GIVE FIRE!! Night firing of 3 pounder and 6 pounder field artillery pieces - Battle of Camden/Battle of Hobkirk's Hill 2021

SPM

SPM

Wobomagonda
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This past weekend was the annual Battle of Camden and Battle of Hobkirk's Hill reenactment hosted by the Southern Campaign 1780 organization. After the British burned Guy Fawkes, 'cause that's what they do, the Continentals did cannon demonstrations with a 3 pounder and a big Ole 6 pounder at night. Pretty impressive what you can see at night vs mostly just smoke during the day.

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That is so very cool. Great pictures. My 10 year old son and I were there for the Battle of Camden on Saturday. Our second year in a row. I didn't know you could watch them at night like this or we would have stayed.

EDIT: My shirt for these occasions...

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JustKeepSwimming said:
That is so very cool. Great pictures. My 10 year old son and I were there for the Battle of Camden on Saturday. Our second year in a row. I didn't know you could watch them at night like this or we would have stayed.

EDIT: My shirt for these occasions...

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This was well after the site closed to the public and it was only reenactors left in camp (this was at around 1930 or so, I think). Our Artillery crew (we are Kingsbury's North Carolina Artillery- normally a Continental Artillery Regiment, but acting as Royal Artillery all weekend again because the Brits never bring any damned cannon and the uniforms are interchangeable for Artillery) didn't do the night firing - this was christening the 3 pounder and letting Boots (the 6 pounder) belch Vulcan's wrath for a show.

Not sure if you guys were a part of the big cannon talk I did at our gun just prior to the Battle on Saturday or not - ours was the 3 pounder ships gun on the red field carriage.

Next time y'all are headed out let me know, or if you two would like to dip your toes into the world of Rev War reenactment, we typically have loaner clothes available, teach you the gun drill, and get you into the field. If it's just for a visit as spectators again, still let me know and we can get you into the camp and let your son have a little hands-on training on the gun.

And you have to tell me where you got that shirt!!

This is my ugly mug - in case you were at my schpiel on the gun and a sort of meeting of CFFers.... 🤣

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@SPM

My boy and I will be going again next year and we will definitely be reaching out prior and taking you up on your awesome offer! Funny how life works. We must have walked right by you several times.

Thanks for the great post and wonderful offer good sir! Much appreciated.

EDIT: I will definitely try and find out if I can get another shirt. It was a special run from a buddy on IG.
 
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JustKeepSwimming said:
@SPM

My boy and I will be going again next year and we will definitely be reaching out prior and taking you up on your awesome offer! Funny how life works. We must have walked right by you several times.

Thanks for the great post and wonderful offer good sir! Much appreciated.

EDIT: I will definitely try and find out if I can get another shirt. It was a special run from a buddy on IG.
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Much obliged!! Already shared with several in our Regiment and the general sentiment of the shirt is it's "f*$king magnificent. " 🤣
 
When are you gonna light off a 24 pound long gun?

Enquiring minds wanna know.

And don't gimme any gripe about having to haul around a 9 1/2 foot long, 6500 pound cannon/carriage. We're not interested in excuses!
 
For those who may not know, having read my humorous post above, a 24 pound long gun was not a field gun. They were main guns on heavy frigates and fourth rate ships of the line. (Fourth rate ships of the line were ships that carried 46 to 60 guns.) They were also used as part of the main battery of fortresses.

At 5,500 pounds, they weren't really what you'd call "field portable". Which is part of what made the posting funny.

However, a few decades after our independence, in the early-middle 1800s, the 24 pound howitzer was developed, which weighed in around 1,300 pounds. This was fieldable cannon.

Changes in cannon manufacture and gunpowder likely made this possible.
 
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SlowShooter88 said:
Black Mountain... just east of Asheville
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We are all in the greater Charlotte area - but have a member in FL and CA that come out regularly.

I know there's a group at Old fort that drills and does events regularly, as well as one st Fort Defiance if you want to start out in American militia.

Continental Line Units in NC include the 2nd and 6th North Carolina. I think Kingsbury's North Carolina Artillery is the only Artillery Regiment in the Carolinas, though the 2nd South Carolina (based out of Charleston) has a lot of Artillery these days and man's them. That 6 pounder is theirs.

All 9f us get to the same events in general. I have contact info for all their commanders and recruiters if you are interested in any of them, PM me for more info.

RetiredUSNChief said:
When are you gonna light off a 24 pound long gun?

Enquiring minds wanna know.

And don't gimme any gripe about having to haul around a 9 1/2 foot long, 6500 pound cannon/carriage. We're not interested in excuses!
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24 pounders were exceedingly rare in period in field units.....although if you have one laying about that needs a crew.....I'm your huckleberry...

JustKeepSwimming said:
My son asked if it was normal "to feel your guts and insides vibrating" when the cannons went off?

Hell yes son! That's just a small part of the fun!
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On Sunday they had us fall into the normal battle line with muskets after we chased the Maryland ERS off the log fortification with Artillery fire. We fell in between the 71st Highlanders and the Royal Welsh Regiment of Foot....on the left of the British line.

We were all "killed" by grapeshot from Boots (the big 6 pounder) that temporarily collapsed the British left flank.

Being on the receiving end of the guns is definitely a shake the guts experience. Laying flat on the ground "dead" on the receiving end magnifies it.....even at 70 yards. The blast and shockwave ride the ground in an awesome way...
 
RetiredUSNChief said:
For those who may not know, having read my humorous post above, a 24 pound long gun was not a field gun. They were main guns on heavy frigates and fourth rate ships of the line. (Fourth rate ships of the line were ships that carried 46 to 60 guns.) They were also used as part of the main battery of fortresses.

At 5,500 pounds, they weren't really what you'd call "field portable". Which is part of what made the posting funny.

However, a few decades after our independence, in the early-middle 1800s, the 24 pound howitzer was developed, which weighed in around 1,300 pounds. This was fieldable cannon.

Changes in cannon manufacture and gunpowder likely made this possible.
Click to expand...
They were also used as siege guns for bombarding forts, city walls, and cities themselves. I believe there were a few at Yorktown along with a handful of 18 pounders that shelled Cornwallis' position as part of the Artillery bombardment.
 
Very cool, but we don't shoot blanks!!!!

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This is my oldest touching off the 6lb rifled howitzer in an artillery competition.
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Serving the gun is hard work. My son and I worked the worm, sponge and rammers. Guy with the thumbstall has it easy.
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And our "forward observer". Yes, you can see cannonballs in flight.
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Johnny said:
@SPM Y'all do anything in my backyard at Moores Creek?

Thanks for sharing, BTW, very freaking cool.
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Moore's Creek Coming up!

Because of the Biden NPS using the covid excuse to really limit everything, my Regiment didn't get an invite this year due to the director only allowing a limited number of reenactors to attend "for social distancing."

That said, here is the schedule of events for the weekend:

Our schedule of events for our Anniversary Event, February 26 - 27, 2022.

Saturday
12:00PM – Battle Demonstration - Patriot Earthworks
1:00PM – Colonial Music – Carolina Thunder Mugs – Patriot Camp
1:00PM – Guest Speaker – Bert Dunkerly – Program Tent
1:30PM – Musket Demo – Loyalist Camp
2:00PM – Colonial Music – Carolina Thunder Mugs – Patriot Camp
2:00PM – Guided Tour – Dr. Chris Fonveille – Meet outside the Visitor Center
2:30PM – Musket Demo – Loyalist Camp
3:30PM - Battle Demonstration - Patriot Earthworks

Sunday
12:00PM – Fife and Drum Program – Tryon Palace – Patriot Camp
1:00PM – Battle Demonstration - Patriot Earthworks
2:00PM – Guided Tour – Bert Dunkerly – Meet Outside the Visitor Center
2:30PM – Musket Demo – Loyalist Camp
3:00PM – Fife and Drum Program – Tryon Palace – Patriots Field
3:30PM - Battle Demonstration - Patriot Earthworks
 
SPM said:
Moore's Creek Coming up!

Because of the Biden NPS using the covid excuse to really limit everything, my Regiment didn't get an invite this year due to the director only allowing a limited number of reenactors to attend "for social distancing."

That said, here is the schedule of events for the weekend:

Our schedule of events for our Anniversary Event, February 26 - 27, 2022.

Saturday
12:00PM – Battle Demonstration - Patriot Earthworks
1:00PM – Colonial Music – Carolina Thunder Mugs – Patriot Camp
1:00PM – Guest Speaker – Bert Dunkerly – Program Tent
1:30PM – Musket Demo – Loyalist Camp
2:00PM – Colonial Music – Carolina Thunder Mugs – Patriot Camp
2:00PM – Guided Tour – Dr. Chris Fonveille – Meet outside the Visitor Center
2:30PM – Musket Demo – Loyalist Camp
3:30PM - Battle Demonstration - Patriot Earthworks

Sunday
12:00PM – Fife and Drum Program – Tryon Palace – Patriot Camp
1:00PM – Battle Demonstration - Patriot Earthworks
2:00PM – Guided Tour – Bert Dunkerly – Meet Outside the Visitor Center
2:30PM – Musket Demo – Loyalist Camp
3:00PM – Fife and Drum Program – Tryon Palace – Patriots Field
3:30PM - Battle Demonstration - Patriot Earthworks
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Well.. crap. I appreciate the heads up. Meeting you was 95% of my interest in going. Maybe next year or another venue.
 
Johnny said:
Well.. crap. I appreciate the heads up. Meeting you was 95% of my interest in going. Maybe next year or another venue.
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I am going to make an effort to get out that way soon. I'm bummed too because my ancestor may have fought there on the Patriot side, and that always makes it a little bit special.
 
SPM said:
I am going to make an effort to get out that way soon. I'm bummed too because my ancestor may have fought there on the Patriot side, and that always makes it a little bit special.
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If local legend is halfway accurate, the Brits walked across my property on the way to the bridge.
 
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