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Cannons
of the Spanish Empire, 1628-1846

Click on thumbnails for
larger images.
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Cast in 1679 by Cubas Me Fecit in Lima, Peru, this 8 pound cannon
was given the name San Francisco and bears the coat of
arms of Don Baltasar de la Cueva Henriquez y Saaverdra, 24th Viceroy
of Peru. In a 1837 report, the San Francisco was located
at the Castillo de San Joaquin, and guarded the entrance
to the San Francisco Bay. This cannon was subsequently moved to
Sonoma, at the request of the Mexican Governor of Alta California.
On July 20, 1846, Capt. Montgomery, commanding the USS Portsmouth,
sent a military detachment to retrieve the cannon, and return
it to San Francisco.
This cannon is currently located near the flag pole at the main
post.
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The cannon San Domingo was cast in 1628, and bears the
coat of arms of Don Diego Fernandez de Cordoba, 17th Viceroy of
Peru. This cannon was cast in Lima, Peru, after enough copper
was obtained from Chile.
The San Domingo was one of the cannons that was successfully
re-vented, after being spiked during the Bear Flag Revolt.
The cannon is currently located outside of Building 2, at the
Presidio Army Museum.
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The San Pedro is an 8 pound cannon, cast in Lima, Peru,
during 1673. It was brought to San Francisco from the Spanish
ordinance depot in San Blas, Mexico.
The San Pedro was located at the Castillo de San Joaquin,
and guarded the entrance to the San Francisco Bay. This cannon
was "spiked" by Fremont's Bear Flag Revolt in 1846.
The remains of the file that disabled the cannon can still be
seen in the touch-hole.
This cannon is currently located outside of the Officers Club,
Building 50.
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The Birgen de Barbaneda, or Virgin
of Barbaneda in English, was cast in 1693, in Lima, Peru and bears
the coat of arms of Don Melchor Puertocarrero Laso de la Vega,
27th Viceroy of Peru. It was brought to the Castillo de San
Joaquin in 1793, to fortify the San Francisco Bay.
In 1846, the cannon was "spiked" by Fremont's men,
during the Bear Flag Revolt. Later that year, Captain John B.
Montgomery of the USS Portsmouth successfully re-vented
the cannon, effectively restoring its firing capabilities.
This cannon is currently located near the flag pole in Pershing
Square, Main Post.
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The San Martin bears the coat of arms from Don Meleher
de Navarra y Rocafal, 26th Viceroy of Peru. This 12-Pounder brass
cannon was cast in Lima, Peru, during 1684.
On July 12, 1846, Captain John B. Montgomery uncovered the San
Martin, which had been buried, as a result of neglect, in
the sand at the Presidio.
This cannon is currently located at Fort Point.
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The Poder is an 8 pound cannon, cast in Peru during 1673.
It was located at the Castillo de San Joaquin, and guarded
the entrance to the San Francisco Bay. This cannon was subsequently
moved to Sonoma, at the request of the Mexican Governor of Alta
California.
On July 20, 1846, Capt. Montgomery, commanding the USS
Portsmouth, sent a military detachment to retrieve the
cannon, and return it to San Francisco.
This cannon is currently located outside of the Officers Club,
Building 50.
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