Naval Academy in Annapolis in Anne Arundel County, Maryland — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
British 24 Pounder
Photographed By Richard E. Miller, May 10, 2008
1. British 24 Pounder Marker
This is a "trophy cannon," taken after the U.S. Navy's pivotal victory at the Battle of Lake Champlain (a.k.a. "The Battle of Plattsburg").
This gun has a dent on the muzzle from an American shot which caused the gun to recoil and kill the British commander, Downie.
Erected by U.S. Navy.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Heroes • War of 1812 • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical date for this entry is September 11, 1740.
Location. 38° 58.966′ N, 76° 28.948′ W. Marker is in Annapolis, Maryland, in Anne Arundel County. It is in Naval Academy. Marker can be reached from Holloway Road. Marker is located on the grounds of the United States Naval Academy. A picture ID is required to enter the Academy grounds. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 101 Wilson Road, Annapolis MD 21402, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. HMS Confiance Cannon (here, next to this marker); Japanese Ambassador Hirosi Saito (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Burning of the Brig "Peggy Stewart" (about 400 feet away); Butler in Annapolis (about 400 feet away); Norman Scott Natatorium (about 500 feet away); Fort Severn and the United States Naval Academy
this page online
More about this marker. The marker's inscriptions are chiseled into the granite mount beneath the cannon which is on the east curb of the parking lot, near the Midshipman's Store, and just west of MacDonough Hall.
Regarding British 24 Pounder. Captain George Downie commanded the British fleet which attacked the American fleet anchored in Lake Champlain in the Battle of Plattsburgh. Downie led inexperienced crews on untested ships into a battle where the winds were not in his favor. Downie's crew, many of them from provincial units, faced American forces with more preparation time and more favorable positioning.
Fifteen minutes into the battle, Captain Downie was sighting a gun when the muzzle was struck with a shot from Saratoga. The force of the blow was so extreme that it ripped the 2,000-pound barrel out of the carriage, flipped it up on end and crushed Downie to the deck, killing him.
After several of the other officers had also been killed or
Photographed By Richard E. Miller, May 10, 2008
2. Close-up of the gun's muzzle.
Note the "dent" (upper left) caused by American shot.
Just over two and one half hours after the first gun had been fired, not one of the larger vessels had a mast that would bear a sail, and those vessels captured from the British were barely afloat.
Also see . . . Battle of Plattsburg. (Submitted on May 17, 2008, by Richard E. Miller of Oxon Hill, Maryland.)
Additional keywords. Royal Navy; New York.
Photographed By Allen C. Browne, December 31, 2014
3. Commodore Thomas MacDonough
Detail of 1815/18 portrait by Gilbert Stuart in the National Gallery of Art Washington, DC.
Credits. This page was last revised on September 21, 2023. It was originally submitted on May 17, 2008, by Richard E. Miller of Oxon Hill, Maryland. This page has been viewed 2,549 times since then and 25 times this year. Last updated on May 19, 2008, by Richard E. Miller of Oxon Hill, Maryland. Photos: 1. submitted on May 17, 2008, by Richard E. Miller of Oxon Hill, Maryland. 2. submitted on May 19, 2008, by Richard E. Miller of Oxon Hill, Maryland. 3. submitted on January 24, 2015, by Allen C. Browne of Silver Spring, Maryland. • Kevin W. was the editor who published this page.
