Featured Enigmatic!

This small cannon in a Texas museum has defied explanation for decades. I’m looking for someone who can connect the clues given by the engraved text and numbers to explain this object. Read what the author wrote but ignore what he’s invented like some date, 1850, he put in. I found no support for that date. FWIW I’ll try to put it in context based on what I know about cannons. My take is that it isn’t an actual weapon, though it may have been capable of firing salutes. The number on the barrel is 91 since engravings on cannons are “always” read looking from the rear. I’m thinking this is a trophy to commemorate something, or possibly a ceremonial saluting cannon. There is a sergeant major’s name mentioned. The name given to the item, as all cannons in France, Spain, , etc. were given proper names, is engraved near the muzzle, “St. J..,”. The text appears to be Spanish.

So why was this made? When? Where?

http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~brasscannon/genealogy/brasscannon.htm

 

st John the Baptist..?

 

Looking closely at the actual letters it’d be the Spanish equivalent, San Juan… (Cited from: https://www.antiquers.com/threads/enigmatic.80920/)

 

That really is a puzzle. So, the internet says that Sargento Mayors were important ranks. I see a line has been transcribed as "DEL SARGENTO MAYOR DN JOANES CU DE R O Y A R N F D O." I don't think that all belongs to a name. "DEL," of course, is "of the," "from" or "by." The "DN" would stand for don a courtesy title used to refer to/address people of rank. The "FDO" can be used to abbreviate signed or manufactured. The second usage is more likely here.

Debora

 

Deb, thx much, had no idea about FDO. That may start building some logic. Possibly the sgt. mayor named is the one who built this! Why we may never know, but maybe…

 

I'm surprised that there's no expert in Spanish Colonial canons who could easily provide information.

Here's information from wikipedia.org about the role of a sargento mayor. "Sargento mayor ("sergeant major") was a rank immediately below that of maestre de campo in the Spanish tercios of the 16th and 17th centuries. Initially second in rank to a coronel ("colonel") in acolunella, the sargento mayor became second in rank to the maestre de campo after the creation of the tercios in 1534. He took care of the tactical training, security and lodging of the troops of the tercio. He also transmitted the orders of themaestre de campo or the capitán general to subordinate officers."

Here's someone who served in that role. Note he was member of a noble family and painted by Zurbarán.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juan_Bazo_de_Moreda

Debora

 

Found on the internet:

Maestre de Campo: Leader of the Army appointed by the Monarch, commands all regiments

Sargento mayor: Second in command of the Army, takes over if Maestre de Campo can not preform, appointed by the Maestre de Campo.

Debora

 

Cool, never would have guessed, excellent work Deb! Now I’ll throw in a thought I had. This was found buried near a mission. At USNA in the chapel a large old sailing warship was suspended over the pews. It was a votive ship. “
Votive Offerings
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The general name given to those things vowed or dedicated to God, or a saint, and in consequence looked upon as set apart by this act of consecration. The idea is very old (Dhorme, "Choix des textes religeux assyro-babyloniens", XXXVII, Paris, 1907; Aristotle, ”

SINCE this cannon was given the name of a saint, and isn’t useful as a weapon, and bears the name of the donor, it seems to meet the qualifications for a votive object.

And since you told us the Sargento Mayor was a high position, probably a general, it is much more likely he’d make a generous votive offering than a lower rank.

Possible?

 

Ex-voto in gratitude for a victory or other good fortune?

Don't know if it helps in any way to confirm dating, but inscription is for San Juan Baptista while current usage is Bautista.

 

‘I was thinking the ex-voto was just one more thing to be sure God was on your side in all endeavors, like promotions, love, battles, whatever. Same way I think some ppl view how much to put in the offering tray when it comes around.

 

Here’s something maybe related, maybe not. The US Army captured at least two small bronze cannons named after two different Evangelists, one is at West Point and this one is at Ft. McNair, DC. Although they appear completely usable as weapons, I’d like to find out exactly where in Cuba they were what, found? The didactic isn’t any more specific than “Cuba” so who knows. The name winds around the COA and I can’t read it, but maybe Matthew since it is long.

https://flic.kr/p/2p8huhq

 

I know nothing but it’s fascinating and that sounds very plausible.

 

It reads that the cannon was captured in Santiago, Cuba.

Debora

 

The cannon you posted wasn't a useful weapon? I think you'd have to find other examples of cannons or other armaments used as ex-votos for military victories. That said... If it were an official military cannon, I think it would be expected to carry the royal cipher. Apparently, Spanish cannons were cast in Seville and Barcelona. You should be able to find foundry marks from both on the internet to compare with those on yours.

Debora

 

Thanks, you are reading the shiny brass plaque, I missed the city, thanks. I have something about the mate at West Point in their 1929 museum catalog, I’ll take a look.

 

One thing I need to consider is whether the cannon on display in Texas could have come from the Philippines. Hundreds if not thousands of bronze cannons of similar size came to US via soldiers fighting there between about 1898-1906, The Philippine Army actually goes back to at least 1735, at first manned with Spaniards, and gradually transitioned to Filipinos. Its language was Spanish until about 1900. I’m kind of filling in between a very few things I’ve read so I could be wrong. But I’d like to consider the possibility of the Philippines as a source of the Texas cannon as well as its inscription. I’m having a little trouble getting started with info on the Spanish-speaking Philippine Army 1735-1898. Most everything I find re Philippine Army says it only dates from 1935, when it was “officially” formed. I’d love to find a listing of Sargento-Mayor for say Siglo XIX (19th C.) and search it for the donor named on the cannon.

 

I’m pretty much aware of markings on Spanish bronze cannons, my family actually has a collection of them, I’ll get a link to the group photo. While I get that, I’m not aware of any other ex-votos made of cannons, but I’ve seen some references to cannonballs used as such, kept an excerpt if needed. I have pix etc. of another cannon of similar size with interesting engraving about victories if u want posted, owner says he dug it up in garden in Wyoming or somewhere, but I’m 90% sure it is another Philippine war trophy. This was an ARS appraisal for which I have link and screensave. Ppl frequently invent cannon stories “dug up in garden….dug up on the site of a battle of ….” Cannon I posted wasn’t a useful weapon, too small, but if it was in Philippines ca. 1900 the Insurrectos may have used it against U.S. Seville and Barcelona only cast cannons over about 130 lbs, the smaller ones (Esmeril) were cast in the Philippines and North America, closer to the frontiers or jungles where they were needed.

 

This is helpful in understanding the command structure of a Spanish tercio.

Debora

 

Family collection I mentioned. https://flic.kr/p/2oik3Sx

 

Thanks, that’s extremely helpful!