Civil War Cannon

The Brass Naval War Cannon is a US Navy-3 inch howitzer mounted on a naval field carriage. This weapon was introduced to service in 1876, and all the weapons of this series were manufactured by the Ordinance Department, Washington Navy Yard. They were the first designed and built breech-loading artillery weapons of the US Navy following the Civil War. Their guns were replaced in the early 1890’s by more modern rifled cannon. This cannon is one of the last produced. The anchor indicated that it was accepted for operational service. The inspector’s initials on the barrel are for two naval officers assigned to the Navy Yard: Commander Theodore F. Jewell and Lieutenant Francis E. Greene. The number 1 marks it as the first one produced during the year.