"Quaker Gun" reproduction (Manassas, Virginia)

USA / Virginia / Manassas Park / Manassas, Virginia
 military, American Civil War 1861-1865, gun emplacement
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In the early days of the Civil War, heavy siege guns were in short supply in the Army of Northern Virginia.

As a result, the Confederate defenses around Manassas saw the creation of numerous "cannons", basically cannon-size logs that were charred or painted black in order to fool Union observers to make it look like the defenses were more fearsome than they really were.

A famous photo published widely in the North showed a Union soldier "firing" one of the harmless logs after the Confederates abandoned the defenses.

A witty reporter soon dubbed the creations "Quaker Guns" owing to their true harmless nature.

A reproduction Quaker Gun has been installed at the Mayfield Fort.
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Coordinates:   38°45'14"N   77°27'8"W
This article was last modified 12 years ago