12-Pound Mountain Howitzer

The 12-pound Mountain Howitzer saw more frontier service than any other artillery gun. The lightweight bronze tube mounted on a prairie carriage made it portable and practical for rough terrain. In mountainous country, the mountain howitzer could be disassembled and transported by three mules or horses. One horse or mule carried the tube (cannon), the carriage was carried on another mule, and the ammunition was carried on a third. The mountain howitzer accompanied troops into the field, seeing valuable service against the Apaches, the Nez Perce, and the Modocs of the 1870s.