Mount Hope Cemetery Home to Civil War Cannons

Although Sheridan was not even settled by Americans during the Civil War, there were Civil War Veterans who moved to Sheridan and are buried in the Mount Hope Cemetery. In 1912, the John Schuler Post decided to put up a monument honoring these soldiers. Along with the monument, the Civil War Veteran’s section also has two cannons.

In 1912, the John Schuler post was granted two Napoleonic Cannons for display at the Mount Hope Cemetery Monument to heroes of the Civil War. The two 12-pound Napoleon cannons, according to the information at the cemetery, were cast in 1862 and 1863 at a foundry in Boston that was owned by the family of Paul Revere.

The cannons were used in such civil war battles as Antietam, Atlanta, Bull Run, Chancellorsville, Chattanooga, Chickamaunga, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, Petersburg, Shiloh, Sportsylvaina, Stones River, Vicksburg and the Wilderness. Many of the veterans buried in the Mount Hope Cemetery fought those same battles.

Cannons have been used in warfare for eons. They were first used in China between the 12th and 13th centuries. They were used on ships at sea, and on battle lines throughout the world.

They were used during the American Revolution, mostly at stationary locations, such as the line at Chalmette Battlefield where the Battle of New Orleans was fought. These were larger and not as mobile as the Civil War cannon, but whether used in the Civil War or the battle of New Orleans, it is doubtful that an alligator could be used in place of a real cannon as in Johnny Horton’s famous song.

Cannons in the Civil War were designed to be mobile. Mounted on a carriage, the guns could be drawn by horses or mules to the battle line, where the horses were unhooked while the gun was being used. Cannons are not light. A 12-pounder was not 12 pounds. It is a cannon that fires twelve-pound cannon balls, but it can also shoot grapeshot, chain shot, and shrapnel. Cannon balls were made of iron but in the early centuries they could have been crudely crafted out of rock.

Twelve-pounders, like those at the Mount Hope Cemetery, were used during the Napoleonic Wars, 1799–1815. At one time 12-pounders were the largest caliber of long-barreled field pieces, although designed to be mobile, it weighed approximately 1300 pounds with the carriage and moving them required either draft horses or mules.

Sheridan, Post May 2, 1911: Cannon For Mount Hope Mark Corners Of Burial Plot With Guns. Old Soldiers’ Plan Funds Asked to Buy Monument to Mark Last Resting Place of Heroes of the Civil War. If the plans of the John Schuler Post No. 67, G. A. R., are carried out, an iron cannon, of the type that was in use during the Civil war, will mark each corner of the burial plot in Mount Hope cemetery, which was purchased recently. Definite action along this line was taken at the regular meeting of the post which was held Saturday afternoon. By unanimous vote the secretary was instructed to at once communicate with the Wyoming congressional delegation requesting that their influence be utilized to secure the guns, and as it is understood that there are a number of these cannons available for such purposes, no trouble in anticipated in securing them.

The plot of ground purchased by the post with the funds contributed by the pupils of the Sheridan schools and public-spirited citizens, is of a rather peculiar shape, resembling a pyramid with the top cut off. The post desires to purchase enough additional land to make the plot square, so that when the cannon are planted at each corner they will be equidistant from each other. Beside each gun it is proposed to place a pile of cannon balls if they can be secured. A monument is then to be erected in the center of the plot and for the funds to purchase the monument, the old soldiers are depending upon the liberality of the people of Sheridan. While no imposing mausoleum is contemplated, neither do the old soldiers wish to erect a cheap and flimsy affair.

In another article, it tells about mounting the cannon after they arrive at the Mount Hope Cemetery. They needed to raise $100, which they did with little difficulity.

The Sheridan Enterprise November 14, 1912

Mounting Historic Cannon In Cemetery Committee From John Schuler Post Raised Necessary Funds and Work Starts. A committee of John Schuler post, G. A. R., No. 67, consisting of John C Barr and W, H. Ray had very little difficulty in raising the $100 necessary for mounting the two cannons recently received from the government arsenal at Rock Island, Ill. In fact the subscriptions came in readily and today the necessary amount has been raised, enabling the veterans to go ahead with the mounting. The contract for the concrete base was let yesterday and work started today.

The base will be forty inches wide, ninety-six inches long and thirty-two inches deep, forming a bed on which the two gun carriages will rest. The cannon with the exception of the barrel are of concrete and will weigh approximately 1,200 pounds each.

They form interesting relics of the civil war days, having been captured from the confederates in a hot engagement. To perpetuate the memory of the old warriors the national congress decided to appropriate the war relics amongst the several grand army posts, and the two cannon shooting 12-pound balls were allotted to the local post with the understanding that they would be mounted at the old soldiers’ plot of atMount Hope Cemetery. For this reason they could not be mounted Pioneer Park, as was suggested by some of the citizens.

The cannon will be placed on the north entrance of the ground at each corner while at the south corners concrete balls weighting 84 pounds apiece, and representing mortar shells, will be on suitable foundationsF.W. Cooper, adjutant and quartermaster of the local post of war veterans, has made application to the war department to ascertain the history of the two cannon received inSheridan so that appropriate inscriptions may be made.

What stories these old cannons could tell if they could talk. They are a reminder of how far we have come in warfare, for better or worse.