We're the Military and Airpower Guys of Jonah Goldberg of National Review Online + a stray we found wandering around looking lost. All original material JHD, BHD, JR, WT, and KA 2003-2010 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html Sat, 24 Mar 2012 16:02:12 Z Movable Type 4.12 en Copyright 2012 http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification JTG - here's a picture of a Rodman without capsquares... in service! You can see that they just sat in the carriage. For you normals, a 'capsquare' is a a piece of metal that clamps over the trunnion of a cannon to keep it in place in the cradle. A trunnion is the projection on the side of the cannon that rests in cut-outs in the cradle, and the cradle, or carriage as appropriate, is the what the cannon mounts to... oh never mind! Here's a picture of a cannon with a capsquare! In this case, a Dahlgren in a... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html Wed, 18 May 2005 09:07:43 -0600 It recoils *up* the inclined ramp, coming to rest at the top, being held there be friction plates until they are loosened and the gun run back into battery. The upper mount of the gun slides along the fixed portion. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-25027 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-25027 Thu, 19 May 2005 05:34:46 -0600 How can recoil bring it back from the parapet when it has a pivot set down in the concrete that the gun rotates around ? http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-25024 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-25024 Thu, 19 May 2005 01:20:01 -0600 JTG, I think you should lay off the caffinated carrot juice... Man, are you revve'd much!? And Lincoln was NOT a crank. He was Da' Man for his times! Finest of the fine, at least when it came to expressing the core root values of this nation, better even than Jefferson in some ways, but not quite up to John Adams, who was by the by, the first U.S. Ambassador to England after the war. Can you imagine what kind of crankonjes it took to look the former king in the eye and speak as a near equal?! But I digress. I'll bet they had cool hats too!! And maybe a cannon or three. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-25020 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-25020 Wed, 18 May 2005 23:02:15 -0600 Nope, not really. You let recoil bring the gun back from the parapet, load it, then run it forward. Fire it, the recoil runs it up the inclined slope - the gun bunnys leap into action, and reload it, and fire away! http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-25018 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-25018 Wed, 18 May 2005 21:12:57 -0600 This is a muzzle loader? that seems kind of insane. I mean, you'd have to turn this thing around, ram a charge down the muzzle and then get it turned back to position and try to aim it. by the time you did all that, the enemy would be on you. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-25017 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-25017 Wed, 18 May 2005 21:03:30 -0600 You guys should feel happy about my current powerless state of being. Manufacturors and dealers in leaf blowers, to name one nasty product, should shudder, and update their wills, if enough people were to be so foolish as to elect me Evil Overlord Dictator for Eternity! Whew! better go eat some solid food! later. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-25010 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-25010 Wed, 18 May 2005 18:45:41 -0600 Mea Culpa, Mea Culpa, Mea Maxima Culpa! [beats brisket] Hey, I used to attend at a weird Anglo-Catholic parish. Anybody wanna hire an asperger? And hey, I do think all the greatest Americans were right effing cranky. I give you Jefferson, and Jackson, and Shreve, and Edison, and Frank Lloyd Wright, and Wilbur and Orville (they were only pretending to be normal; they never got laid, either) and Ford, and Pauling, and Feynmann. Of course there were some evil cranks, too, like Woodrow Wilson and FDR, but we'll not think about people like that at this time, right? Hey, I think Lincoln and Davis were both cranks, which is why and how they managed to get so many people killed! http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-25008 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-25008 Wed, 18 May 2005 18:35:31 -0600 Oh yea JTG - I caught that conversation whilst on my chariot, yesterday post meridian. Like tuning in to that Sick Freak. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-25006 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-25006 Wed, 18 May 2005 17:59:56 -0600 That sez more about you (and my tolerance for cranks) than anything else! 8^p http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-25003 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-25003 Wed, 18 May 2005 17:38:32 -0600 Umm, two things: 1. Where the helk is Marvin? I think I used the word "depression" badly enough, and frequently enough, that I suspect some of you folks are thinking about hurting me, but he still hasn't appeared. 2. If I could suggest that the Captain have the helmsman ease off a bit, now that we have some sea room? I think we could bear up, or head off, a bit, ease the sheets, yaknow. I'm speaking of Mr. Isikoff, and Newsweek, and what *they* did that "caused lots of unnecessary pain and death", to quote a person I know very well. What were they *thinking*!? I was listening to Glen Beck on the Marconi today, and heard him talk with a very serious Roman Catholic guy. Mr. Beck asked the brisket-beater if he would get all upset, if some nasty prison guard flushed the consecrated Host down a toilet. Yup, sure, the guy said. Glen then asked him, if that would have been an effective interrogation technique against him, that is, "Tell me where the plutonium is, or I'll flush the Body and Blood!" Like, "Would that kind of threat make you talk?" The answer was, "Of course not!" The story did not make sense, to start with. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-25000 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-25000 Wed, 18 May 2005 17:04:28 -0600 And besides, IMNSHO the only thing really interesting in that picture is the people... And their hats :-p http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-24999 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-24999 Wed, 18 May 2005 16:57:58 -0600 Well, danged if you dint. I Uh, didn't really realize that, though I did read the post, here, I thought I'd got clever... phoeey. Actually, I just wanted to see if could find other pictures of the thing in action to see how the clamping wheels were used, Not fact checking, just caught up in the heat of identifying anything you toss up there, you know? :-) http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-24997 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-24997 Wed, 18 May 2005 16:44:48 -0600 I *did* mention it was a Rodman... and that the other was a Dahlgren. Geez, the fact-checking that goes on around here, you'd think I worked for CBS or Newsweak! I edited the pic (same pic different source) to highlight the non-existent capsquares. I was unaware the thread was going to be about hats... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-24996 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-24996 Wed, 18 May 2005 16:40:06 -0600 http://fredericksburg.com/CivilWar/NAphotos/battery/353.htm Different cannon www.resnet.wm.edu/~semccl/classcannon.JPG ]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-24995 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-24995 Wed, 18 May 2005 16:37:40 -0600 Sigi - I think the sailor (if that's what he is) is holding one of the bars for just that purpose - though it could also be the prybar for the detent in the back that controlled elevation. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-24994 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-24994 Wed, 18 May 2005 16:30:31 -0600 *PG-17C twitches fitfully in the charger* http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-24991 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-24991 Wed, 18 May 2005 16:27:57 -0600 [smacks self on forehead] Obviously, yes, the handspike, the gunner's all-purpose tool, or "Carolina Socket Set" It's better than a hammer, it has a point, too. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-24990 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-24990 Wed, 18 May 2005 16:27:00 -0600 Justthis: To me, those look like *sockets* into which one would insert a longer handle as needed. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-24987 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-24987 Wed, 18 May 2005 16:09:52 -0600 stuffed in there. Hard. And here we are, nearly aground again. Yeehaa... Skipper, I got dibs on Maryanne! ]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-24985 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-24985 Wed, 18 May 2005 16:08:22 -0600 Whoops! All that veering put us right near the shoals, so "All hands tack ship! Hard alee! Let go and haul! Mainsail, haul! Keep her full and by on this course!" Now that we've escaped grounding, I am looking at the little levers, or handles, on what look like the friction-slider-compressor-tightener-wheel, or whatever it is, and on the axis of that other wheel under the middle of the carriage. They seem too short to be turned easily by hand. Do any of you reckon they were meant to be tightened by being struck with a hammer? http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-24984 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-24984 Wed, 18 May 2005 16:03:52 -0600 Some cannon-inspired original poetry ------------------ Ram it, cram it, stick it in the rear Stuff some more, have no fear Poke it, prod it, make it really tight Add the balls and get the light Push and shove and yank and pull Ensure that baby's really full Aim to please and hold on tight 'Cause boy that load is hot tonight! ------------------ :-D http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-24982 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-24982 Wed, 18 May 2005 15:58:49 -0600 It's also called the "vent", both in cannons and critters. They don't seem to know where it is, either. Hope they were more clueful when it came to girls. Owhell, "Once more unto the breech, dear friends!" - Gaetan Dugas. N.B. I'm still mad at him for doing his damnedest to *spread* the infection! Some people's twisted attitudes have caused lots of unnecessary pain and death, in all fields of endeavor or amusement! (thinks) Hmm, there may be some good things about getting laid only once per 10 years, or so. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-24981 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-24981 Wed, 18 May 2005 15:47:47 -0600 Well, I'll leave aside that this is a muzzle-loader... going too far down that path *will* wake up the PG-17. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-24978 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-24978 Wed, 18 May 2005 15:40:13 -0600 PS..is it me or doesn't it look like the navy guys are ramming something into the breech? http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-24977 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-24977 Wed, 18 May 2005 15:35:47 -0600 LOL...mounting the cannon from the rear, where breechloading is most effective... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-24976 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-24976 Wed, 18 May 2005 15:34:47 -0600 Ya know, Kat, you may have a point there. I'm beminded of a video I saw once which had a male and female paleontologist demonstrate their idea of dinosaur sex with each other. Someone shoulda shown that guy humping the breech (Ewww!) in the photo, where the touchhole was. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-24969 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-24969 Wed, 18 May 2005 15:01:46 -0600 Wow....that is a big gun. That one guy looks like he has gun envy. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-24966 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-24966 Wed, 18 May 2005 14:48:11 -0600 Somebody should tell Marvin that the Coast Arty used depression for rangefinding. Hook up the diode pain resolver to the sight current generator, and Bob's yer uncle! http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-24962 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-24962 Wed, 18 May 2005 14:22:14 -0600 Which reminds me; when did evverbody start making the trunnion axis intersect with the axis of the bore? Did the powder get better about then, and guns start jumping out of carriages? http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-24961 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-24961 Wed, 18 May 2005 14:16:26 -0600 Yes, I imagine that fighting a naval battle can cause you to do depressing things with guns. - - - - - - - - - - Yah, I know it's the motion of the ship. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-24960 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-24960 Wed, 18 May 2005 14:09:19 -0600 Two of 'em look like civlians, one looks like a sailor, and two look Army (they behind the gun with the top hat looking thingy and the guy right behind the gun). http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-24944 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-24944 Wed, 18 May 2005 10:35:35 -0600 Ya' gotta love that everyone is wearing a different hat. Except for the guy who looks like he's pushing it, or leaning into the wind (Avast! Thaaaar she blows...), this looks like a "gold-spike" ceremony, eveeryone who helped design, build, install the things gets a chance to load and fire the first round.... The guy on the ground is the designer or manufacturer, perhaps, who's about to learn that standing near the front of the gun is not a good thing for the ears. Either that, or he's already deaf. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-24939 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-24939 Wed, 18 May 2005 10:18:23 -0600 Cool! Thanks for the education. :) http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-24931 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2005/05/cannoneer_zen.html#comment-24931 Wed, 18 May 2005 09:22:32 -0600