What kind of cannons were at the Alamo?
What kind of cannons were at the Alamo?
The Alamo’s “18-pounder” cannon that famously fired a defiant shot in response to Santa Anna’s demand for surrender in 1836 was actually a smaller 9-pounder altered to fire heavier rounds, a surprising new report shows.
What happened to the Alamo cannons?
The cannon was disabled and buried by the Mexican Army after the battle. Years later, it was discovered by the Maverick Family and later given to the Alamo. Spanish soldiers saved this 18th century cannon from a shipwreck in Matagorda Bay off of the Texas coast in 1817.
How many total cannons were there at the Alamo?
Researchers believe there probably were 18 cannons in the Alamo during the battle of 1836, and although these three new cannons will bring the total current number in the Alamo to 13, Rosser said not all of the cannons were used in the famous battle.
How many cannons did the fortified Alamo have?
Santa Anna’s Army began to arrive in San Antonio de Bexár on February 23, 1836. Their arrival prompted members of the Texan Army to enter the Alamo, which was by now heavily fortified. The Alamo had 18 serviceable cannons and approximately 150 men at the start of the siege.
Why was the 18 pounder cannon so special?
On two-deckers, the 18-pounder was mounted on the upper deck as secondary artillery, to complement the 36-pounder main artillery on the lower deck. A 74-gun would carry thirty 18-pounders; this lighter secondary battery added firepower to the ship without raising the centre of gravity too much.
What did the Texans do with the cannon?
The bronze Gonzales cannon was buried with other captured Texan cannons inside the Alamo compound. It was unearthed by Samuel Maverick in 1852, and sent to New York by his widow Mary Maverick in 1874, where it was recast into a bell that hangs in the belfry of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in San Antonio.
Who fired the cannon at the Alamo?
February 23, 1836, the Siege of the Alamo began when Colonel William B. Travis ordered his men to fire the 18-Pounder Cannon from the southwest corner of the Alamo into the Mexican encampment in response to General Santa Anna’s offer to surrender.
Where did the Texans hide the cannon?
uncovered
A major flood in 1936 uncovered the small gun leading to its rediscovery; it is now on display in the Gonzales Memorial Museum. The bronze Gonzales cannon was buried with other captured Texan cannons inside the Alamo compound.
