Fort Vancouver Historic Structures Report

Armament

On October 26, 1845, Lieutenants Henry J. Warre and Mervin Vavasour, after having spent two months at Fort Vancouver, made a report to the Secretary of State for the Colonies in which they stated that the blockhouse contained six 3-pound iron guns. In March, 1846, Vavasour told the commander of the Royal Engineers in Canada that the same structure contained eight 3-pound iron guns. [26] To complicate matters still further, Lieutenant William Peel of the Royal Navy visited Fort Vancouver during September, 1845, and reported to his superior that there were seven small 3-pounders in the bastion. [27] Doctor Henry A. Tuzo, who reached Vancouver in 1853 to take up his duties as post surgeon, later testified that at the time of his arrival the blockhouse mounted "eight small cannon" in its third story. [28]

In view of this conflicting testimony, the inventory of artillery and military stores on hand at Fort Vancouver during any particular year might not be an infallible indication that the stated number of 3-pound guns were actually mounted in the bastion. Certainly none were mounted there before early 1845. It seems probable, however, that if the fort possessed eight 3-pound cannons after the erection of the bastion, they were all housed there.

In the inventory made during the spring of 1844, the Fort Vancouver Depot account listed, among other items under the heading "Naval Stores at fixed Prices," the following: "8 long 3 pound Guns wg. 40, 0, 26, plus "50 Canister Shot 3 lbs," and "2-72/112 Cwt round Shot 3 lbs." [29]

Under the heading "Articles in Use, in Stores" in the same 1844 inventory are listed "2 small swivel Guns." [30] These two swivels appear in the 1845 inventory, but no mention seems to be made of the eight 3-pound guns in the accounts for that year. [31]

Since the guns were used in fire salutes, it can be assumed that they were mounted and ready for action. Thus the furnishings of the octagonal cap would include the proper equipment for each gun -- carriage, lines and tackle, swabs, rammers, etc.