems both of transporting and of operating the cannon, and as many three dozen horses and oxen may have been required to move some of the great guns of the period. Each had its crew of gunner,
617:
is a round piece of wood, commonly called a box, which serves to drive home the powder and ball to the breech. It is fastened to a stick twelve feet long, for the pieces from twelve to thirty-three pounders, and ten for the eight and four
455:
521:
479:
and keep ready to fire the cannon at the officer's command. Three soldiers stood on each side of the cannon, to ram and sponge the cannon, and hold the ladle. The second soldier on the left was charged with providing 50
422:
As the "giant gun" trend disappeared in Europe, in favour of lighter, more manoeuvrable pieces in larger numbers, cannon operating crews became smaller, heralding the early use of true field artillery. While the medieval
912:
at the end of the 18th century also resulted in guns that were easier to handle and required less than half the gunpowder of long guns, allowing fewer men to crew them than long guns mounted on naval garrison carriages.
475:. Each cannon would be manned by two gunners, six soldiers, and four officers of the artillery. The right gunner was to prime the piece and load it with powder, while the left gunner would fetch the powder from the
876:
A description of the Gunner's techniques is given during the
English Civil War period (mid-17th century) by John Roberts, covering the modes of calculation and the ordnance pieces themselves, in his work
865:
writer observed that "small pieces of cannon… do more damage than heavy artillery. The best remedy against the latter is making a resolute attack upon it as soon as possible…" As was the case at
639:
are pieces of wood with a notch on the side to put the fingers on, to draw them back or push them forward, when the gunner points his pieces. They are placed on the sole of the carriage.
928:
was the "spongeman" who cleaned the bore with the sponge dampened with water between shots; the intention being to quench any remaining embers before a fresh charge was introduced. The
454:
744:
Once on site, they would be fired at ground level behind a hinged timber shutter, to provide some protection to the artillery crew. When the
Ottoman Turks used stationary "
391:
required specialised crew and gunners, who were first enlisted by the
Spanish in the 14th century. The nature of cannon operation often depended on the size of the
873:
could fire twice or even thrice as many. Guns also had to be moved back into position after recoil, and the speed of this would reflect the gunners' experience.
897:
which fired a 32-pound solid shot. A full cannon fired a 42-pound shot, but these were discontinued by the 18th century as they were seen as too unwieldy.
591:
is two points of iron in the shape of a corkscrew, to extract the wad out of the piece. Used when the cannon has to be unloaded or dirt must be removed.
632:
is a pointed iron rod, used to clear the touch hole of the pieces of powder or dirt. Also used to pierce the cartridge, that it may sooner take fire.
625:
is used to hold a winding of match with which to fire the cannon. May be a stick two or three feet long with a split to hold one end of the match.
673:
In Spain, the specialised nature of cannon operation was first recognised, and the
Spanish kings at the initial stages enlisted the help of
427:
had required 200 men just to operate it, an 18th-century
English cannon required only a dozen men, including two gunners, while during the
814:", adapted for naval use by the English in the late 16th century, was of relatively long barrel and light construction, and fired solid
1122:
504:
mentions "some occasions where 200 shots have been fired from these pieces in the space of nine hours, and 138 in the space of five."
71:
66:
51:
56:
729:" were assigned to level to path ahead. Even then, the gunpowder mixture used was unstable and could easily separate out into
1385:
1333:
1225:
835:(91 after an upgrade in the 1530s), and was one of the first ships to have the theoretic ability to fire a full cannon
643:
Leaden plates are used to cover the touch-hole, when the piece is charged, to keep dirt from entering the touch-hole.
61:
669:
produce this artificial lightning and thunder it is necessary to take saltpeter, sulfur, and Luru Vopo Vir Can Utriet.
1359:
1293:
375:
940:("ventsman") pressed his thumb on the vent hole to prevent a draught that might fan a flame. The charge loaded, the
603:
calibers and a half in length, and two calibers in breadth, being rounded on the end to load the ordinary pieces.
1147:
819:
810:
as early as 1260, cannon saw their first real naval use in large numbers during the
Renaissance. The French "
1404:
1343:
1176:
920:, a British gun team consisted of 5 numbered gunners - fewer crew than needed in the previous century. The
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of the late 14th century became mobile, while the largest cannon (such as the heavy siege cannon of the
513:
96:
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192:
681:"The first artillery-masters on the Peninsula probably were Moors in Christian service. The king of
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in 1513, the
Scottish siege artillery could only fire one round a minute, while the English
442:: Large amounts of gunpowder often affected visibility, and gunners hoped for a strong wind.
1120:
King's Mirror, Chapter XXXVII: The duties, activities and amusements of the Royal
Guardsmen
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8:
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pricked the bagged charge through the vent hole and filled the vent with powder. At the
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Several instruments are used to service a medieval style cannon, as noted in the 1771
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then used a rammer, or the sponge reversed, to drive it in. At the same time, the
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must contain a pound of powder at least, and is used to prime the pieces.
307:
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932:, the loader, inserted the bag of powder and then the projectile. The
689:. The Morisques of Tudela at that time had fame for their capacity in
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While "coal and sulfur" had been recognised as the best weapon for
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664:" described a gunpowder recipe and recognised its military use:
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was the gun commander, and a sergeant, who aimed the gun. The
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1241:
French, William H.; Barry, William F.; Hunt, H.J. (1864).
818:
projectiles at long ranges along a flat trajectory. The
1374:
Flodden 1513: Scotland's greatest defeat (Campaign 168)
462:
Firing of a field gun of the early 17th century with a
1311:
Redcoat
British Soldier in the age of Horse and Musket
993:
Redcoat British Soldier in the age of Horse and Musket
960:
replaced slow match ignition by the mid-19th century.
900:
755:
Larger cannon were used in greater numbers during the
1348:
The Walls of Constantinople AD 324–1453 (Fortress 25)
419:) required huge crews to transport and operate them.
885:
to be used against ships. The lower tier of English
789:
798:The parts of a cannon, described in John Roberts,
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1092:
1090:
1088:
507:
1240:
1272:This article incorporates text from the 1771
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1207:
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904:Firing of an 18-pounder aboard a French ship.
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575:is a long staff or rammer with a piece of
469:Cannon operation is described by the 1771
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687:maestro de las guarniciones de artilleria
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889:at this time were usually equipped with
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1247:. New York: D. Van Nostrand. p.
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685:had a Moor in his service in 1367 as
558:
1138:
1109:Military and War Weapons: the Cannon
550:or other ignition device is inserted
1288:. Oxford: Osprey, 2006 (paperback,
1286:The Vauban fortifications of France
72:Siege artillery in the US Civil War
67:Field artillery in the US Civil War
13:
1322:Crécy 1346: Triumph of the longbow
1058:Crécy 1346: Triumph of the longbow
1045:Crécy 1346: Triumph of the longbow
782:in England, using specially built
708:Certainly cannon were used at the
125:Cannons of Maritime Southeast Asia
62:Naval artillery in the Age of Sail
31:
14:
1416:
790:Renaissance to early 19th century
1284:Griffith, Paddy; Dennis, Peter.
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520:
1244:Instruction for Field Artillery
1234:
1223:The Historical Maritime Society
1216:
1165:
1113:
952:would fire the piece with his
842:Its Scottish counterpart, the
1:
1259:
725:and drivers, and a group of "
527:Essential parts of a cannon:
508:Projectiles fired from cannon
52:Artillery in the Song dynasty
750:1422 Siege of Constantinople
57:Artillery in the Middle Ages
7:
446:
10:
1421:
786:to their greatest effect.
691:reparaciones de artilleria
646:
514:List of cannon projectiles
511:
491:Firing of a 6-pound cannon
97:List of cannon projectiles
193:Breech-loading swivel gun
1304:Arms and Armour in Spain
963:
704:- a 15th-century cannon.
431:five gunners were used.
328:Self-propelled artillery
1274:Encyclopædia Britannica
1145:Mary Rose Official Site
1031:Encyclopædia Britannica
879:The Compleat Cannoniere
800:The Compleat Cannoniere
761:Walls of Constantinople
565:Encyclopædia Britannica
546:(or vent) in which the
502:Encyclopædia Britannica
472:Encyclopædia Britannica
278:Large-calibre artillery
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757:Fall of Constantinople
716:, rather than banding
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652:Pre-Renaissance cannon
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443:
438:Cannon in a Civil War
395:and whether they were
228:Double-barreled cannon
36:
1228:May 16, 2008, at the
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831:was equipped with 78
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1300:Hoffmeyer, Ada Bruhn
908:The introduction of
535:or cannonball (shot)
273:Infantry support gun
1405:Artillery operation
1213:See Griffith, p. 43
1172:Niccolò Machiavelli
863:Italian Renaissance
853:Niccolò Machiavelli
19:Part of a series on
1276:, which is in the
1150:2008-07-24 at the
1125:2016-10-07 at the
979:Hoffmeyer, p. 217.
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804:
741:during transport.
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559:Cannon instruments
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37:
1387:978-1-84176-959-2
1378:Osprey Publishing
1352:Osprey Publishing
1344:Turnbull, Stephen
1335:978-1-85532-966-9
1326:Osprey Publishing
1309:Holmes, Richard.
887:ships of the line
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1177:The Art of War
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1185:
1175:
1167:
1158:
1140:
1130:
1115:
1104:
1097:
1057:
1052:
1044:
1039:
1030:
992:
949:
945:
941:
937:
933:
929:
925:
921:
915:
907:
883:red-hot shot
878:
875:
856:
850:
843:
841:
826:
805:
799:
780:Device Forts
765:
754:
743:
707:
690:
686:
672:
667:
661:
655:
642:
636:
630:priming iron
629:
622:
614:
607:
599:
595:
588:
584:instruments.
572:
562:
501:
498:
494:
470:
468:
440:re-enactment
421:
388:
387:
333:Siege cannon
293:Mountain gun
243:Gun-howitzer
84:
1129:, from the
1029:"Gunnery".
916:During the
891:demi-cannon
658:Roger Bacon
308:Railway gun
258:Hand mortar
253:Hand cannon
218:Demi-cannon
1260:References
1096:Turnbull,
954:slow match
910:carronades
871:field guns
816:round shot
662:Opus Maior
544:touch hole
533:projectile
343:Swivel gun
338:Smoothbore
318:Rifled gun
248:Gun-mortar
178:Autocannon
114:By country
1056:Nicolle,
1043:Asquith,
895:naval gun
837:broadside
828:Mary Rose
748:" at the
735:saltpetre
723:matrosses
677:experts:
656:In 1248,
618:pounders.
589:wad-screw
579:sheep or
539:gunpowder
238:Field gun
198:Carronade
173:Artillery
85:Operation
1399:Category
1372:(2006).
1346:(2004).
1320:(2000).
1226:Archived
1148:Archived
1123:Archived
991:Holmes,
812:culverin
774:and the
739:charcoal
727:pioneers
702:Mons Meg
623:botefeux
581:lambskin
477:magazine
464:linstock
447:Overview
348:Tank gun
268:Howitzer
233:Falconet
213:Culverin
183:Basilisk
867:Flodden
823:carrack
746:falcons
683:Navarre
675:Moorish
647:History
596:lantern
411:or the
303:Railgun
208:Coilgun
188:Bombard
162:By type
45:History
25:Cannons
1384:
1358:
1332:
1292:
1270:
1180:, p.97
1060:, p 21
1047:, p 89
861:, the
776:Tudors
731:sulfur
714:bronze
615:rammer
608:primer
577:fleece
573:sponge
482:rounds
393:cannon
288:Mortar
283:Minion
964:Notes
946:No.1'
820:Tudor
772:Italy
600:ladle
417:India
323:Saker
1382:ISBN
1356:ISBN
1330:ISBN
1302:de.
1290:ISBN
950:No.5
942:No.4
938:No.4
934:No.2
930:No.3
926:No.2
922:No.1
893:— a
833:guns
825:the
737:and
718:iron
660:'s "
635:The
621:The
606:The
594:The
571:The
548:fuse
531:the
855:'s
851:In
770:of
598:or
567:.
415:of
399:or
1401::
1380:.
1376:.
1354:.
1350:.
1328:.
1324:.
1296:).
1206:^
1194:^
1174:,
1087:^
1065:^
999:^
984:^
972:^
956:.
839:.
778:'
733:,
693:."
628:A
613:A
587:A
484:.
403:.
1390:.
1364:.
1338:.
1313:.
1306:.
1281:.
1251:.
1249:5
1135:.
377:e
370:t
363:v
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
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