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An included report from John Sexton in 2016 states: “This is the only
bronze Confederate North Carolina surcharged cannon in private
hands” and indicates it was from the collection of Val J. Forgett
Jr., founder of Navy Arms Co., and was “his prize.” He further
noted that Val Forgett III noted that the family that owned
it before attributed it as a gift of Union General Abner
Doubleday and that he stated it “was made for the
Governor of North Carolina’s battery, which is why it
had NC embossed on the top of the tube between
the trunnions. It was captured by General Abner
Doubleday at the Battle of Falling Waters and given
to the Spaulding family of Cooperstown, New
York. My father purchased it from the Spaulding
family at their Estate sale in Cooperstown in
1980, which I recall quite well.” In 2016, Mr.
Sexton noted only three Confederate bronze
cannons had been auctioned in the last 30
years and that at Gettysburg there was only
one bronze six-pounder and that it was in
Branch’s North Carolina Battery commanded
by Captain Alexander Latham and attached
to General Hood’s Division. He also notes:
“Falling Waters battle occurred on retreat
from Gettysburg, July 14, 1863 on Lee’s
retreat form Gettysburg. Doubleday was not
there but General George Armstrong Custer’s
cavalry captured three battle flags and two
cannon, types not mentioned in report. So
maybe, there is some basis for family legend.”
These Tredegar 6-pounder field guns were
nearly indistinguishable in shape from the
Federal Model 1841 6-pounder field guns. Field
guns were some of the most effective weapons
of the Civil War due to being mobile, durable, and
packing plenty of punch. The Tredegar foundry first
opened in 1837 and remained active until April of
1865. West Point graduate Joseph Anderson became the
supervisor of the foundry and later purchased the company
in 1854. The foundry was the largest iron producer in the whole
South by the outbreak of the war, and manufactured over 1,000
cannons for the Confederate war effort in a variety of patterns in
addition to other iron goods. They were the only foundry in
the Confederate States capable of building heavy ordnance
such as the massive Brooke rifles, and, due to the protected
location in Richmond survived the duration of the Civil
War. It has a 3.67 inch diameter (6-pounder) smooth
bore, foundry number “1130” marked on the face of the
muzzle, “N.C.” (North Carolina) above smaller “LG” on the
top center of the tube, “1861” date on the left trunnion,
“J.R.A&CO:/T.F.” (J.R. Anderson & Co. and Tredegar
Foundry) on the right trunnion, and “247” weight on the
side of the base. Includes a professionally built unmarked
wooden carriage with loading tools. The consignor noted
the carriage was built by Tom Bailey using original irons.
The tube measures approximately 66 inches from muzzle to
cascabel, with a 57 1/2 inch inside bore length, with overall
measurements including the carriage approximately 124
inches long by 79 inches wide by 57 1/2 inches tall.
CONDITION: Fine overall, with attractive natural aged patina, and
defined markings. Carriage is very fine, with nearly all of the green and
black painted finishes. This is an extremely rare example of a Confederate
Tredegar Foundry J.R.A. & Co. 6-Pounder field gun, worthy of being a prominent centerpiece
in any advanced Civil War collection!
Provenance: The Val Forgett Jr. Collection; A Private Collection.
Estimate: 250,000 - 350,000
Tredegar Foundry
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