Author Topic: 1863 Artillery  (Read 4299 times)

Offline Whiskey Johnson

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1863 Artillery
« on: January 31, 2008, 05:45:47 PM »
This may make some grown men here cry, but look what is sitting on a pallet at a National Guard Facility I did "drill" at this weekend. Maybe someone here could provide a little background info on this piece?

NCOWS #3016, SASS #75800, Mi. Nat'l Guard, VFW Life, NRA Life, DIRTY RATS #415

Offline Whiskey Johnson

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Re: 1863 Artillery
« Reply #1 on: January 31, 2008, 05:51:01 PM »
one more pic, slightly different angle...
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Offline Zouave Officer

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Re: 1863 Artillery
« Reply #2 on: January 31, 2008, 06:20:22 PM »
How do pieces of Artillery from the 1800's to 1900's just end up sitting on the floors of buildings at National Guard Armories??? I know a friend in Pennsylvania was contacted because they found a Spanish American War Cannon in the basement of an old City Building and wanted to know what to do with it. Lord of mercy.  ???
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"There’s no use dodging. You will be hit when your body and bullets are at the same place at the same time….
Captain Henry J. Reilly, Battery F, 5th U.S. Artillery, 1898.

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Re: 1863 Artillery
« Reply #3 on: Today at 12:05:39 PM »

Offline Black Powder

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Re: 1863 Artillery
« Reply #3 on: January 31, 2008, 10:15:45 PM »
I was wonderin' what I did with that...  ;)
I've got my excuses and I'm stickin' to 'em.

Offline St. George

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Re: 1863 Artillery
« Reply #4 on: January 31, 2008, 11:05:19 PM »
They wound up there because they belonged there - plain and simple.

Many of the artillery pieces were long-standing decorations of newly-built Armories - especially back East.

Because a few 'wandered off' , they're now carried on the State Property Books, and inventoried,  and it's likely that the Center of Military History also knows about them.

Thousands of cannon graced City Parks, City Halls, Town Squares and cemetaries and many of those were 'donated' to the WWII Scrap Drives in patriotic fervor.

In some states, many of those tubes have been given new carriages when some organization 'adopts' them - and they're restored to their former positions as memorials.

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Offline Bull Schmitt

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Re: 1863 Artillery
« Reply #5 on: February 01, 2008, 09:41:57 AM »
I think the GAF should have one of it's own!! ::)

Is this one available?

How much do we have in the treasury? :o

We can keep it at my house.  ;)

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Offline Trailrider

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Re: 1863 Artillery
« Reply #6 on: February 01, 2008, 04:00:51 PM »
As short on training and equipment as one report has the condition of our National Guard and Reserve units may be, it might be required for fire support!  :-[
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Offline Whiskey Johnson

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Re: 1863 Artillery
« Reply #7 on: February 01, 2008, 06:52:42 PM »
As short on training and equipment as one report has the condition of our National Guard and Reserve units may be, it might be required for fire support!  :-[

Too funny! We have too much unused artillery!   :-X  Maybe that is the problem! War has always been ugly, but with CNN around every corner I think the real problem is trying to sanitize it. Dragging it out is the end result.

I don't want to give any false hopes, or GET MYSELF IN TROUBLE, but if there was a re-enactment Michigan, or nearby civil war unit that wants to try and rescue this piece, I could ask a few questions or provide an E-Mail address to start a "rescue mission". You would be dealing with an O-6,(full bird colonel) so it would be best to have some "horsepower" and a real good plan in place first! A State Senator or  retired officer could probably make this happen!

I am just an E-5 that doesnt always fit in the system well (I have a hard time holding back when asked for an opinion...(a "yes man" would have E-7 by now)) so I would be of no help except for contacts!  ;)

Something to think about....
NCOWS #3016, SASS #75800, Mi. Nat'l Guard, VFW Life, NRA Life, DIRTY RATS #415

Offline St. George

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Re: 1863 Artillery
« Reply #8 on: February 01, 2008, 11:04:17 PM »
Having worked in restoring a number of these tubes over the years - I can say that once it's done - they find new use and they get shown off as prized possessions.

The state keeps them - partly because of the fact that no state wants to be seen to be getting rid of its heritage and no Guard outfit wants to rid itself of 'any' sort of fireable weapon.

'Sometimes' - the restorers can sign for them as a part of a display - but only for short times and under heavy security restrictions and high insurance, and they purposely keep it that way to discourage folks from trying to do it.

If 'rescued' - the likely rescuers will have strong ties to the state's museum system, and that's where it'll stay.

Currently - it should be on the books of the United States Property and Fiscal Officer, who's located at the Adjutant General's Office - wherever that complex might be.

He'll be a Colonel - but only on the part-time side - in reality, he'll be one of, if not 'the' highest-paid civilians in that workforce, and will have more 'actual' power than the TAG, since his job isn't political, and dependant on a Governor's whim.

It's not his job to let assets loose - and if interest's shown, it suddenly becomes an asset...

Now, if the unit's NCO Association were to build a concrete plinth to support it - it could be displayed proudly at the armory it's currently resting in.

At least more folks would see it than they do at the moment.

Scouts Out!

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It Wasn't Schoolboys and Ladies - It Was Cowtowns and Sin..."

Offline RattlesnakeJack

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Re: 1863 Artillery
« Reply #9 on: February 02, 2008, 09:54:01 AM »
As short on training and equipment as one report has the condition of our National Guard and Reserve units may be, it might be required for fire support!  :-[

Actually, I heard that is one of several such pieces of ordnance earmarked for a "lend-lease" contribution to a current upgrade/modernization program of the Royal Canadian Artillery ....   :-\
Rattlesnake Jack Robson, Scout, Rocky Mountain Rangers, North West Canada, 1885
Major John M. Robson, Royal Scots of Canada, 1883-1901
Sgt. John Robson, Queen's Own Rifles of Canada, 1885
Bvt. Col, Commanding International Dept. and Div.  of Canada, Grand Army of the Frontier

Offline Whiskey Johnson

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Re: 1863 Artillery
« Reply #10 on: February 03, 2008, 05:00:51 PM »
Here I go again, not knowing when to shut up!  ;) The piece is in a warehouse type place, and has been there for at least 4 years. I would bet it will be there for at least another 40. I had better stop now.....!

St. George is right about the "accountability" and probably about the chances of getting it into hands that will take care of it. How depressing! There is a WW2 German "88" on display in the area that is a rusted piece of junk. Not to mention that "reg's" require it to be demilled.

Gotta go, the Patriots are getting ready to make some History!
NCOWS #3016, SASS #75800, Mi. Nat'l Guard, VFW Life, NRA Life, DIRTY RATS #415

 

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