Prussian SYW Artillery Scale Drawings – part 4 – A Spectacular New Source

A truly spectacular new source filled with 18th century military material has been digitalized and made available online. It is the extensive encyclopedic collection of the former Wuerttemberg general Ferdinand Friedrich von Nicolai (*1730 +1814). It belongs to the archive of the Württembergische Landesbibliothek, Stuttgart – or the ‘Wuerttemberg State Library’ in English. It includes several folders on artillery with about the biggest collection of scale drawings I have ever seen. Simply overwhelming it all is. The bulk of the material should originate from the hands of the Zeugmeister or ‘Masters of Ordnance’ of the once so famous Nuermberg Arsenal, but it is also including many drafts illustrating other European Armies guns and other material. Most is of the period around 1700 – and somewhat earlier – to around 1750 or 1760. It does include awsome and most bizzare constructions, such as the one below:

Source: copyright restricted
Digital Collection Württembergische Landesbibliothek.
It is published here for purely academic use without any commercial intention.

The upper draft is a breech loading ‘Quick Firer’ Geschwind-Stück dated 1750 as per this sheets caption on the lower right. But I just love the sheets lower construction.

I consider to quit my present job, and start a new business selling the ‘Ultimate Mole Terminator Solution’. I'll tour all the US golf courses and turn a millionaire within short.
The frustrating part of the story, though, is the fact that only but few sheets give any information apart from foot and/or calibre scales and other measurements. No dating is found, and moreoften no information of what armies ordnance you are looking at. It is for that reason, I was told, this material has never really been employed with accademic research, so far. 
Given my years of studying the subject and the countless illustrations I have done myself during the past years, I can say that I have arrived at a sharpend eye-ball, which now enables me to identify at least some of the material with considerable ease. Browsing the pages of all this fantastic material you suddenly drop on a page with the below content:

Source: copyright restricted
Digital Collection Württembergische Landesbibliothek.
It is published here for purely academic use without any commercial intention.

Now – That could be Prussian! – I thought. And really, the unfolded sheet disclosed a most beautiful looking draft of a Prussian 3-pounder cannon.

Source: copyright restricted
Digital Collection Württembergische Landesbibliothek.
It is published here for purely academic use without any commercial intention.

The sheets caption identifies it as a ‘Prussian 3-pdr battalion gun, 16 calibres or 4 feet long, and weighing 4.5 centner’. Now, what piece is it we are looking at? With all the details provided with my extensivly employed principal source on Prussian gun construction by Malinowsky & Bonin (M&B), it can be identified as Holtzmann's revised M1738 construction dating to around 1747. It should be noted that all the pencil drawn markings and notes found on this sheet were certainly done or added by a ‘Non-Prussian’. We don't know the foot scale employed here for arriving at the authors' ‘4 foot’ length. Its certainly not the Berlin Fuss. The ink drawn parts of this draft should have been done by another earlier author. This earlier authors' draft makes a rather dead-on match with all the figures and dimensions recorded in M&B, such as the widened chamber of the conic bore in order to hold a charge 0.5 the weight of its shot, rather then 1/3 with his initial 1738 master construction. The pieces principal proportions are found by dividing the barrel into 7 parts. The axis was placed into the 3/7, as with the Holtzmann designs of this range in 1738. Hotzmanns' revised 1747 design had added trunnion shoulders, it is said in M&B – and that's precisely what we see here. Also the pieces received gun sights in 1747, which are all neatly added with pencil with this illustration. Another volume of the collection even has a draft of Holtzmanns' 1747 introduced Richtmaschine. Again, despite this sheets little information, with the help of M&B, the 1747 Holtzmann construction can easily be identified. 

The entire collection includes a wealth of ‘Prussian’ drafts, that may either be original Prussian, or copies of original Prussian material. A total of 5 barrel constructions, including the afore Holtzmann 3-pdr are found. Two 6-pdr designs that should be identified as the Dieskau M1754 conic chamber design, a short barrel 12-pdr, 14 calibres long, which is most obviously oncemore a Dieskau M1754 conic chamber design. I'll have investigated this one in detail. Since I have done an earlier tentative reconstruction of this piece in my below article ‘Prussian SYW Artillery scale drawings – part 3’, this one is my ‘revised’ illustration:

The original Nicolai Collection draft is the one seen below.

Source: copyright restricted
Digital Collection Württembergische Landesbibliothek.
It is published here for purely academic use without any commercial intention.

Finally, it also includes a draft of this bizarre ‘super light’ 24-pdr field gun M1744. All figures and dimensions that can be extracted from this draft leave no doubt to its identity. I have presented a tentative reconstruction in my earlier article ‘Prussian SYW Artillery scale drawings – part 2’. I will need to present a revised draft with the new information found in the Nicolai Collection material. Below see a draft of the barrel found here. It is most fantastic, for I thought I'll never manage to ever find an illustration of this piece. Oncemore, I did a closer investigation.

The original Nicolai Collection draft of this 24-pdr is the one seen below.

Source: copyright restricted
Digital Collection Württembergische Landesbibliothek.
It is published here for purely academic use without any commercial intention.

We even find a draft for the carriages bracket cheek for this piece. Very exciting this is to me. 

Source: copyright restricted
Digital Collection Württembergische Landesbibliothek.
It is published here for purely academic use without any commercial intention.

Without doubt, this is the carriage bracket cheek for this piece. Some details provided in M&B make a good match, while some others don't. Especially the manner of the metal fittings do cause me some embarassement, for the time being. Apart from all this spectacular new material available, the collection also includes drafts of the entire Linger M1717 system providing the dimensions for the guns, as well as for the carriages and wheels and furthermore the Linger light 18-pdr howitzer along with the drafts of the Linger M1717 50-pdr mortars. The below sheet is one of three found here.

Source: copyright restricted
Digital Collection Württembergische Landesbibliothek.
It is published here for purely academic use without any commercial intention.

It illustrates the 3- and 6- pdr dimensions, as well as Linger's two 1717 Mortar designs. Also the small cast iron 4-pdr mortar is found here. A forerunner of the later 54 mm infantry heavy weapons light mortar, so to say. 

The Prussian Linger system M1717 range howitzers are also found with another neat illustration.

Source: copyright restricted
Digital Collection Württembergische Landesbibliothek.
It is published here for purely academic use without any commercial intention.

The two left hand drafts I have done earlier based on drafts gathered from elsewhere. These Nicolai collection ones make a fine match. To the right you also see a so entitled ‘Swedish cast iron 16-pdr howitzer’. This piece was apparently also fielded during the period 1717 to 1740. I must confess that I did not bother to have a closer look at the cast iron ordnance of Prussia of this period, as it was almost exclusively guns for fortress armament. Obviously, this cast iron model (imported from Sweden? – hence the name?) had also been fielded.

As you can see, I need to do some more reading and engage in a closer investigation on all this new material. 

By the way, the content of the entire Collection Nicolai can be found here – Link: http://digital.wlb-stuttgart.de/sammlungen/sammlungsliste/werksansicht/?no_cache=1&tx_dlf[id]=3116&tx_dlf[page]=1

Turn to the side bar on the left. All folders here are found in French language

The article will be continued…

Prussian SYW Artillery scale drawings – part 3

Let us return to the Prussian 12-pounders fielded. This particular calibre saw the widest range of models designed and fielded during the Seven Years' War. Of my earlier presented Holtzmann M1738/40 piece, but few saw service, really, for lighter models had been designed and cast from 1743 on. For the campaigns of 1756 and 1757, the two below models formed the core of Prussia's 12-pounder field guns. The two next sheets will present the guns in an increased scale– and with French headlines. The latter is meant to be a salute to my Blogs considerable French reading audience.

The first is the Linger M1744 light construction. I have decided to entitle it the Linger model, though I'm not a 100% sure here. The design may well be the Holtzmann light construction designed and cast in 1743. See also my earlier sheet of the Holtzmann M1738/40 12-pounder. Both pieces should have been much similar and had a slimmer appearance as the original heavier M1738 Hotzmann construction.

The above contemporary drawing, belonging to the Collection of the Copenhagen Arsenal Museum served as the template of my “Linger 12-pounder”. The light design is the centre barrel with the original. The sheet is French headlined: Anciens canons prussiens de 12, à chambres coniques et cylindriques, coulée à Berlin de 1738 à 1744. The adjective "Anciens" (i.e. "former") implies, the copy was done after the Seven Years' War, illustrating constructions "formally" in use with the Prussian artillery. From 1759 on, no chambered bore guns were cast anymore, as the Prussians returned to the more massive common bore designs. The top and bottom barrel can be identified as Holtzmann designs of 1738. The slim centre barrel may either be the lighter Linger or Holtzmann piece. No other designs are recorded for this period in M&B. The drawings concentrate on the principle dimensions, only. The holds have been omitted by the artist, to my understanding, for all Prussian guns had sculptured holds in the shape of griffins or eagles during this period until the Dieskau designed 3 and 6-pounders of 1768. Also most barrel designs by around 1756 would still have the astragal of the vent, while some were already missing the astragal of the chase. Only with new designs during the Seven Years' War – and after – the astragals were omitted as can be seen with the many original barrels of post 1770 casts on display in several museums to the present day.
I have not taken the effort to do a mass calculation based on the given dimensions, for the poor image resolution does not serve to give reliable figures. I'm left with informed guess approximation. I have done mass calculations for the next piece presented, and its attached discussion will give an insight to the sort of figure-wise embarrassments you are likely to be confronted with. This method of approach to find, or at least verify, the true dimensions is furthermore offset by the fact that recorded draft based volume or mass figures of a given barrel often fail to match with cast originals found in todays museum collections. Deviations of 50 or 100 and more pounds, even with lighter 4 or 6-pounders, seem to be the rule, rather then the exception. And it is not false or confused ancient weight figures employed, that make for the funny results, but it should be common deviations found with this periods method of manufacturing in general. In short – mass calculations will serve for some way, but unfortunately not all the way, as I found out with my extensive research. Don't be unsettled by conflicting weight figures, but be on your guard when faced with conflicting general dimensions. The latter should make a close match in any case. A told 16 shot barrel should be 16 shot barrel, and from my numerous measurements done at a good number of original barrels, I can say it holds true – by accepting deviations of plus/minus 1 cm or 0.5 inch.

The next, and rather important design, is the Dieskau M1754 light 12-pounder. It was the lightest – and latest – construction fielded with this branch of position guns at the beginning of the Seven Years' War.

It formed the mainstay of 12-pounders of Frederick's army of Saxony in 1756. The piece's testing complied to the demands. Its shot carried over 2.000 paces. As per the Royal Ordonnance of 25 Nov 1754 (Jany, vol ii, p. 257) it was to become Prussia's single future 12-pounder design. Serial casts commenced during Spring 1755 at the Berlin foundry, replacing the same number of 1740's cast 16 shot length cylindrical chamber bore 12-pounders. 30 pieces to Dieskau's 1754 design plus ten more of the older Holtzmann design contributed by Ferdinand of Brunswick's right wing army group joining with the Magdebourg district regiments were with the Royal Army invading Saxony in 1756. Feld-maréchal Schwerin's Army of Silesia had the older 1740' cast 16 shot length Holtzmann and Linger model 12-pounders, only.
The design of this 14 shot barrel, I investigated in somewhat more detail, for the sources are confusing the known total of 3 different designs, that are all based on the initial 1754 Dieskau construction.

The remaining pieces forming Prussia's heavy position artillery in 1756 were the light 24-pounders and few 10/11-pounder howitzers and gun-howitzers.
The two next images are the Copenhagen Museum Collection's draft of the post Seven Years' War model fielded during the 1770's.

Above plan view illustrates the manpower required when retiring the piece.
The so far presented models formed the Prussian artillery in the campaigns of 1756 and all through 1757 until the battle of Leuthen, 5 December. With this battle, the Prussian's dropped all of  their innovations of the past two decades. Contrary to her adopted doctrine, which relied on very light field guns only,  they reanimated a collosal ‘biest’ from the old ages of gunnery. It is illustrated with the below sheet. The reason was the alarming shortage of heavy guns. Most had been lost during the retreat from Bohemia during the Summer and the further losses with the Prussian reverses suffered at Moys and Breslau. It was sheer desperation, that caused the Prussians to add these obsolete ordnance to the artillery parc.

The piece is really a design based on 17th Century state of the art. It was thought impossible, that guns of this weight could keep up with the pace of the advancing line in a given moving engagement, but on the day of Leuthen, it seemed to have worked fine. The time of season may have helped to provide for the required firm ground. From recorded correspondence, Dieskau as well as Frederick confirm the enormous difficulties of moving the pieces in action. More often they served for no other than an initial preliminary bombardment of the enemy positions and ceased to take any part in the further action once the line started to advance.
However, with Frederick's instructions 30 June 1758 concerning the management of the artillery in case of a battle, directed at his artillery commanders Dieskau and Möller, he intended to have 20 such pieces forming part of a giant 40 cannon grand battery sustaining the attack and keep the pace with the attacking wing of infantry. The original French text is included at the end of this article.
The below sheet shows a similar weight 12-pounder of the Royal Danish ordnance of 1706. Its dimensions are nearly the same.

This sheet is headlined: "Proportion einer 12# Canon mit Laffuite undt Vorstellung [sic.]". Source: original draft found in the archive of the Norwegian Artillery School / Oslo, supplied by Trond Johannessen at www.arkeliet.no . It is part of a 1706 dated German language manuscript titled "Praxis Artilleriae", for the Royal Danish Artillery.

The Danish artillery had adopted the odd conic shaped muzzle design somewhat earlier then the Prussians. It is likewise a 24 shot barrel. The foot scale employed with Danish gun construction was also the Rhenish or Cologne foot scale from the 1680's on, and as a result, Danish calibre scales should have equalled the Prussian ones. The wheels have a height of 58 Zoll, the carriage's bracket cheek front face has a height of 3.5 shot and a length of 35.25 shot or approx. 400 cm (barrel length plus approx. 11 shot) – i.e. very similar to the Prussian M1717 carriage figures. It is just minor details that are different – most obviously the style of the metal fittings. Even the design of the wedges may have been not so different from the Prussian M1717 ones, though, the manuscript does not include any information on Danish wedge designs at all.
I took the effort to also illustrate a Brummer of the later design, of which an original piece with its original carriage is on display at the Paris Musée de l'Armée to the present day.

It has often been falsely identified. The English Wiki-Entry to the French Gribeauval artillery system even makes it a French 12-pounder! It is of course a Prussian cannon, very prominently displayed at the entrance of the museum. Having the opportunity to compare the two models, allows for a better separation and a true identification.

Here are a few pictures of the Paris original I took during my visit of the museum.

The piece has received the French olive green furnish at some stage after it had been captured. It may have seen service with the French army during the Revolutionay Wars or later. Or, it may have been simply the odd decision of a silly curator of the museum in later times. To my observation, some of the original – very weathered Prussian blue furnish – can be detected at the upper part of the naves.

 The front view. Note the metal sheets on top of the naves linking with the axletree. They were termed in German Kotbleche – in English something like ‘dirt sheets’ [?]. This item is found illustrated with the M1774 carriages. Earlier drafts ignore this detail. I cannot say at what date they have been introduced.

Here is a nice detail view to the design of the wedges. The original should have had a twin handle. Part of the machinery must have been lost. The horizontal iron bolt behind the lower face of the transom is clearly visible. On top the transom we see the placement of the lower wedge onto which the upper triangle shaped top wedge is fitted.

Original of Frederick's instructions directed to his artillery commanders, issued in the camp of Prosnitz / Moravia 30 June 1758. [[Transcript in original orthography from Schöning, "Historisch biographische Nachrichten zur Geschichte der Brandenburg–Preußischen Artillerie", vol. ii, Berlin 1844, pp. 113 ff.]]
Les colonels de Dieskau et Moller sont instruit par ceci, ce qu'ils auront à faire en cas de bataille. L'armée n'attaquera qu'avec une aile, comme près de Leuthen, dix bataillons auront l'attaque devant l'armée; si c'est l'aile droite qui attaque, les deux principale batteries seront formées de cette façon:

[order from right to left]: 40 canons de 12 et de 24 livres – 9 bataillons – 7 haubitz de 10 livres – 1 bataillon

Si c'est l'aile gauche qui attaque, on n'a qu'à placer à la gauche ce qu'il y a ici sur la droite et la grande batterie sera toujours placée devant l'armée. Sur l'aile qui n'attaque pas, on transportera les autres canons.

NB. Les 7 haubitz seront reparties dans les 10 bataillons qui forment l'attaque.

Il faut que les canons tirent toujours pour démonter les canons de l'ennemi et lorsqu'il auront éteint leur feu, il faut qu'ils tirent en écharpe, tant sur l'infanterie que sur la cavalerie, qui sera attaquée.

Les batteries seront toujours avancées comme à Leuthen et pourra surtout celle de 40 pièces faire un grand effet si les canoniers tirent bien et qu'ils commencement à tirer à cartouches [read: grape and/or canister] à 800 pas.

Les 20 canons qui sont sur l'aile qui n'attaque pas, y pourront 'a la fin aussi être ajoutés et faire un bon effet, pour mettre l'ennemi en confusion et pour faciliter le choc à nos gens.

Il faudra faire cet arrangement que cette quantité de canons soit tenu ensemble afin que Messieurs les colonels en puissent d'abord disposer.

Ils pendront six pièces de 12 livres avec eux et viendront ici avec les artilleurs pour arriver plus vite et pouvoir faire toutes les dispositions à temps à cheval et ils donneront leurs ordres aux officiers et aux soldats d'avance en conséquence de ceci.

Ces Messieurs ne partiront avec leurs gens que lorsque Mr. le Maréchal [Keith] le leur ordonnera.

Du camp près de Prosnitz [en Moravie] ce 30 Juin 1758.

Frédéric ’’

Prussian SYW Artillery scale drawings – part 2

In order to illustrate Prussian ordnance of the Seven Years' War with its true distinctive features and dimensions, it is necessary to have a look at the 1717 designed ‘new range’ of ordnance, which laid out most of the basic characteristics of all that can be entitled distinctive Prussian in relation to other nations ordnance for the decades to come. The below two sheets have been arranged to give an insight here.

I took the effort to also illustrate the 3-pounder field gun, for it is believed some pieces to this design did see service during the Seven Years’ War, despite being obsolete ‘old school’ by that time. The next sheet will give some insights to the general design of the carriages. I am particularly happy to have unearthed an illustration of the M1717 wedges (Schusskeile). The design is explained in Malinowsky & Bonin, but only with another rare paper authored by Malinowsky, the so much needed illustration could be found. The written description, only, with its many outdated technical terms was found impossible to understand. Source is the periodical Archiv für die Officiere der Königlich Preußischen Artillerie- und Ingenieur-Corps, vol. 8, Berlin 1839. The Darmstadt State- and University Library keeps a copy including the appendix foldouts that are missing with the Google library copy. I hope my English wording is ok. Any corrections and improving suggestions to English wording of the technical terms are highly welcomed. I’m no engineer.

This carriage design remained in use till well into the Seven Years' War. The carriages were furnished blue, and the metal fittings were painted black. The tools and other equipment, such as rammers, wedges, etc. were instead furnished odd grey. Constructors and cartwrights kept modelling about with minor details throughout the period, but in general, this is how the guns looked like. The paired spokes arrangement was found with the 3- and 6-pounders. The heavy guns had wheels with spokes in ordinary arrangement. Only during the course of the Seven Years’ War, a new carriage design seemed to have been introduced. I will get back to this issue with the sheets to come. For the period up to 1759 and beyond, Prussian carriages looked as illustrated. Below, I added a contemporary illustration of the M1717/1722 3-pounder, found in a gunners’ manual dated approx. 1745 (source is the collection of the Rastatt Army Museum/Germany).

This carriage is of the M1717 design, but with bracket cheeks overall 5 D longer than my above illustration (+1 for the trail and +4 for the centre section [Z]). My illustration is based entirely on the details from Malinowsky & Bonin.

The below photo shows – to my understanding – the single original Seven Years’ War carriage that survived to the present day.

Its a 2-pounder piece of 1758 and belongs to the collection of the Stockholm Army Museum / Sweden. From Hans Bleckwenn’s, Die friderizianischen Uniformen 1756 - 1786, we learn only this single piece was fielded – i.e. a solitaire non-royal ordnance design. The barrel was cast and its carriage assembled in Stettin. It was the private effort of a captain von Seebach in an attempt to equip his militia bataillon with a cannon. Apparently, the king refused to give Seebach’s unit a piece of his own royal ordnance. It was soon lost in a combat against the Swedes. Bleckwenn also provides the scale drawing to this piece. I don’t know the origin of Bleckwenn’s sketch, so that I cannot tell the hen from the egg. The sketch, at least, does give us the dimensions.

Most details of the carriage make a good fit with afore described M1717 carriages. Just the non-rounded trail and the use of only a single horizontal bolt near the centre transom deviate from the regulations. Also the wedge design is somewhat special.

From 1738 on, a significant transformation in Prussian gun construction took place. Prussian field cannons became much lighter, thus, more mobile than the M1717 heavy ordnance. This was contrived by reducing the charges, overall barrel length, and metal strength of the gun tubes. 

The Holtzmann 24-pounder served as master-design to which all other calibre pieces were to be proportioned. Several variants seem to have been cast and tested between 1738 and 1744, for the records give several different overall barrel weights for the pieces actually fielded. The below image from the Gohlke booklet served as the template for my illustration.  

It took me a while to realize its caption is complete nonsense. The drawing is absolutely fine, and accepting it is really the 16 shots 24-pounder all dimensions start to make a lot of sense. The signifficant reduction of weight is quite obvious compared to the older early 18th century European standard ordnance illustrated with the two sample barrels. The new design was based on the widespread believe a chambered bore design created much more gas pressure to the round then an ordinary bore design. Based on this observation, Prussians concluded one could arrive at the same power with less charge. Less gunpowder also allowed for the reduction of the barrels metal strength. This way, the same number of guns could be fielded at much less cost, or alternatively, the number of guns could be increased at same cost. Indeed, a best price arrangement hard to resist, for it so much suited the only now evolving Prussian battle tactics. Prussian infantry drill had arrived at outstanding battlefield mobility. All that was missing was a numerous and equally mobile artillery for best close support. Frederick was so enthusiastic about these light pieces, that within a decade, all of the old heavy ordnance was rigorously melted to provide the gunmetal for new casts, or expelled to the arsenals to serve as fortress or siege cannon. By 1756 all Prussian field guns were chambered bore pieces of mostly 16 shots length, a new 12-pounder 14 shots long, and a super light 24-pounder only 12 shots long. The Beauvrye 3-pounder (see below) was the single ordinary bore design remaining, and it can be considered the master design of yet the next transformation of ordnance to come.

The below sheet examines such a light chamber bore barrel design in somewhat more detail. I felt the need to have a closer look, do a very close reading and recreate the true dimensions. The date of introduction varies with the sources. Apparently, the guns were designed in 1738, but first serial casts commenced only in 1740.

Bataillon Guns

I will try to focus on those guns that were most important either for their design or because they were fielded in larger numbers. No less than six different models of 3-pounders were fielded during the course of the war, including the old M1717 piece as well as around 38 Saxon "Quick-Firer" barrels captured at Hohenfriedberg (1745) and adapted to Prussian style by end of 1750. Captured Austrian models are not included here. For easier identification, all pieces – i.e. more precisely the barrels – are commonly named after their designer/constructor along with the date of construction and/or its first serial casts.

On the eve of the war, summer 1756, Prussians mobilized 240 bataillon guns for a total of 126 bataillons (incl. Pionniers and some bataillons tasked for garrison duty not issued any pieces). 62 were newly cast 6-pounders replacing the same number of Holtzmann 3-pounders with a cylindrical chamber bore. The remainder were all 3-pounders. In terms of numbers, the Holtzmann M1740 conic chamber piece was the most common, amounting to near 100 out of the 178 total. Its new and particular light construction replaced the heavy M1717 long barrel pieces from 1740 on. The construction was indeed found to be too light as the campaigns of 1744/1745 revealed. Its' shot hardly carried 1.000 paces. With the widening of the chamber in order to take a larger powder charge, its shot now carried up to 1.500 paces. Nevertheless, after 1745/47, no new pieces were cast to this model, it seems. New designs were given the preference instead. One such new design was the Beauvrye M1746 piece, which seems to have been designed in response to the shortcomings of the Holtzmann M1740 piece. It had a longer barrel, but was still much lighter then the old M1717 piece. From this model, only 18 casts at the Berlin foundry are documented. Some more pieces may well have been cast, for these tables are incomplete, but this model was fielded in much fewer numbers as the Holtzmann piece. Also in 1746, general Linger designed a conic chamber barrel 20 shots long and somewhat lighter then the Beauvrye piece. Apparently, now this new Linger model was given the preference, as around 60 pieces are believed being cast up till 1756. The light barrels seemed to have been mounted on an equally lightened carriage. Bracket cheeks were shorter, and also the wheels were scaled less high. The illustrated 42 inches wheel is based on the Beauvrye piece illustration found in Gohlke, Geschichte der gesamten Feuerwaffen bis 1850. The Holtzmann 24-pounder had 51 inches wheels. Therefore the 2 remaining 6 and 12-pounder calibres must have had wheels scaled between these two extremes. See also below near contemporary painting “Seydlitz at Rossbach”.

The gun seen here can be identified either as the Beauvrye or the Linger 3-pounder. The uniform details look all rather authentic. The cannon may well be just as authentic. Note the gunners ‘flail-rammer’ as well as the bricoles slung around the gunners’ shoulders. This gun also comes with rather small wheels.

The Beauvrye piece is of interest because according to a paper by Hans Bleckwenn it is quite certain that it was attached to the Berlin region infantry regiments Prinz Heinrich (IR 35), Münchow (IR 36), Fredericks' own Praetorians ( IR 15/I. Leibgarde), and possibly also the other Guards bataillons in 1756. They had them with all their Potsdam exercises during the early 1750’s, as it is recorded in a diary of the Guards officer von Scheelen (see: Hans Bleckwenn / Engl. translation by Digby Smith: Prussian Field Gun Models in Relation to General Tactics. Original articles in the Zeitschrift für Heereskunde, 1957, Numbers 154, 155, 156, 157. 1958/1 Jan-Feb.)

Above we see another battalion gun from the period of approx. 1700. Also with rather low wheels. It's an original Bavarian 1-pounder (caliber approx. 5 cm). It is in the current exhibition of the Bavarian Army Museum at Inglostadt. I haven't bothered to make elaborate measurements. The wheels have a height of less then 90 cm. My friend A*** is serving as ambulant scale reference. He is 184 cm tall (including his missing head:-)) The barrel should be a 27 or 30 shot class barrel or approx. 135 or 150 cm long. A very popular length for 1 or 2-pounder pieces of this period.

As I am discussing the Prussian range of early Seven Years’ War bataillon guns, this chapter can be completed with also presenting the M1754 light 6-pounder by Dieskau.

Holtzmann’s M1740 range also included a 16 shots 6-pounder, but only few have been fielded during the campaigns of 1741 and 1742. It was only little more effective then the 3-pounder but requiered more horses for it’s draught. For this reason it was removed from the field inventory. The remaining Linger 3-pounder had a 20 shots barrel (144 cm) and should have looked much like the Beauvrye piece.

The sole type of bataillon gun not disscused being a 1-pounder Amusette. Such a piece was initially allocated to the Prussian Frei-Bataillons raised during the Seven Years’ War at a ratio of 1 piece per bataillon. From 1759 or 1760 on, they all received 3-pounders instead. Moreoften captured Austrian pieces. Little information could be found here. The first pieces used were really captured Saxon models found in the arsenals of Dresden and Freiberg. With near certainty, the carriage was a `wheelbarrow` type, in which a horse could be harnessed between the shafts. This type of carriage was known all across Europe and fielded with many armies. In Britain it was entitled Galloper gun.

Also of interest may be the innovative limbers, that came with the Prussian bataillon guns. A combination of limber and ammunition cart.

Position Guns

In 1756, and all through 1757, Prussian heavy or ‘Position Artillery’ consisted of chamber bore 12-pounders, either 16 or 14 shots long, and a super light 24-pounder. Furthermore several 10/11-pounder howitzer models. The first sheet presents the 16 shot barrel 12-pounders.

Once more an image of the ‘real pieces’. Above image shows a number of barrels on display at the Vienna Heeresgeschichtliches Museum (HGM). No 1 is a Dieskau M1759 ‘Austrian-type’ 12-pounder, 18 shots long. A cast of 1781 it seems, as per the little information I was able to aquire from the museum. This would be confirmed by the shape of the rounded button which started to appear with casts of 1774 and later. No 2 could be identified as the M1758 ‘Austrian-type’ 12-pounder. A 16 shots barrel (182 cm) Apparently a cast of 1758. It's weight, as per the barrel's engraving is 1,680 pounds (785.4 kg). No 3 behind is a Dieskau 6-pounder M1768/71, 18 shots long (or more preceisely 18.2). Again a cast of after 1774 because of it’s rounded button. This piece came without holds/griffins. And to the rear No 4 we have a mighty 24-pounder. As per it’s mouldings, the piece should be either M1754 or the earlier M1717. Both were quite similar. No 5 is an Austrian 6-pounder. The non sculpted holds and the rounded button would also make it as a 1770 or later cast. The barrel in the left foreground is a Russian Unicorn (date of cast unknown). the bore is larger then the Prussian 12-pdr next to it. Should be a 15 cm class calibre, roughly equalling a 24-pdr bore. As one can see with this rather random arrangement of barrels, the Prussian barrels do have a presence of their own, and do stand out from the crowd by the sheer size of the sculpted griffins. In particular the 24-pounder looks awesome.
The next piece I like to introduce is the rather special design ‘super-light’ 24-pounder M1744. The below draft is the 2021 revised illustration of the piece based on original source. As a result, my earlier 2013 presented piece is now somewhat obsolete, especially with regard of the barrel design. The revised barrel construction can be found in my article Prussian SYW Artillery Scale Drawings – part 4 – from 04 January 2016.

Next to the 12-pounders, this piece, along with the equally eccentric 10/11-pounder ‘howitzer-gun’ designed the same year were meant to be the mainstay of the Prussian ‘heavy’ field artillery with the early Seven Years‘ War campaigns, all through 1758. Both were fielded for the first time with the Prussian invasion of Bohemia in 1744.

The 24-pounder is said to have done particular good service at the battles of Hohenfriedberg (1745) and Roßbach (1757). From 1758 on, it gradually became out of use, as it was replaced by the introduction of a new range of more powerful 12-pounders. Next is the 10/11-pounder ‘howitzer-gun’. Both pieces just belong together. They have been designed the same year, and their special construction, along with Holtzmann‘s Klemmkartätschen entitled grape rounds – especially designed for these two pieces – can be deduced only from an understanding of their intended tactical employment. 

Frederick was a great promoter of cannister and grape, in favour of ordinary shot, to be employed with the guns in a given action. To his observation, with the early Silesian Wars‘ battles, cannister and grape did far more damage as roundshot. But cavalry could not really be harmed with conventional cannister rounds at medium ranges. It was the Austrian cavalry, that had been the biggest threat to the Prussians in the battles of Mollwitz 1741, and Chotusitz, 1742. This shortcoming of Prussian 1740 ordnance must have been the inspiration to create a range of ordnance capable of firng destructive grape rounds out to longer distances. The naked figures expressed with the two illustrated barrels leave no doubt to the intention of their design. Frederick‘s 1749 tactical instructions gives the most evident hintsight. He advised to place a battery of 4 24-pounders and 4 10/11-pounder howitzers on the wings of the infantry line. From this position they were tasked to aim at the oposing cavalry in particular by employing Holtzmann‘s Klemmkartätschen.

In addition to the long barreled 10/11-pounder howitzer, also shorter barrels of approx. 6.5 D length were designed.

Above image shows a Prussian 10-pounder howitzer barrel on display at the Vienna Heeresgeschichtliches Museum (HGM). It should be the 'heavy' M1766 for the siege artillery, which is revealed by the rather massive dimensions of the first reinforce. The barrel was approx. 6.5D long (108 cm).

Of less importance is below 18-pounder. The principal howitzer piece of the pre-1740 period. The last 10 pieces to this design were cast at the Berlin foundry in 1744, it seems. A few were mobilized during the SYW. However, the mainstay of howitzers was the 10 or 11-pounder during the early campaigns and the light 7-pounders fielded in growing numbers from 1758 on.

I needed to do the piece in order to understand the method of proportioning a howitzer carriage in relation to it‘s barrel. Most turorials of the period simply state they were quite similar to the proportioning of a cannon carriage, and that would be about all that is said. Also below illustration is part of this research work. It is based on the single draft of a Prussian howitzer, I was able to find. In fact, 2 such pieces must have been part of Feld-Maréchal Lehwaldt‘s East-Prussian Corps of 1757 – after the battle of Groß-Jägersdorf – as replacement of the 10-pounder howitzer pieces lost in this battle.

more pieces to follow …

7YW Artillery – the Prussians are coming

I finally managed to get started with the Prussian ordnance fielded during the Seven Years' War. It is a most interesting subject to me, for there is so little image material found with the commercially available books on the Prussian army. Even with rare ones, long out of print. 
I'm so fond with the first results, that I thought of sharing it in advance.
The below first illustration, therefore, is a sort of sneak preview, as I worked off-scale my regular sheet format. More details are to follow with my next completed sheet.

More information on Prussian artillery will soon be available in English language published in the Smoothbore Ordnance Journal by Digby Smith and Stephen Summerfield. Digby Smith has also done a wonderful translation of a rare paper by Hans Bleckwenn focusing on Prussian 7YW artillery.

At this point I wish to thank all who have supplied me with this wealth of material. I have received great support from many countries ranging from the US, UK, Denmark, Italy, France, and Germany. I have also received the official permission of the Stockholm Army Museum to use their image material.
My initial decision, to do this project in English language rather then in German turned out to be a good one. The audience grows so much larger.
My special thanks to David Morfitt ("Not by Appointment" Blog at nba-sywtemplates.blogspot.de ), who has contributed the nice illustrations of the Prussian barrels and carriages insignia.
Regarding the 'source situation’ on Prussian artillery which enables me to reconstruct the 7YW period pieces, I will draw most heavily on the single most valuable 4 volume work by Malinowsky & Bonin, Geschichte der brandenburg–preussischen Artillerie, vol. II, Berlin 1841. It provides most detailed descriptions on the evolution on barrel and carriage design, but comes without images. Regarding images, most authors work with the same four of five illustrations again and again, which implies not much has survived WWII. The former Berlin Zeughaus Museum owed a large collection of scale models of which but few pieces survived. Also the Potsdam Heeresarchiv had loads of scale drafts of about all pieces ever fielded or designed in Prussia. All was lost with a devasting air raid April 1945, it seems. Some scale drawings did survive in Germany or other collections, such as Denmark. Most are post 7YW, but are of good help nevertheless. 
To make matters worse, some glaring errors are found with correctly identifying some of the images. None of the more recent Historians such as Dr. Hans Bleckwenn, Die fridrizianischen Uniformen, Osnabrück 1987; or Martin Guddat, Kanoniere Bombardiere, Pontoniere, Herford 1992 seem to have noticed. The flaws start with the 1911 published little booklet by Gohlke, Geschichte der gesamten Feuerwaffen bis 1850. Gohlke comes with 3 sample images of Prussian guns. Two of the three have false captions. Bleckwenn, at least, was more cautious with presenting his 12-pounder illustration "claimed" to be mounted on a M1762 carriage. Martin Guddat less so. He presents several images of a 12-pounder scale model, a black and white photo of another 12-pounder unlimbered and a 24-pounder limbered, and fails to notice that it is all different photographs of the same piece. It's a scale model of the "Austrian-type" 12-pounder designed by Dieskau in 1759, 18 shots long, and mounted on a M1774 carriage. Bleckwenn illustrated the piece in his book. The barrel design is equally the model for the casts of 1774 or later. The carriage is of similar design as with the heavy 12-pounder nicknamed "Growler" (German: Brummer) on display at the Paris Musée de l'Armée to the present day. A barrel 22 shots long and first cast in 1761. The famous "Growlers" first fielded at Leuthen in 1757 were heavy fortress or siege guns with 24 or 26 shots barrels, not the model on display in Paris. It's dimensions was rather close to the French Vallière 12-pounder found in my January 2012 post.