Pack Howitzer

[Subdeacon Joe]

 

Fort Benton Museums and Heritage Complex

 

Like This Page · 11 hrs · 

 

 

 

This photo is of the weather vane that was on the cupola of the kitchen at “Old” Fort Benton. It was purchased more than twenty years ago by the River and Plains Society and the Montana Historical Society. It is currently on display at the Montana Historical Society Museum in Helena. There is a great story about how the vane became so damaged published in the Fort Benton River Press on December 24, 1884.

“In November 1865, Acting Governor Thomas Francis Meagher and Gad Upson, Indian agent to the Blackfeet, arranged a peace treaty. Thousands of Blackfeet assembled at Fort Benton for the ceremony, camping on the Fort Benton bottom. A large train of the Diamond R transportation company was also camped on the flats. They had transported a four-pound howitzer on the back of a faithful mule from the steamer Shreveport that had unloaded her cargo at Cow Island. The howitzer had been left for the protection of the freight and came with the last of the supplies.

The men in charge of the ‘little gun’ conceived the idea of showing the immense congregation of Indians its strength by discharging it from the back of a mule. The howitzer, loaded with grapeshot, was securely fastened upon the back of a large, sleepy looking train mule with the muzzle pointed toward the tail, and the patient, unsuspecting animal was led to the bank of the river near the present site of T. C. Power & Bro.’s store, and a target set up across the river. The rear of the mule was aligned with the target, and the train men, officers, curious old timers, and wondering Indians were arranged in a semi-circle around the mule.

The appointed chief of ceremonies advanced and when all was in readiness inserted a time fuse in the touch-hole of the howitzer and then retired. In a short time the quiet, unruffled mule heard a fizzing just back of his ears, which made him uneasy, and he immediately began to turn his head to investigate. As he did so his body turned and the howitzer began to take in other points of the compass. The mule became more excited as his curiosity became more and more intense, and in a few seconds he either had his four feet in a bunch, making more revolutions a minute than the bystanders dared to count, with the howitzer threatening destruction to everybody within a radius of a quarter of a mile, or he suddenly would try standing on his head with his heels and howitzer at a remarkable angle in the air. The train men and Indians scattered pell-mell over the flat toward the bluffs, running as if they thought that in flight lay their only safety, and that, too, at a rate of speed much greater than grapeshot. Judging from the alacrity with which Col. Broadwater, H. A. Kennerly, Joe Healy and Mose Solomon slid over the bank of the river, they were not opposed to immersion; Matt Carroll, George Steell and James Arnoux sprinted toward the store, Hi Upham, John J. Healy and Bill Hamilton began to throw up breastworks with their sheath knives, while I. G. Baker and one or two of the peace commissioners were turning back-springs toward the fort.

While the mule, with his heels in mid-air, was shaken with the most violent agitation, there was a puff of smoke, a thud, and the mule—oh, where was he? Ask of the winds, for not a soul saw him, and they will tell you a lonely, forlorn mule might have been seen turning over and over until he tumbled over the bank with his howitzer and cast anchor in the river. The shot went toward the fort, striking the figure of a buffalo [weather vane] that was used as an advertisement at the fort, and which hung there until the last two or three years, and which many of the citizens of Fort Benton will remember was well perforated with balls. Further investigation has brought to light the fact that X. Beidler (of vigilante fame) was the commander in chief elected, and that it was his first buffalo.”

Most other accounts have the Native Indian guests sitting stoically in their circle, wondering about the antics of the white man.

[Tex Jones, SASS 2263]

An early "hold my beer and watch this" moment.

[Cold Lake Kid, SASS # 51474]

"We'll just load and fire the cannon from the back of the mule and save taking it off and putting it back on.

What could possibly go wrong?"

[Trailrider #896]

I do have one question: Why was there a "fizzing" from the canon, as in a fuse having been lit.  I was under the impression that friction primers actuated by a lanyard was the way ordnance was fired, and had been since the CW.

[Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984]

34 minutes ago, Trailrider #896 said:

I do have one question: Why was there a "fizzing" from the canon, as in a fuse having been lit.  I was under the impression that friction primers actuated by a lanyard was the way ordnance was fired, and had been since the CW.

 

Quote

inserted a time fuse in the touch-hole of the howitzer