Cannon From the Battle of the Alamo

Cannon From the Battle of the Alamo. . Spanish soldiers saved this 18th-century cannon from a shipwreck in Matagorda Bay located off the Texas coast in 1817. It was brought to San Antonio where it was later captured by Texian forces during the Battle of Béxar (1835). The following year, the Texians used the cannon at the Battle of the Alamo. It was found buried near the present day intersection of Houston and Alamo streets. , Cannon Conservation , In 2017, the Alamo Trust and Texas A&M University's Conservation Research Lab began restoring the Alamo cannon. Conservators carefully removed decades of rust and dirt, then applied a tough, non-corrosive coating to protect the cannon from the elements and preserve them for future generations. , 1. Soaking , Cannon sit in a chemical bath for many weeks to remove rust. , 2. Rinsing , Cannon are rinsed with boiling water. , 3. Preserving , Cannon are painted with a protective coating. , Cannon Details , Caliber: 16 pounder , Weight: 2240 lbs , Length: 8' 0.5" , Diameter of Bore: 5.25" , Donor: Lewis Maverick, Making an Authentic Cannon Carriage , In battle, a wooden-wheeled field carriage may have supported this cannon. While this is a replica, it was built by hand to authentic historical specifications detailed in John Muller's 18th-century artillery design manual, A Treatise of Artillery. , Following the Battle of the Alamo, General Santa Anna ordered his men to disable the Alamo's cannon. This was done by removing the trunnions the pivots used to support a cannon on a carriage. To remount the cannon, craftsmen designed a custom-made trunnion collar.