The Kansas in the Civil War Message Board

Description of Guns Captured at Mine Creek

THE CAPTURED GUNS,- Eight of the nine cannon captured by General Pleasanton from Price have arrived, and are regarded as great curiosities. The ninth gun was taken by the Kansas troops as their share of the trophies. Seven of the captured pieces have been rifled, in two senses, viz: From the United States Government and by the manufacturer, and are all marked “U.S.” Constant use has almost worn out the thread or rifle. They would not again be used by the Union army, but condemned as unserviceable. Six of the cannon are marked Harris’ bat. Mo. Vol. Five of them are twelve pounders. The sixth is a parrott gun, probably of Southern manufacture, although the ammunition box is marked St. Louis arsenal. Two of the other pieces are marked “Captain G. Stange, Battery E, Second Missouri Artillery.” These were probably captured in Arkansas. The ninth is a brass eighteen pound howitzer, marked “U.S.” The caissons belonging to these guns were either not captured or were left behind. Most of the carriages were badly shattered, and gave signs of having been fixed by novices of wheelrights. The howitzer truck was marked “Phoenix Works, New Orleans.”