- Collection:
- Georgia Historical Markers
- Title:
- The Athens Double-Barrelled Cannon historical marker
- Creator:
- Seibert, David, 1941-2020
- Date of Original:
- 1996/2014
- Subject:
- Historical markers--Georgia--Clarke County
Curiosities and wonders--Georgia--Athens - Location:
- United States, Georgia, Clarke County, Athens, 33.96095, -83.37794
- Medium:
- photographs
- Type:
- Still Image
- Format:
- image/jpeg
- Description:
- Location: Athens City Hall Square, Corner of College and Hancock Avenues, Athens
Text of marker: "THE ATHENS DOUBLE-BARRELLED CANNON. This cannon, the only known one of its kind, was designed by Mr. John Gilleland, a private in the "Mitchell Thunderbolts," an elite "home guard" unit of business and professional men ineligible because of age or disability for service in the Confederate army. Cast in the Athens foundry, it was intended to fire simultaneously two balls connected by a chain which would "mow down the enemy somewhat as a scythe cuts wheat." It failed for lack of a means of firing both barrels at the exact instant. It was tested in a field on the Newton's Bridge road against a target of upright poles. With both balls rammed home and the chain dangling from the twin muzzles, the piece was fired; but the lack of precise simultaneity caused uneven explosion of the propelling charges, which snapped the chain and gave each ball an erratic and unpredictable trajectory. Lacking a workable firing device, the gun was a failure. It was presented to the City of Athens where, for almost a century, it has been preserved as an object of curiosity, and where it performed sturdy service for many years in celebrating political victories. 029-5 GEORGIA HISTORICAL COMMISSION 1957" - External Identifiers:
- Metadata URL:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_ghm_the-athens-double-barrelled-cannon
- Digital Object URL:
- http://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/do:dlg_ghm_the-athens-double-barrelled-cannon
- Language:
- eng
- Rights Holder:
- Copyright held by David Seibert. Please contact markers@davidseibert.com about commercial reproduction and use
- Holding Institution:
- Digital Library of Georgia
- Rights:
-
