French Weapons in The American Civil War - Field Artillery

Field Artillery

See also: Field artillery in the American Civil War

The "canon obusier de 12", introduced in the French Army in 1853, an early type of "canon obusier", or gun howitzer developed during the reign of Napoleon III, was the primary cannon used in the American Civil War, under the name of "12-pounder Napoleon Model 1857". Over 1,100 such Napoleons were manufactured by the North, and 600 by the South.

The twelve-pound cannon "Napoleon" was the most popular smoothbore cannon used during the war. It was widely admired because of its safety, reliability, and killing power, especially at close range. It did not reach America until 1857. It was the last cast bronze gun used by an American army. 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 cataloged survivors of 133 identified have muzzle swells. Additionally, four iron Confederate Napoleons produced by Tredegar Iron Works in Richmond, Virginia have been identified, of an estimated 125 cast.

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