Fort Mackinac - Cannon Firing Demonstration

One of the many activities the soldiers did in the park was fire cannon salutes for the tourists to the island.

These salutes are still performed today.

We got to view such a cannon firing salute during our visit to the fort. 

A six pounder cannon is used as the salute, just as it was used back in the late 1800s.

The cannon is first checked with a worm to remove any leftovers in the barrel.  In this case a piece of aluminum foil was removed.  Foil, while not accurate to the period, prevents bits of period-correct burning muslin sackcloth from falling on the town and onto tourists' heads below, which they appreciate.

Then a sponge is run down the barrel.

The cannon is then loaded, with the powder pricked through the touch hole, and it is then wheeled into position.

A friction fuse and lanyard is attached.

Then on the command to fire -

 

It made a most pleasing "Boom" for the crowd.    The crowd was pleased and applauded the fine demonstration even in the drizzling rain.

A very nice and well-narrated cannon firing demonstration indeed.

The Sebastopol Cannons Of Victoria Park

The first military commemorative display in Victoria Park is also one of its most interesting - The Three Cannon.

The Three Sebastopol Cannon were brought to London Ontario soon after the capture of Sebastopol in 1855.

Each cannon sits on its own brickwork block, in a semi-circle facing outward from the Boer War Monument that was added five years after they were installed.

The three cannon consist of two captured Russian cannons and one British cannon, all with markings still visible.

They were turned into a monument at Victoria Park in 1907.

Affixed to the British Cannon is this plaque:

The royal seal "GR" is still visible on the British cannon:

This cannon has serial number 164:

The Imperial Russian seal is visible on both the Russian guns:

Foundry markings on the Russian cannon indicate both were made at the same foundry and their serial numbers are still legible:

It says, made at the Alexander Foundary. Other markings are in Old Russian and hard to decipher, but appear to be weight or shot loading abbreviations.

Some further research indicates that these are 24 pounder guns,as indicated by the 24 # symbol at the top. The second line is the weight of the gun in poods, an old Russian measurement equivalent to 36.11 pounds. The last line has the date of manufacture which can't be fully made out in the picture but looks like 1849.

Today one of the Russian Cannon has the Kiwanis Memorial Bandstand at pointe blanc range, but the touchhole is sealed, lest anyone wish to re-fight the Crimean War in Victoria Park.

Finding cannon from the Battle of Sebastopol in London Ontario was quite an enjoyable and unexpected find.