US Army 32-Pounder Seacoast Guns, Pattern 1845, in St. Augustine

Oct 1

US Army 32-Pounder Seacoast Gun, Pattern 1845, Number 27 at Plaza de la Constitución in Saint Augustine, Florida

Two US Army 32-Pounder Seacoast Guns, Pattern 1845, are displayed in Plaza de la Constitución in Saint Augustine, Florida. These cannon was cast at Tredegar in Richmond in 1846. They are registry numbers Number 5 on and 27 on their muzzles. Both of these cannons have been rifled. As manufactured they weighed 7, 215 pounds and 7,256 pounds.

A bronze plaque with both cannons state that they came from Fort Marion in 1900. ("Fort Marion" is what the United States called the Castillo de San Marcos in the 19th Century and much of the 20th Century.)

I would presume that the cannon was rifled in Confederate service, though I am not certain of this. And the cannons have not been given a wrought iron reinforcing band like many conversions. It is interesting to note that total production of this type of 32-Pounder was 180 cannons. Fully half were produced by Tredegar, whereas Fort Pitt, West Point, and Cyrus Alger each produced 30 examples. Of the known survivors, seventeen are Tredegar-made, only one is a West Point manufactured example, and there is one unknown.

There is a third example of this type in St. Augustine. I missed it on my visit to the city, but I believe the cannon may be found in the small park behind the Governor’s House Cultural Center and Museum.

Finally, there is what may be a fourth example at Castillo de San Marcos, though its pattern is uncertain. It is corroded and missing its left trunnion. It was found in the waters off Naval Station Mayport, Jacksonville, FL.