Artillery of the Storm Wreck

Sam Turner
Chuck Meide

Between December 2010 and August 2011, Lighthouse Archaeological Maritime Program (LAMP) archaeologists
discovered six cannons at the site of a late 18th-century shipwreck, designated 8SJ5459 – the Storm Wreck, off the coast
of St. Augustine, Florida. Two were recovered for study and conservation during 2011 including an early carronade that
dates from 1780. The cannons from the Storm Wreck compose a useful study collection from a critical transition period
in the history of naval ordnance.

Introduction

On 17 December 2010, during a routine monitor-

ing dive, four cannons, a bell, and other artifacts were
discovered at the site of a late 18th century shipwreck,
designated 8SJ5459 – the Storm Wreck, under inves-
tigation by the Lighthouse Archaeological Maritime
Program (LAMP) since June 2009. The cannons were
found approximately 4.0 m (13.1 ft.) north of the area
excavated during the 2010 summer field season, where
sea currents and wave action had scoured away loose
sediments and exposed a previously unexcavated por-
tion of the site. Three of these guns, Cannons 1-3, were
lying on the seafloor, exposed along their full lengths.
The shortest, Cannon 1, appeared to be a carronade,
while the other two, Cannons 2 and 3, were longer
and were assumed to be long guns. The fourth cannon,
Cannon 5, was almost completely buried with only its
muzzle and one trunnion protruding from the seafloor.
Its type could not be definitively ascertained at the
time of its discovery, but it proved to be a long gun.
Two additional cannons were discovered and two were
recovered in 2011 (Meide, this volume:Figure 4). A long
gun, designated Cannon 4, and a carronade, designated
Cannon 6, were discovered during 2011. Cannons 2 and
6 were recovered for further study. No evidence for gun
carriages has been uncovered at the Storm Wreck site to
date. At present, it is unknown if the Storm Wreck can-
nons were mounted for use, or carried as ballast or cargo.
Storm Wreck Ordnance
Long guns
Cannons 2-5 are long guns. Each has at least one
discernible trunnion. Measurements for these cannons
are presented in Tables 1 and 2. Of the four long guns,
only Cannon 2 was recovered, and a four-pound cannon
ball was found concreted to its muzzle that perfectly fits
its bore. The cannon ball and the dimensions of Cannon
FIGURE 1. CANNON 2, A 4-POUNDER LONG GUN FROM THE
STORM WRECK, TYPICAL OF A MERCHANT VESSEL CONDUCTING
BUSINESS IN A TIME OF WAR ALONG THE AMERICAN COAST
(DRAWING BY BRIAN MCNAMARA AND TIM JACKSON).
2 suggest that it is a 4-pounder (Figure 1, Tables 1 and
2). Cannons 2 and 3, apparently 4-pounders, both
have traditional or knob-like buttons at their cascabels.
Cannon 3, the shortest long gun discovered at the Storm
Wreck site to date, measures approximately 20.0  cm
(7.9 in.) shorter than the others. This may indicate that
it is a 3-pounder and suggest that there are other guns
yet to be found on the site. Alternatively, the four long
guns might represent a balanced set of 4-pounders as
the dimensions of Cannon 3 fall within the range of
4-pounder long guns. Scrutiny of Cannons 3-5 has been
limited due to a thick layer of concretion that covers the
majority of their surfaces; however, Cannon 5 appears to
have a breech loop making it perhaps the most interest-
ing long gun discovered at the Storm Wreck site. The
earliest examples of this feature on long guns that the
authors have identified (1787) are found on Blomefield
pattern guns (Lavery 1994:82).

26 Advisory Council on Underwater Archaeology

 ATTRIBUTE C ANNON 1 C ANNON 2 C ANNON 3 C ANNON 4 C ANNON 5 C ANNON 6
Type of gun Carronade Cannon Cannon Cannon Cannon Carronade
Cascabel to breech
20.0 20.0 22.0 25.0 20.0 26.0
reinforce
Cascabel to trunnions 63.0 81.0 78.0 73.0 72.0 Unknown
Overall length 105.0 165.5 142.0 161.0 166.0 105.0
Trunnion to muzzle
48.0 75.0 70.0 86.0 85.0 Unknown
length
Muzzle diameter 31.0 25.0 22.0 21.0 25.0 27.0
Bore diameter 9.0 5.5 Unknown 7.0 7.0 10.0
Bore depth Unknown 18.0 Unknown 9.0 Unknown Unknown
Diameter behind
27.0 22.0 8.0 22.0 20.0 Unknown
muzzle flare
Diameter forward of
30.0 29.0 40.0 36.0 34.0 32.0
breech reinforce
Diameter of tube at
44.0 27.0 54.0 34.0 30.0 Unknown
trunnions
Diameter of cascabel 27.0 13.0 20.0 9.0 12.0 Unknown
Left: Left: 9.0 Left: 10.0 Left: 9.0
Left: 8.0
Length of trunnions Unknown Right: Right: Right: Unknown
Right: 8.0
Right: 11.5 Unknown Unknown Unknown
TABLE 1. MEASUREMENTS OF THE STORM WRECK CANNONS BEFORE CONSERVATION (IN CM). TABLE 2. AFTER CONSERVATION.

Carronades
ATTRIBUTE CANNON 2 CANNON 6
Cannons 1 and 6 are carronades. Measurements for
the carronades can be found in Tables 1 and 2. Cannon 1 Type of gun Cannon Carronade
was the only gun recorded by divers in 2010. It is covered Cascabel to breech
14.7 31.5
in concretion and has not been recovered. It is relatively reinforce
small and has an elongated loop at its cascabel. The loop Cascabel to trunnion 73.6 53.5
is off-center and archaeologists were not certain if it was
Overall length 154.4 101
a breech loop, a variation of the traditional carronade
elevation screw aperture, or the concreted remains of a Trunnion to
80.1 40.5
muzzle length
tiller handle or some other similar apparatus. Further
research conducted in 2011 showed conclusively that it Muzzle diameter 24.0 15.0
was a remnant of a tiller handle. Bore diameter 7.5 10.3
Cannon 6 was recovered during 2011 and appears to Bore depth 21.0 7.5
be very similar to Cannon 1. They appear to be a matched Diameter behind
set. Upon cleaning, Cannon 6 was found to have its 18.8 20.6
muzzle flare
caliber, 9 P, and its date of manufacture, 1780, on its
Diameter forward
right trunnion. Only one pair of carronades dating from 29.0 24.7
of breech reinforce
1778 are known to exist that predate Cannon 6. Given
its date of manufacture, Cannon 6 was undoubtedly cast Diameter of tube
25.6 22.0
at trunnions
by the Carron Company in Falkirk, Scotland. No broad
arrow mark appears on this carronade indicating it was Diameter of cascabel 11.2 10.3
not marked as British government property. This is not Left: 8.8 Left: 8.2
Length of trunnions
surprising because 9-pounder carronades were marketed Right: 8.6 Right: 8.6

2012 Underwater Archaeology Proceedings 27

to the private sector and seldom,
if ever, used by the Royal Navy.
This carronade has, in addition
to trunnions, a screw aperture in
its cascabel for an elevation screw
and a pair of wrought iron tiller
handles connected to a collar at-
tached to the end of its cascabel
(Figure 2). All are features of very
early carronades.
The Storm Wreck carronades
are particularly significant be-
cause they represent very early
examples. Other examples of early
carronades with trunnions have
been found on late 18th-century
shipwrecks, most notably from
two Royal Navy vessels lost in
Australia, Sirius lost in 1790,
and Pandora wrecked the fol-
lowing year (Stanbury 1994:74; FIGURE 2. CANNON 6, A 9-POUNDER CARRONADE FROM THE STORM WRECK SHOWING ITS
Andy Viduka 2011, elec. comm.; TRUNNIONS , CAST BREECH LOOP, SCREW APERTURE, AND WROUGHT IRON COLLAR AND TILLER
Ruth Rhynas Brown 2011, elec. HANDLES . ALL ARE FEATURES OF EARLY CARRONADES (DRAWING BY BRIAN MCNAMARA
AND TIM JACKSON).
comm.). Very early 18-pounder
carronades were recovered from
those sites for conservation and
analysis. They appear similar in form to the carronades were probably unnecessary for a weapon intended for
from the Storm Wreck, though they did not have a use primarily at close range (Caruana 1994:193). Their
threaded hole in the button and therefore were not cascabels were also distinctive, with three arcs or bumps
intended for use with an elevation screw. The carronades seen in cross-section, narrowing down to a neck fea-
from these sites also lack the collars and wrought iron turing a cast breech loop, and often, a button pierced
tiller handles found on the Storm Wreck carronades, vertically to accept an elevation screw. A flat quoin
although in the case of at least one example from Sirius patch was often located under the breech, to facilitate
the termination of the cascabel appears to be threaded the use of a wooden wedge or quoin for elevation. A
to take a collar and handles (Figure 3). Only a few distinctive nozzle or muzzle cup was added to the car-
other early carronades with trunnions still exist. They ronade sometime before ca. 1790 according to Lavery
are located in England at Dover and Bamburgh Castles, (1987:106-107) or sometime between 1782 and 1793
and in the Royal Armouries (Lavery 1989:18; Stanbury according to Caruana (1994:184). This feature, along
1994:75; Ruth Rhynas Brown 2011, elec. comm.). with a gradual and incremental lengthening of the gun,
effectively directed the muzzle blast further outboard
A Brief Description and History of the and decreased the chance that rigging would catch fire.
Carronade and its Use Onboard Sailing Probably the most salient characteristic of carronades
Vessels throughout most of their history was their lack of tradi-
tional trunnions. In lieu of trunnions, most carronades
Carronades were shorter and lighter than long guns had a loop that took a bolt to attach it to its distinctive
and had a large bore. They had only one reinforce ring carriage, properly termed a mounting. This is illustrated
and no swell to the muzzle. Some featured a sighting in Figure 4. The earliest carronades were equipped with
system including sights on the base and reinforce rings, trunnions in the same manner as contemporary long
each with assorted planes and notches to facilitate guns. The 1780 military pattern appears to have had
aiming at selected elevations; however, these additions them, and there is evidence they were still in use the

28 Advisory Council on Underwater Archaeology

 them especially popular on smaller
vessels. Carronades had cylindrical
chambers and much less windage,
defined as the difference between
the diameter of the bore and the
projectile, than contemporary
long guns. This characteristic was
little understood at the time, but
resulted in a more powerful and
accurate shot at close range (Tucker
1989:120-121,125). The reduced
powder charge used by carronades
FIGURE 3. AN 18-POUNDER CARRONADE FROM THE WRECK OF HMS SIRIUS LOST IN 1790. resulted in a relatively low shot
THIS CARRONADE LACKS A SCREW APERTURE; HOWEVER, ITS CASCABEL IS THREADED TO velocity, which in turn caused
ACCEPT A COLLAR AND HANDLES. (DRAWING BY MYRA STANBURY, WESTERN AUSTRALIAN greater structural damage to enemy
MUSEUM. REPRODUCED COURTESY OF THE AUSTRALASIAN INSTITUTE FOR MARITIME ships and greater casualties due to
ARCHAEOLOGY INC).
increased splintering (McConnell
1988:106). Carronades armed with
grapeshot were particularly suited
following year. During the development of the 1782 pat- for fighting off boarding parties. Unlike the long gun
tern the loop was substituted for trunnions, apparently which would produce a tight cone of shot, the carronade
to enable it to project further from a ship’s side “than its fired a broad scatter which was absolutely devastating
want of length would otherwise have allowed” (Caruana at close range (Caruana 1994:171). Carronades were
1994:184). This feature appears to have been an early particularly advantageous weapons for merchant ships,
attempt to mitigate the fire hazard posed by the short- because they were highly effective at defending against
ness of the carronade, and was integral to the ongoing pirates and privateers and required half as many gunners
development of the carronade’s specialized mounting. as long guns of the same firepower. It is no surprise that
Caruana (1994:185) believes that the abandonment of they were adopted early by private ship owners.
trunnions coincided with the introduction of the eleva- The disadvantages of carronades derived from the same
tion screw. unique characteristics responsible for their advantages
Carronades represent the most important innovation (McConnell 1988:106; Tucker 1989:125-126). Their
in naval artillery of the late 18th century, marking the light weight made them prone to violent recoil, which
50-year transition between the old long gun and the could result in damaged carriages or dismounted guns.
new shell gun (Tucker 1989: 120). It was the radical As a result, carronades featured specialized sled-type car-
design of the carronade that lead to dramatic and re- riages almost from their introduction. Their recoil and
nowned successes in naval actions. Carronades were low projectile velocity also made them unsuitable for
significantly lighter than long guns which meant that double-shotting, and their short barrels meant that their
they were cheaper to manufacture and required fewer muzzles did not project far from their gunports, where
men to operate. Their large bores enabled them to fire a burning powder charge could potentially damage the
heavy shot relative to their weight (Lavery 1987:104- hull or rigging, or even set a ship on fire. The most serious
109; McConnell 1988:103-111; Tucker 1989:120-130; drawback of carronades was that their range was limited,
Caruana 1994:161-214). They could be used to signifi- and when facing a more maneuverable enemy armed
cantly increase the firepower of a vessel by as much as with long guns, a vessel armed solely with carronades
four or five times that of a ship armed with long guns, could find itself at a disadvantage almost impossible to
while maintaining or even reducing the overall weight overcome. Despite these drawbacks, the carronade grew
of its armament. This often resulted in both improved steadily in popularity after its introduction.
sailing qualities and fighting prowess. The Carron Company enjoyed a monopoly on the
Their lightness allowed them to be mounted where carronade until the end of the American Revolution
heavier cannons could not, such as on the forecastle or in 1783, when Royal Navy contracts begin to indi-
poop deck, and their savings in weight and space made cate that other foundries were also supplying them

2012 Underwater Archaeology Proceedings 29

 FIGURE 4. SCHEMATIC OF A CARRONADE AND ITS MOUNTING, CA. LATE 18TH OR EARLY 19TH CENTURY. THIS TYPICAL
CARRONADE FEATURES AN ELEVATION SCREW, BREECH LOOP, QUOIN PATCH, AND THE LOOP MOUNTING SYSTEM, AS OPPOSED
TO TRUNNIONS, AND FRONT AND BREECH SIGHTS (REPRODUCED COURTESY OF THE SCIENCE MUSEUM, LONDON).

(Caruana 1994:188). For a time, the new weapon was
manufactured and used exclusively by the British. It
was not until 1787 that the French adopted a design
in response to the carronade, obusier de vaisseau, which
was cast in bronze (Tucker 1989:126). It is not known
how early America saw widespread use of carronades,
though it is believed to have been after the Revolution.
Carronades do not appear to have been manufactured
in the U.S. until 1799, though they saw extensive use
in American naval and merchant ships during the War
of 1812 (Tucker 1989:126). The carronade’s worldwide
popularity peaked during the French Revolution and
Napoleonic Wars, when it was used extensively on both
land and sea. Carronades continued to be used by the
British until the 1860s, though McConnell (1988:108)
notes that they were obsolete by around 1840. Likewise,
the U.S. Navy used carronades until between 1844 and
1848, when they were removed from most ships (Tucker
1989:127). Perhaps one of the last documented cases of
the use of the carronade in American waters was that
of the Confederate privateer Jefferson Davis, which was
armed with one long gun on a pivot mount amidships
and four carronades in a traditional War of 1812 man-
ner. Jefferson Davis took nine prizes at the outset of the
Civil War before wrecking on the St. Augustine bar in
August 1861.
Discussion
The current hypothesis related to the function and
identity of the Storm Wreck is that it represents one of
sixteen Loyalist transports lost on the St. Augustine bar
in December 1782 following the British evacuation of
Charleston. Such vessels sailing in wartime were gener-
ally armed. Four-pounder long guns and nine-pounder
carronades would have composed a credible battery for
a merchantman operating in the American Colonies
toward the end of the Revolutionary War.
The long guns and carronades recovered and still
present on the Storm Wreck appear to represent a tran-
sitional phase in the development of ordnance during
the late 18th century. New designs typically were first

30 Advisory Council on Underwater Archaeology

 Lavery, Brian
sold to the private sector. This was certainly the case with 1987 The Arming and Fitting of English Ships of War,
carronades which first became popular with merchants 1600-1815. Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, MD.
and privateers before being embraced by the Royal Navy.
Lavery, Brian
Cannon 6, a 9-pounder carronade, is an early carronade
1994 Nelson’s Navy: The Ships, Men, and Organisation
that appears to have been manufactured for the private 1793-1815, revised from 1989 edition. Naval
sector, as it is not marked with a broad arrow to indicate Institute Press, Annapolis, MD.
that it is government property and it is known that the
McConnell, David
Royal Navy seldom, if ever, used 9-pounder carronades. 1988 British Smooth-Bore Artillery: A Technological Study
It has trunnions and a screw aperture and is one of the to Support Identification, Acquisition, Restoration,
earliest carronades known to exist. This suggests that Reproduction, and Interpretation of Artillery at
the abandonment of trunnions may not have coincided National Historic Parks in Canada. Parks Canada,
with the introduction of the elevation screw. Ottawa.
It is possible, and indeed probable, that long guns Stanbury, Myra
with breech loops also were first marketed to the pri- 1994 HMS Sirius 1790, an illustrated catalogue of artefacts
vate sector and likely existed prior to the introduction recovered from the wreck site at Norfolk Island. Special
Publication No. 7. Australian Institute for Maritime
of 1787 Blomefield pattern guns. It also seems possible
Archaeology.
that the use of breech loops on long guns could have
been first developed by the Carron Company since it Tucker, Spencer
developed this feature for the carronade while continu- 1989 Arming the Fleet: U.S. Navy Ordnance in the Muzzle-
loading Era. Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, MD.
ing to cast long guns for the private sector after losing its
contracts with the Board of Ordnance in 1773. It is also
an interesting fact that the Carron Company went on to
cast Bloomfield 1787 pattern guns (Caruana 1994:268-
269, 326). If Cannon 5 were raised and found to date Sam Turner and Chuck Meide
before 1787 it might be one of the earliest extant long Lighthouse Archaeological Maritime Program
guns with a cast breech loop. Considering these facts, 81 Lighthouse Avenue
the entire ordnance collection from the Storm Wreck St. Augustine, Florida 32080
merits further study and conservation.

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to express their thanks to Ruth Rhynas

Brown and Andy Viduka for sharing information and for their
expertise on this subject. We would also like to thank our intern
Brian McNamara for his hard work and dedication to turning
out very accurate drawings of the Storm Wreck guns discussed in
this paper as well as our volunteer Tim Jackson for his digitizing
wizardry.

References

Brown, Ruth
2011 1780 9 Pounder Carronade. Manuscript,
Lighthouse Archaeological Maritime Program, St.
Augustine, FL.

Caruana, Adrian B.
1994 The History of English Sea Ordnance, 1523-1875:
Volume II, The Age of the System. Jean Boudriot
Publications, Rotherfield, England.

2012 Underwater Archaeology Proceedings 31