Cannons

The word “cannon” is derived from the Latin canna, meaning tube, pipe or gun, and dates back to the 13th Century. In the 1400’s, the term described a cylinder made from iron bars soldered together and fortified with iron hoops. By the 18th Century, cannon barrels were cast in one piece and designated by the weight of the shot they fired. The largest weapons at Fort Lee were the 32 pounders, which had an overall length of 10 feet and were able to develop a high muzzle velocity of up to 1,300 feet per second. A gunnery crew of 7 to 12 men loaded the powder charge and compacted it with a rammer, then loaded the projectile, either a solid shot, bar shot for ripping and splintering masts and rigging, or an incendiary shell for setting ship decks afire. The cannoneer sighted the target, aimed the piece through experience and long hours of practice, and ordered the cannon fired.

Fort Lee, New Jersey · United States