Last updated: February 13, 2021
Place
Weapons of War Wayside (Gun deck)
![This panel duplicates one located outside the fort, but with views and description of additional artillery. This panel is divided into 3 horizontal sections. The top third is a light blue sky; the middle section, brown earth; the bottom section, white text in English and Spanish against a blue background: Weapons of War. Touring the fort, you will see 3 types of artillery: mortars, howitzers, and cannons. Attackers as well as defenders had access to many types of weaponry. Each one had its own strengths and weaknesses. A CANNON was best at shooting far, a MORTAR used exploding projectiles, and a HOWITZER was a mix of the 2. Battles to conquer a fort often last a long time. Choosing the right artillery could mean the difference between victory and defeat. End of Text On the top, against the light blue sky are 3 small circles. In each circle is a photograph of a piece of artillery. In the left circle, a green and brown squat mortar gun tips upward at a left angle. In the center circle, a grey, stocky horizontal howitzer gun is supported on a low grey wedge. To the right, a long, green and brown cannon, its barrel tipped slightly upward, is set in a low, dark grey structure. Below each photo is a small brown illustration of the corresponding gun firing. A brown dotted, arcing line, runs from the mouth of each piece of artillery to a spot at the left side of the panel to show the trajectory of the shot from each gun. The mortar and howitzer lines end in an illustration of an exploding shell, and the cannon line ends with an illustration of a cannonball. Below, at the left, against the light brown earth, black text in both languages reads: Fire! Exploding shells were most effective when fired from mortars and howitzers while solid shot (cannonballs) were best when used with cannons. End of Text To the right, and below each artillery illustration, 3 light tan rectangular boxes with black text in both languages. Below the mortar: • Shortest barrel • High, lobbing arc reaches targets behind walls and other barriers • Often used to fire on a besieged town End of Text To the right, below the howitzer: • Hybrid gun with a mid-length barrel • Medium to high angle, adjusted to increase or decrease range • Combines cannon mobility with mortar firepower End of Text To the right, below the cannon: • Longest barrel • Relatively flat trajectory • Destroys buildings, walls, and other obstacles End of Text Directly in front of the panel is a 13-foot wide by 23-foot long wood-planked platform; its front edge raised one foot from the ground. Surrounding the platform are metal stanchions with connecting ropes. Lined up on top of the platform are 8 pieces of artillery; all are set horizontally on wood blocks. The first 2 are 4 ½-foot long, black iron cannons. Next are 5, longer cannons, their barrels a blue-ish green bronze. On the center top of these cannons are double handles, called “dolphins.â€, To the right of the first 2 cannons, set on a wood platform and tilted upward, is a blue-ish green, squat mortar; its surface covered in etched scrollwork. Beyond this wooden platform, set on a wooden base is a second mortar. To the left and right of the artillery platform, are the fort walls: to the left are wood benches; to the right, attached to the walls, are 2-stepped low platforms. [End of Message]](/common/uploads/place/import/c6ddb7fc-a42a-48c1-9857-3e66cd9a854b_image_350.jpg)
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Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits, Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits
Touring the fort, you will see 3 types of artillery: mortars, howitzers, and cannons. Attackers as well as defenders had access to many types of weaponry. Each one had its own strengths and weaknesses. A CANNON was best at shooting far, a MORTAR used exploding projectiles, and a HOWITZER was a mix of the 2. Battles to conquer a fort often last a long time. Choosing the right artillery could mean the difference between victory and defeat.