There are a great many old bronze guns at the Naval Academy; eight of these are heavy 24-pounders, and six of these eight have French inscriptions, and are of French manufacture; the other two 24-pounders have Spanish inscriptions; this paper discusses only the six 24-pounders of French origin, the history of the many other bronze guns being fairly well known.
It has always been said that all of these heavy bronze guns were captured by our warships during the Mexican war; recently all of the trophy guns at the Naval Academy were catalogued, and it proved a great surprise to the cataloguer and to most officers at the Naval Academy that six of these guns were undoubtedly of French origin. A futile attempt was made to trace the history of these guns; the records of the superintendent's office were carefully examined, the archives of the Navy Department were searched, the library of the latter was explored, and also the library at Annapolis; nothing whatever was found that showed how these guns came to the Naval Academy.
A great many of the lighter bronze guns are inscribed, "Taken by the Navy in California in 1847." But none of these heavy 24-pounders are so marked, nor are all of the smaller pieces. The history of these guns then became interesting; it seemed strange that French guns should have been captured in Mexico during the Mexican War.
All of these French guns bear the motto," Ultima Ratio Regum"; in Belton's "Literary Manual of Foreign Quotations" the following is found, under the quotation" Ultima Ratio":
"The words Ultima Ratio Regum were frequently engraved' on the cannon of the old French monarchy, and they may be seen on the pieces of artillery presented to the colonies by Louis XVI. Some of these are now in the yard of the Naval Academy at Annapolis, and two of them are in front of the War Department Building in Washington."
This seemed a reasonable clue, and hundreds of volumes that bore upon the relation between France and the United States during our Revolutionary War, were searched, and the official correspondence was read, and not one item was found that could be considered as directly bearing upon these guns.
References were found to the effect that La Fayette had brought over arms and ammunition, that the French Government sent over the same, and that Virginia, in her own name, bought military stores and heavy artillery in France in 1778, and thereabouts.
In General Winfield Scott's official report, after the capture of Vera Cruz, he states that he was going to send to the United States eleven or twelve very fine bronze guns taken from the castle of San Juan de Ulloa. In his "Recollections of a Naval Officer, "W. H. Parker, in describing the capture of this castle, at which he participated, speaks of sending some of the beautiful bronze guns taken from the castle to the United States, and says that some of these were sent to the Naval Academy. In Professor Soley's History of the Naval Academy is an item to the effect that there are eight long brass guns at the Naval Academy, "originally French," taken by our naval ships from the Castle of San Juan de Ulloa, Vera Cruz, in 1847.
In reality, only six of these eight long bronze guns were "originally French"; two of them have Spanish inscriptions, and were cast, according to these inscriptions, in Seville, in 1732, and 1747, respectively.
Enough has been said to show that the history of these six bronze 24-pounder French guns is, for the present at least, shrouded in mystery.
In my efforts to ascertain some knowledge concerning the origin of these guns I was brought into correspondence with General T. T. Munford, formerly of the Confederate States army, now of Lynchburg, Va.; to my surprise I learned from him that the exact counterpart of our Naval Academy French guns were to be found on the grounds of the Virginia Military, at Lexington, Va., and had been in Virginia since Revolutionary days. General Munford sent me photographs of the Virginia guns, which differ in no respects whatever from our Naval Academy guns, and it is difficult to conceive that they should have had a different history in arriving in this country; gradually the knowledge of other French bronze guns came to hand. At present the existence of twelve of these large 24-pounders is known to the writer; two are at Lexington, two at West Point, two in Washington, and six are at Annapolis; these are nearly 12 feet long and average 5500 pounds in weight; it has also been learned that there are many smaller French bronze guns at different places; some are at West Point, over 50 are at the army arsenal at Watervliet, New York, and there are many in other arsenals. Almost every Congress presents a bronze gun or two from one of its arsenals to some city upon request. And much correspondence on my part has not developed anything beyond speculation as to the origin of any.
An attempt will be made to describe these Virginia, and also the Annapolis 24-pounders.
A drawing and a number of photographs accompany this paper, which will give some idea of the beautiful ornamentation of these guns.
The first is from a drawing made by Mr. Conrad F. Dykeman, of the class of '06, Virginia Military Institute, for General Munford, ofoneofthetworemainingLexington24-pounders. The second is from a photograph of the same gun. The same beautiful carvings are found on the exterior of all of these 24-pounders, wherever they may be; these inscriptions and carvings are specimens of the most exquisite workmanship; each gun has its own name, and the name of some member of the Bourbon family of France; the mottoes," Ultima Ratio Regum,"and" Nec Pluribus Impar"; each gun has ornate scroll work, carvings of a woman's head, Bourbon coats of arms, crowns, fleur-de-lis, drums, cannons, flags, shields, etc.; each gun has its date and place of manufacture. The dates run between 1678 and 1756; there are slight differences between the carvings of the breech according to the date of the gun.
The drawing and first photograph is of the Lexington gun, which bears the name "L'Envie." It was cast in Duaci in 1693. The second Lexington gun is a counterpart of "L'Envie." It was cast in Duaci in 1678. Institute, at illustration No. III is of the oldest of the Annapolis guns. The name of this gun is "Le Mordicant." It was cast in Duaci in 1685. The first three illustrations are correct for any one of these three guns, for either of those at Lexington, or for the oldest of the Annapolis guns.
There are five other Annapolis guns, as follows: "Le Grandeur," 1756; "Le Fier," 1755; "Le Robuste," 1755; "Mars," 1755; "Le Gaillard," 1748. There are slight differences between the first three older guns, and the last five; the three older guns have the inscription, "Le Mareschal Ducde Humieres." In the place of this on the guns of more recent date is found "Louis Charles de Bourbon, Comted'Eu, Duc D'Aumale." On the rim of the breech of the older guns are the words," Kelleri Tiguri Helvitii," which are not found on the five newer guns at Annapolis.
Illustration No. IV is of "Mars," 1755.
Illustration No. V is of "Le Fier," 1755.
Illustration No. VI is of the breech of one of the five newer guns.
Illustration No. VII is of one of the two 24-pounder guns in front of the War Department Building, at Washington.
Illustration No. VIII is of a Spanish 24-pounder, which was probably taken from the Castle of San Juan de Ulloa. Illustration No. IX is of a number of Spanish 12- and 18-pounders, taken by the navy in California in 1847.
The greatest difference between the three older and five newer guns is in the breech. In the older guns it is a wreath of leaves; in the newer guns the breech is carved into semblance of a horrible face belching forth the cascabel.
Of the Annapolis guns I have been able to find no record whatever of their history; Belton says they were presented to the American colonies by Louis XVI. Soley says they were captured at Vera Cruz. W. H. Parker says that at Annapolis are to be seen guns captured at Vera Cruz. General Scott reported ending home from Vera Cruz 11 or 12 bronze guns. Their history is open to speculation.
But with the Virginia guns there is a complete record since the ending of the Revolutionary War. Facts relating to the mare found in different places in the Virginia state papers, and I am indebted to General Munford for furnishing me with these facts, and for copies of different items.
It is evident from the transactions recorded in the Virginia state papers that in the early days of this republic Virginia acted as a sovereign state; amongst other things, on March 18, 1778, she commissioned a Frenchman, Colonel Le Marie, to go to France and purchase military stores and arms, not for the colonies, but for Virginia; it is recorded that he returned to Virginia with military stores and heavy artillery; but more detailed knowledge of what this artillery was is not recorded.
The following is from the Virginia State Papers. (From Col. William Davies to the governor of Virginia.)
WAR OFFICE, March 31, 1781.
Sir: Captain Young, the quartermaster-general of the state, who has just arrived, informs me that he saw at Edenton about 30 exceeding fine cannon of 18's and 24's. He asked the naval officer whose they were, who informed him they were the property of the state of Virginia, thrown out of a French vessel, who carried the remainder of them to South Quay. As I have no return of anything of the kind I would be glad to be informed whether your excellency has any account of such cannon…
(Endorsed by the Governor), March 31.
The cannon at Edenton are not the property of this state but of No. Carolina, which purchased a part of the same cargo, of which the residue was purchased by us.
(Signed) TH. JEFFERSON.
In 1781 La Fayette was operating in Virginia against Corn- wall is. In retreat towards Richmond his rearguard was over- taken by Tarleton at Hanover Court House; in his report of this action to Sir Henry Clinton, Tarleton says: "Near Hanover Court House we found ten French bronze cannon,24-pounders, too heavy to move or to destroy, except to spike, and to throw five or six into the Pamunkey River." Here is another letter from Col. Davies to the governor of Virginia, dated Feb. 25, 1782.
The cannon in the Pamunkey River were those I had brought up from York and Cumberland, and were taken by the enemy at Taylor's Ferry
(Hanover Court House), and thrown into the river.
In May, 1793, a bill was rendered against the State of Virginia by Thomas Newton, Jr., for hauling large cannon out of the Pamunkey River. In the same year it is recorded that John Taylor paid the State of Virginia 78£ 12. for one of the cannon lying at Taylor's Ferry. In these Virginia State Papers are many indefinite casual references to bronze guns, lying in different places in Virginia; at one place there is an item that states that many of these guns were taken to Portsmouth, Va., to arm different U. S. frigates.
On January 5, 1862, John Newell was paid by the Commonwealth of Virginia 78£ 12. for hauling nine cannon from Taylor's Ferry to Richmond. These nine, with the one sold to John Taylor, account for the ten guns spiked by Tarleton.
In 1868 Virginia exchanged three of these nine guns with the United States government for smaller field pieces, and during the Civil War four of the remaining six were cast into lighter guns, which became famous before the close of that war as the Letcher Battery. Lieutenant Charles Ellis Munford, a brother of General Munford, was killed at Malvern Hill while in command of these guns.
In a letter dated at Richmond, June 8, 1864, from John Clark, Superintendent of the Public Armory, he speaks of guns "lying about the country in the same neglected state as they were left at the end of the revolution, some buried in the earth and others in the rivers." This is good evidence that even after the nine guns had been hauled to Richmond, in 1862, there were still many other guns in Virginia, not now accounted for.
In 1816 a sloop commanded by a Captain Chase recovered from the York river a French bronze cannon, named" La Divertissant," cast in 1686. The governor of Virginia claimed this as property of the State; Captain Chase refused to give it up, and the governor brought suit to get possession of it. This was tried before Chancellor Taylor, in January, 1817,who decided against the governor, ruling that it was "not proved to the satisfaction of the court that the said cannon was ever the property of the Commonwealth of Virginia."
I have given but an incomplete bird's-eye view of the history of the Lexington guns from the records so kindly furnished me by General Munford, but enough to prove that Virginia bought heavy artillery from France, during the Revolutionary War; that there were French bronze guns captured from the Americans by Tarleton, that later nine of these guns, 24-pounders, were hauled to Richmond, and that the two guns now at Lexington were two of the ten guns spiked by Tarleton.
But were these ten guns the" heavy artillery" purchased by Virginia from France during the Revolutionary War?
General Munford believes they were; but I cannot bring myself to his views on this point.
First, it is not conceivable that Virginia should have wanted such heavy guns for her purposes. Such guns could never have been part of the artillery of a moving army. Also, these ten guns were but a small part of the number of French bronze guns known to have been in Virginia at the close of the Revolutionary War; it would seem that if Virginia had bought these guns there could not have been the confusion as to the ownership of them as is evinced by the letter already quoted from Col. Davies, a state military official, to the governor of the state, which letter Was written less than three years after the receipt of the "heavy artillery." Furthermore, in 1817, while Jefferson and many Virginians who had been prominent in Revolutionary days were still living a judge of Virginia decided that there was no evidence to prove that Virginia ever had owned a particular bronze gun, a counterpart to the guns now at Lexington.
And still further, there are many similar guns, in United States arsenals, Annapolis, and elsewhere, so exactly similar that one feels that they must all have had a common history in their arrival in this country.
And when was this arrival?
This can be but a matter of conjecture, but there are several significant facts. One is that it is evident that there were hundreds of these old French bronze guns in this country at the end of the Revolutionary War, and there are a great many still remaining, though I know of but 12 of the larger size, 24-pounders.
Another significant fact is that the most recent date on any of them is 1756.
A most significant fact is that when Stony Point was captured from the British by General Anthony Wayne, in 1779, it was defended by a number of these old French bronze guns. These are now at West Point.
Where did all of these old French guns come from?
I offer the following as my opinion; it was suggested to me by Miss Mary Louise Dodd, of Covington, Kentucky.
During the old French and Indian war, 545 guns were taken from the French frigates captured or burned at Lewisburg, and many hundreds from the fort; likewise thousands in all of French guns were taken at Quebec, Montreal, Crown Point, Frontenac, and other French-Canadian military strongholds; these were captured by the British soldiers and sailors and American colonial troops. At the beginning of the Revolutionary War among the first acts of the American troops was the seizure of arsenals where thousands of cannon were stored; this was the artillery used by our troops; what were these cannon? What became of them?
I believe the old French guns left in Virginia at the close of the Revolutionary War were among those captured from the French in Canada during the last colonial war; attention is again referred to the fact that the most recent date of any of the French guns is 1756, the date of the beginning of that war.
I have to offer my belief concerning the Annapolis guns, as follows:
William H. Parker, in his "Recollections of a Naval Officer," states he was one of the first officers ordered to the Naval Academy when it was founded by George Bancroft, in 1846. He speaks of Fort Severn, then an army post, being transferred to the navy; in commenting upon this fort he says it was defended by a number of bronze 24-pounder guns. In another place he speaks of there being six 32-pounder bronze guns at the fort. I have noticed that these guns, which are really 24-pounders, are frequently spoken of as 32-pounders.
It is my opinion that when Fort Severn was built in 1808, it was armed with six old French 24-pounders, which had originally been captured in the old French and Indian war. That when Fort Severn was given to the Navy Department, the six 24- pounder guns went with the fort, and that these are the six guns we still have with us.
The drawing and photograph of the Lexington guns, and the photograph of the War Department gun were lent to me by General Munford. The photographs of the Annapolis guns were taken by Midshipman Follett Bradley.
TROPHY GUNS AT U.S.NAVAL ACADEMY.
Catalogued by E. L. BEACH, U. S. Navy.
OLD FRENCH GUNS. 24-PDRS. 12 FEET LONG.
1. Le Nlordicant. Inscriptions: Ultima Ratio Regum; Le Nlareschal Duc de Humieres; Nec Pluribus Impar; Kelleri Tiguri Helvetii F. Duacio,
1685.
Beautiful carvings of crowns, shields, lions, dolphins, woman's face with radiating arrows, fleur de lis, flags, drums, cannon, etc. The breech is carved into shape of beautiful wreath of leaves.
2. Le Grandeur. Inscriptions: Ultima Ratio Regum; Nec Pluribus Impar; A Douay, Par J .Berenger, Commissaire des fortsle 12 Juin,1756. Beautiful carvings of crowns, woman's face, fleur de lis, dolphins, drums, shields, cannon, flags, scroll work, etc.
3. Le Fier. Inscriptions: Ultima Ratio Regum; Louis Charles de Bourbon, Comte d'Eu, Duc d'Aumale; Nec Pluribus Impar; A Douay par J. Berenger, Commissaire des forts, 1755.
Beautiful carvings of dolphins, woman's face, crowns, fleur de us, flags, drums, shields, etc. The breech is carved into semblance of a horrible face, belching out the cascabel, or boutin.
4. Le Robuste. 6 Febre, 1755. Inscriptions and carvings same as No. 3. 5. Le Gaillard. 1748. Inscriptions and carvings same as No. 3.
6. Mars. 1755. Inscriptions and carvings same as No. 3.
GUNS CAPTURED BY AMERICAN NAVAL VESSELS FROM THE BRITISH IN WAR OF 1812.
1. 24-pdr. Captured from British flagship Confiance on Lake Champlain, September 11, 1814, by Commodore McDonough, U.S. Navy. This gun is indented by marks of shot on left side, from breech. This is the gun, which, by its recoil, killed Commodore Downie, the British commander.
2. 2.4-pdr. From British ship Confiance, mate to, and captured at same time as No.1.
3. 12-pdr. Taken from the British ship Macedonian after her surrender to the American ship United States, Captain Decatur, commanding, on October 25, 1812.
4. Mateto, and same history as No. 3.
5. Mateto, and same history as No. 3.
6. Mateto, and same history as No. 3.
7. 32-pdr. Carronade. Captured with British ship Cyane by Captain
Stewart, commanding U.S.S. Constitution, War 1812.
8. 32-pdr. Carronade. Mateto, and same history asvNo.7.
9. Treadway 32-pdr. Carronade. Probably used aboard American warship in War of 1812.
MEXICAN WAR GUNS TAKEN BY SHIPS OF THE AMERICAN NAVY FROM THE MEXICANS IN CALIFORNIA IN 1847.
1. Bronze. 12-pdr. Mark on Muzzle, "Taken by the Navy in California in1847. Inscriptions: El Neptune";Violati Fulmina Regis; En Manila alto de 1781; Gouerno estas islas Philips Elm y sdiph Basco y Bargas; Carolus Tercius Hispaniarum et Indiarum Rex.
2. Bronze. With old but clear inscriptions of names, crowns, coats of arms, año 1673. About 12-pdr.
3. Similar to No.2. Near muzzle in heavy letters is the name "Andres Melendez." Name of gun "Jesus," año 1675. About I2-pdr. 4.SimilarinallrespectstoNo.I. CastinManilain1781. Name "El
Faetonte." SamecarvingsandinscriptionsasNo.1. 5.8-pdr. Bronze. "El Dromedario" 1766.
6. 12-pdr. Bronze. "San Telesforo" 1793.
7. Old Spanish gun, with beautiful castings and carvings. Inscriptions deep lettered. "San Cayetavo""1686." About 18-pdr.
8. Old Spanish gun. Bronze. About 18-pdr. Inscription similar to No. 3. "1686." See illustration No. IX.
9. Old Spanish gun. Bronze. About 18-pdr. Similar to No. 3. "1687." Bronze. 12-pdr. Spanish gun. Beautifully carved with crowns, scroll work, coats of arms, etc. Inscriptions as follows (deep letters):
"Reynnando El SDCN Tercero; Siendo Virrey Governador y Capitan General el Exms D. Manuel de Armat y Jument; Sefondieron en Lima; Anode 1767; For Pablo Tovny Hver.
Bronze. 8-pdr. "El Gaillard." "1756."
MEXICAN WAR GUNS TAKEN BY NAVY FROM CASTLE OF SAN JUAN DE ULLOA, WHICH SURRENDERED MARCH 27, 1847.
1. Small mortar, eprouvette.
2. Bronze, long (12feet), heavy, 32pdr. Spanish gun, with beautiful carvings of coats of arms, scroll work, crowns, etc. Inscriptions: "El Barazeto; Violati Fulmina Regis; Fernandez VI D.G.; Hispaniar Rex; Solano Fecit Sevilla año de 1747.
3. Similar to No. 2. Bronze. Fleur de lis carved on upper side. Inscriptions: El Menaleas; Violati Fulmina Regis; Philip V. Hispaniar Rex; Isabefarne Hisp. Regin; Solano Fecit Sevilla año de 1732. See illustration No. VIII.
4. Bronze. 8-pdr. Cast in Barcelona, 1767.
5. Bronze. Similar to No. 4.
6. Bronze. Similar to No. 4
CAPTURED CONFEDERATE GUNS OF CIVIL WAR.
1. 8-inch Armstrong-Shunt rifle. Captured from the Confederates at Fort Fisher, 1865.
2. 100-lb Brooks rifle. Mounted first on board the Confederate Ram Albemarle, in 1864. Captured from the Confederates at Morris Island, S. C.
3. 80-lb. Whitworth rifle. Captured from the Confederates at Morris Island.
4. 5-inch Blakely rifle. Captured from the Confederates at Fort Fisher, 1865.
5.60-lb. M. L R. Manufactured at Galveston for the Confederate government from the shaft of the U. S. S. Westfield.
6.30-lb. M.L.R. Manufactured at Galveston for the Confederate government from the shaft of the U. S. S. Westfield.
FEDERAL GUNS OF CIVIL WAR.
1. 30-lb. Dahlgreen rifle. Strapped. History unknown.
2. 30-lb. Dahlgreen rifle. History unknown. Said to have been first gun cast in Civil War.
SPANISH WAR THROPY GUNS.
1. R. F. gun from Maria Teresa. Length, 17 feet 6 inches. "Arsenal de Caracas, 1897."
2. 14-cm. R. F. gun from Viscaya. Length, 17 feet 6 inches. Marked "Artilleres de l'Nervion, Bilboa, 1893.
3. 5 ½ -inch smooth bore. Bronze. Length,9 feet 6 inches. From Cay Toro, Guantanino Bay. Sevilla 20 de Junio, 1805.
4. 3 ½ -inch Krupp B. L. R. Steel. From wreck of Spanish cruiser Don Jorge Juan, at Nipe Bay. Action of July 21, 1898.
5. 3 ½ -inch muzzle loading bronze field piece, on carriage. Philippine trophy.
6. 37-mm. Hotchkiss revolver cannon. From Reina Mercedes.
7. 37-mm.H.R.C.(same as No.6), from Reina Mercedes.
8. 2 boat guns, 1-pdr. B. L. R. From the Viscaya. Marked "Arsenal
de la Carraca, 1890 and 1893."
9. 2 boat guns. Make, Schneider. 7-cm. Captured at Sangley Point, near Manila, by Admiral Dewey, May 1, 1898.
10. 2 short 1-pdr. Hotchkiss boat guns. From Reina Mercedes.
11. Mortar. Bronze. Smooth bore, 14 ¾ -inch. From Manila. Marks Cobres de Mexicoy Peru. Sevilla, 1779.
12. Mortar, 12 ¾ -inch, smooth bore. Bronze. From Manila. Marks Cobres Yanges y Mexico. Sevilla, 1784.
13. Mortar, 9 ½ -inch. Bronze. Smooth Bore. From Manila. Marks El Insolente, Barcelona, 1769.
14. 3 ½ -inch rifled muzzle loading field gun. Bronze. Taken from Filipino insurgents at Balbee, P.I., by U.S.S. Manila. Castin Seville, 180l.
15. Barrel Norden felt gun, (11-mm), from one of the vessels destroyed by Admiral Dewey, May 1, 1898.
16. Old Spanish gun, mounted by Filipinos, and fired by them from Old
Cavite, into the U.S. Navy Yard at Cavite, on June 13, 1899. Cast in Barcelona in 1803. Remodeled into a Krupp B. L.
GUNS, MISCELLANEOUS.
1. 12-inch wrought iron gun, called Oregon. Designed by Commodore Stockton, U.S. Navy. The mate of this gun, called "The Peacemaker," was mounted on board the U. S. S. Princeton, and exploded on being fired, killing the secretary of the Navy and a number of other officials.
2. Italian 6-inch rifle, presented to the United States by the Italian government.
3. 2 brass guns, 12-pdr. Made for the army for use in the Mexican War. Cast in 1846.
4. 2 brass signal guns on wooden carriages. From the yacht America.
5. 2 brass signal guns on iron carriages, said to have been from Confederate privateer Shenandoah.
6. Old brass signal gun, Spanish make. Said to have been from an old privateer. History unknown.
7. Corean gun. Cast in 1313. Breech loading.
8. Corean gun. Cast in 1655. Breech loading.
9. Corean gun. Cast in 1680. Breech loading.
The above Corean guns were captured in the action between American sailors and marines under the command of Rear-Admiral John Rodgers, U. S. Navy, and Coreans, in the attack on the Corean forts. They have inscriptions giving their history; these have been translated. For a complete description of these guns see Naval Institute Proceedings, No. 62, Vol. XVIII.
10. The Cortez gun. Bronze. Breech loading. Cast in Spain in 1474. Brought to Mexico by Cortez, and used by him in the conquest of Mexico.
11. International gun. An old 6-pdr. Muzzle loading gun used against the Boxers, from the legations, in Pekin, in 1900. This gun was fitted for use by American marines, and used with telling effect against the Boxers.
12. Four small makeshift Filipino guns, of rude manufacture. One of wood, covered by caraboa hide. Three of iron, covered by wood. Used by Filipinos against Spaniards. Presented to Admiral Dewey by the Archbishop of Manila.
13. Small wooden gun known as "batamka," used by Filipinos, and captured from them by Americans in Island of Samar, Philippine Islands.