Mike;

That 6 Pdr may be mounted on a "pack" carriage or early "prairie" carriage designed for the 12 pdr Mountain Howitzer. The pack carriage had 38" diameter wheels and the prairie carriage had 42" dia wheels. The wheels in your photo compare favorably with the Confederate howitzers in my post above which have the 42" dia wheels.

The axle and cheek pieces look a little odd to me so maybe this was a locally made carriage cobbled together by an early war militia unit.

Question for you.....did the Rockbridge Artillery paint their carriages red or is that artistic license? I seem to recall a reference to red gun carriages somewhere before.

See you at the APG show

Rick in Virginia
F Troop

Noel. Can't remember. Hell I can't remember last week much lees 3 years ago. ))) These tubes were lucky to escape the great meltdown in 1862. I've heard the story but can't remember it. I'll have to look it up again. Real treasures there.

Rick. Could be a Prairie carraige as the pic is of a Kansas Free State battery early in the war.

The carrigaes were painted red. I can't remember where I verified that. I think it was with Col Gibson at the VMI Museum. I doubt or would hope they wouldn't paint them that color unless it was accurate. Of course you never know.

Thanks Mike for the info on the red carriages. May be a future project

Found some more on your Kansas daguerreotype.

The original was presented to the Kansas State Historical Society in 1878 by a Col Thomas Higginson. Col Higginson noted that it was presented to him by an officer of one of the first Free-State batteries in Kansas at Topeka in Sept 1856. So this is an abolitionist militia unit from the "Bleeding Kansas" period.

The cobbled together theme fits because these guys were using stuff captured and left over from the Mexican war and even moved one of their artillery pieces around in an ox-cart.

Rick

My great great grandfather (seen in my aviatar) Henrich (Henry) Hartmann 9th WI Inf died of disease at Ft Scott KS in Dec 1862 and is buried there. I wonder if he knew any of those guys in the picture.

Remember people were a lot shorter 150 years ago too. I recall red carriages in the blu ray version of Gods and Generals (sucked in its theatrical release and somewhat rescued in the HD version).

Colin

Mike;

Could be...only six years later. That Col. Higginson went on to command the 1st SC Vol Infantry.....the black soldiers with the red trousers in "Glory"

Here's my great grandfather.....Martin Findley, Co.I, 6th Ala Cav. Survived the war and died in 1917...photo in his final years. Had three great uncles in the 29th Ala infantry and one in 4th Ala.



Rick in Virginia

F troop- I contact my friend (the cannon cocker) and he has looked at this posting and he feels that they intentionally or not they made a version of a "Mountain Howitzer" given the size of wagon wheels. This could be broken down into three parts to be packed on mules. Two mules to carry the tube, caisson and wheels and one mule to carry powder and shot, as well as toilet paper, ipods and whatever else cannon cockers need to carry out mission in saving the miserable lives of grunts like myself. He also said the length of barrel is not two much of concern as various sizes could mean various foundries making barrels in those days. Hope this adds to the mystery. It is a good looking sculpt.

Trooper

I know just what you are talking about......



Rick in Virginia

Excellent piece. Reminds me of those old civil war photos.

Fantastic !

Regardless of scale mystery, I really dig this sculpt. I'd paint it.

I must say I'm becoming a big fan of Irbis products.

Colin Semenenko

Thank you friends!