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Caost Artillery Insignia

  
  

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Cannons of the Spanish Empire, 1628-1846

 Cannon San Francisco thumbnail. Click for larger image.
Click on thumbnails for
larger images.

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.

 Cannon San Domingo thumbnail. Click for larger image.

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.

Cannon San Pedro thumbnail. Click for larger image.

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.

Cannon Birgen de Barbaneda thumbnail. Click for larger image.

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.

Cannon San Martin thumbnail. Click for larger image.

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.

Cannon Poder thumbnail. Click for larger image.

 

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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  Page last updated: May 7, 2004 "Spacer" Send comments to: Will Elder