11. Ship Cannons

A Ships Cannon was a large gunpowder firearm mounted to discharge from the deck. 

Ships Cannons were mounted on Carriages with wheels. A Breech Rope was run through the carriage and secured to the hull on either side of the Gunport to keep the cannon from traveling backward when fired.  

Care of the cannons was the job of the Master Gunner. 

Each Gun Crew consisted of a Gunner supervising 3 to 4 sailors and a ship’s boy, called a Powder Monkey. 

A Powder Monkey would fetch Cartridges and Shot from the Shot Garland.  

To reload the Shot Garland, he would need to retrieve shot from the Shot Locker in the ships hold.  To quickly identify shot size a Shot Gauge would be used. 

Steps to firing a Ships Cannon are as follows;

Before engaging an enemy ship, the Tompion Cover is removed from the cannon barrel and the vent is unsealed by removing the Vent Apron.

A Cartridge is placed in the cannon barrel, followed by the Wadding.  Wad is usually made of oakum or old rope.

The Rammer Tool is used to shove the Cartridge and Wadding down the cannon barrel as far as it will go. 

Next the Shot would be loaded, usually a Cannon Ball, or Chain Shot.  

Next the Gunner pricks the Cartridge through the priming vent hole, with a Prick Tool.  He then fills the vent with gunpowder from his Powder Horn, pouring a little just behind the vent hole. 

Pulling on the Train Tackle, the gun crew hauls the heavy cannon, so its barrel stuck out of the Gunport. The precise direction of the gun could be adjusted slightly using a Quoin.

When the order came “Give Fire”, the Gunner took his lit Linstock Tool and touched it to the powder just behind the vent. 

When the cannon fires it jumps backward into the ship. The cannon barrel is then sponged, with the Sponge Tool, for the next firing.  The Sponge Tool is dipped in sea water in the Sponge Bucket. 

Using the Thumb Stall the Gunner placed his thumb over the vent to prevent any air accidentally igniting the cannon.

A Wormer Tool was used to clear the barrel of any debris that the Sponge Tool could not remove.  Gimlets were used to clean out the priming vent. 

At this stop view artifacts used in the operation of Ships Cannons as well as different styles of small cannons.  Behind you, also notice the collection of different types of Chain Shot. 

Be sure to fire the cannon and shout "Give Fire"!

Also hoist the Sponge Bucket with the Pulley System.  The Sponge Bucket would have been hoisted overboard, using pulleys, to collect sea water to clean the cannons.