Also known as: cannon markings.
| Location | Muzzle face, trunnions, and breech of the gun |
|---|---|
| Contents | Foundry, weight, registry number, year, and inspector's initials |
| Use | Identifying and dating a cannon |
Reading a gun's marks
A Civil War cannon commonly carries a set of markings on its muzzle face, trunnions, and breech: the foundry that cast it, its weight, a registry or serial number, the year, and the initials of the inspector who accepted it. Together these tell much of the gun's history.
Comparing a gun's marks against known foundry practices and inspector records is central to identifying and dating surviving cannon.
On this site
Sources & further reading
- CivilWarArtillery.com research archive: manuals, reports, marking references, and collecting notes.