Also known as: 6-pounder gun.
| Type | Bronze smoothbore field gun |
|---|---|
| Bore | 3.67 inches |
| Projectile | About 6 pounds |
| Fate | Superseded by the 12-pounder Napoleon |
The old field standard
The 6-pounder gun was the standard light field piece of the United States service before the war, a bronze smoothbore of 3.67-inch bore firing a 6-pound solid shot, along with shell, spherical case, and canister. Prewar batteries typically paired four 6-pounder guns with two 12-pounder howitzers.
By the Civil War the 6-pounder was giving way to the more powerful 12-pounder Napoleon, and many bronze 6-pounders were melted down and recast. It remained in use longer in the Confederate service, which could less easily replace it.
On this site
Sources & further reading
- United States Army, Ordnance Department. The Ordnance Manual for the Use of the Officers of the United States Army. 2nd ed. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott, 1862.
- Gibbon, John. The Artillerist's Manual. New York: D. Van Nostrand, 1860.