Civil War Cannon

Civil War Cannon. . , 1906 Unveiling , Source: The Bainbridge Post Search Light, April 27, 1906, Thursday, April 26, 1906, the people of Bainbridge and Decatur County, under the leadership of the Daughters of the Confederacy, gathered in Monument Square (now Willis Park) to pay their 38th annual memorial tribute to the Confederate Dead. “The day was an ideal one, a typical representative of the early Southern springtime.”, Thousands of people from Georgia, Florida, and Alabama gathered at Monument Square to witness the Unveiling Ceremonies. Col. John E. Donalson introduced Honorable Benjamin E. Russell, who delivered the unveiling address. Miss Linda Gordon, niece of the late Lieutenant-General John B. Gordon, pulled the string that unveiled the beautiful monument to honor the Confederate heroes, both living and dead. The monument was reared by the love and loyal devotion of the Daughters of the Confederacy to the memory of those who wore the grey. The Confederate soldier's image is chiseled in Parian marble. , Following the unveiling of the Confederate Monument, Col. Donalson introduced Judge W.M. Harrell, “who in a speech of much eloquence, recited the heroism of Judge Charles C. Campbell, who commanded two companies during the war, and who had so nobly illustrated the South on field and forum.” Judge Campbell unveiled the 6-pounder brass cannon which was presented to the Daughters of the Confederacy by the State of Georgia. The cannon was immediately fired, and produced that sound so familiar to the old soldiers surrounding it. Not only was the cannon fired at the unveiling ceremony, but it was fired during July 4 festivities in 1906. Workers were encouraged to thoroughly inspect the cannon before firing again because it was stated, “that the piece was honey-combed inside, which, if so, would make it very dangerous and liable to explode. A word to the wise, etc.” , Cannon Facts

Cast from bronze in 1850 by the N.P. Ames Manufacturing Company, Foundry #17 of Chicopee, Massachusetts, U.S. Government Registry #391 (391 of this exact cannon were made), Model #1841, U.S. Army Ordnance Inspection Officer: JWR - James Wolfe Ripley, Weight: 888 pounds

, Restoration , This cannon was painstakingly and meticulously restored by Carl A. (Bullet) Rykard of Hahira, Georgia in January, 2015. The reproduction carriage was hand-crafted by Mr. Rykard. Several original authentic metal parts were reused in the reproduction. The wheels were made in Pennsylvania and shipped to Bainbridge for use on this carriage. , The Model 1841 6-pounder bronze cannon was one of a “family of weapons” designed by the U.S. Army Ordnance Department in 1841. The effectiveness of the 1841 series was proven in the Mexican War, during which U.S. Ordnance gained an outstanding reputation for maneuverability and reliability. Most 1841 6-pounders were cast in bronze. The piece gradually fell into disfavor at the introduction of the Model 1857 Napoleon because of the bigger bore and hitting power. However, in the western theater the 6-pounder soldiered on until the end of the Civil War. , Inspector , James Wolfe Ripley (December 10, 1794 , March 16, 1870) was a Union soldier in the Civil War. In April 1861, Ripley was promoted to colonel and in August he was again promoted to brigadier general and appointed chief of ordnance of the U.S. army. Ripley inspected the cannon, and it was stamped with his initials, JWR, before being shipped for use by the Union army.