-
I" 1
Famous Collection
Of Relics of Battle
An interesting object lesson of thu In
variable success of American arms In uvory
conlllct lu which thoy havo been engaged
is afforded by the line display of trophies
at the bis granltu building occupied by tho
State, War and Navy departments, rotates
thu Washington Star. Tho collection of
these trophies Includes over twenty speci
mens of ancient and modern ordnance cap
tured in various critical stages of our his
tory from thu days of tho revolution down
to tho recent war with Spain. These guns
have been mounted in good taste and to tho
best advantage at tho north front of tho
War department and nt tho east front of
tho Navy department. The work of placing
them was performed by Captain llalrd, chief
engineer of t lie navy, who Is superintendent
of the State, War and Navy departments,
with tho valuable assistance of Foreman
Jim Campbell and a gang of laborers.
"Jim" Is a typical inun-'o-wur's-man and
managed the dlllleult work of mounting the
heavy ami unwieldy guns with as few ap
pliances as possible, relying mainly an
tackle, handspikes and wedges. lining, ho
says, "an old rope-yarn sailor," he believes
in "squiring" everything "with tho lifts
and braces."
There are several real works of art
among the old bronze guns which now
decorate tlo front of the big building and
stand as silent monuments of the military
prowess of tho United States.
Among tho most interesting of tho col
lection nro two bronze guns mimed "St.
Matthew" and "St. Mark" ("San Mateo"
and "San Marco"), captured In Mexico.
They belonged to a battery of four guns.
Of tho other two ono named St. Luke Is
at Governor's Island, New York, and tin
other, named St. John, Is at the Hurehard
library In Fromnnt, 0. It was tho custom
of tho Spaninrds to name tholr guns, some
for saints, somo for warriors, etc. These
two guns nro on mounts made In tin
superintendent's shops lu the building The
guns are hut 2'i Indies caliber.
Iti'lle ol' Hie Revolution.
Another gun is a revolutionary trophy
surrendered nt Yorktown In 177.". It Is a
hnr.dsomo casting and n verltablo work of
art. Cist on It Is the British crown and
tho monogram of Gcorgo II. It has the
stamp of tho maker's name, "Schnleh
1717." Its caliber is three and seven
eighths Inches.
A Mo.rnn war trophy Is n slx-pounder
hrrnzo gun named "Corbero," which has
tho Spanish crown nnd monogram of Carlos
IV on It. It is marked, "Cast in Seville
3d July, 17S9," but the maker's name does
not appear. Corbero, in mythology, was tho
three-headed dog which guarded tho gates
of Hades. Tho caliber of tho gun Is three
and three-eighths Inches. It Is a beautiful
casting.
Tho collection Includes a relic of tho civil
war which Is of interest. It was originally
n forty-two-pounder United States army
cast iron "Columblnd," and is ono of tho
guns used In thu defense of Fort Sumtor.
After Its capturo by tho confederates It
was carried, with Its mate, to tho Tredegar
lion works, In Richmond, whero it was
rifled and reinforced by a wrought Iron
band. From the notes of Mr. 10. H. Archer,
chief engineer of tho Tredegar Iron works,
nnd who was formerly an engineer in tho
United States nay, It appears that theso
two guns, nfter being rilled, "wero ro
chipped to Lieutenant Colonel Wnddy at
Charleston, S. C, 27th April, 1SGL" As
Ihero Is tho impression of n shot on the
reinforce, there Is left no doubt that tho
gun was used by tho confederates. Its
gnat preponderance, duo to tho wrought
iron band, madu tho gun very hard to
handle.
Ciinliireil tit NiiiiUhkii.
Tho gun located Immediately behind tho
Sumtor relic is n bronze Spanish piece cap
tured ut Santiago do Cuba lu 1898 by tho
army. It Is a beautiful piece of work in
bronze. It was cast at Douay, in France,
1G'J3, by Kollerltuguro, a Helvetian, accord
ing to tho legend on tho gun. Its caliber Is
six Inches, its weight O.f.uu pounds. Thu in
scriptions "Ultima Hallo Uegum" (Tho Last
Argument of the Kings), "Lo Marechal,
Due do Humleres" (Field Marshal, Duko of
Humieres), aru upon It. It also bears u
crown, n blazing sun and tho motto of
Louis XIV, "Nee plurihus Impar." It was
taken from tho mouth of the harbor, either
frctn tho Morro or Socapa.
Near by Is n modern gun lu briiuzu, pol
ished, lilted for a Krupp breech block. It
was in rule In Sovlllo lu 1S9.1 and was cap
tured by our army at Santiago. It Is rilled,
three and ono-lmlf inches caliber and
weighs 1,032 pounds. There Is no record of
tho breech block. It Is believed the enemy
tl row It away to disable the gun.
A three nnd three-toiirth-lnch bionzo
Mexican trophy Is named "Ml Despojador''
(The Kcniovor of Obstacles). It was east
by Hernado Antonio (iuerrero at Manila lu
17S0 and Is beautifully designed ami exo-
LAYING TUB COHNKHSTONH OF COUNCIL IILl'FFS HIGH SCHOOL,
culcd. Tuu uiollo "Violali Fulmliui Huxis"
(Thunderbolts of thu Olfeuded King) ap
pears on It; ulso the Spanish crown and
nanogram of "Carlos HI, King of Spain
ami India." Another inscription translated
reads:
"In tho year 1780 thesu riiilippluo Islands
were governed by thu high lord, Don J. 1'.
II. llasco y Liargus, knight muster of tho
corporation of the City of Honda, of thu
Order of St. James, captain of thu uuvy
and of thu Uuyal Armada, governor and
captain general, president of tho court,
etc." Stamped on thu breech of thu gun
thero appears, "Mu hizo en Manila, Hur
undo Antonio Guerrero" (Hernado Antonio
Guerrero madu mu lu Manila). Thu bronze
Is of u rich yellow color. There Is no
record of the Held carriage on which this
gun rests.
AniilliiT S 1 1 1 1 i i m 1 1 (inn.
A beautiful bronze gun, four and one-fourth-inch
caliber, captured at Santiago
in 1898, is named "Lo Fuurbu" (Thu Knave),
with thu motto, "Ultima Kutiu Ituguiu." It
hns "Louis Charles du llourbuu, Comtu
d'Ku, Due d'Aumale," also cast on it. llelow
this Is a blazing sun, thu French crown and
tho motto, "Neo plurihus Impar. " Further
Inscriptions show It was made by Ilerengur
lJonicourt, at Douay, in France, 10th Sep
tember, 1710. Tho Kuglisli and French guns
uiiually have the fouudur's name, but thu
guuu madu In Spain have nut.
In thu collection Is u -1. 02-Inch bronze
twelvo-puunder, surrendered by tho Sara
toga convention. It was mada by lloweu In
17M. Thu mottoes, "Trln Iiinctn lu Uno,"
"A Hego ut Victoria, " "Honl soil qui mal y
pensu," and "Dleu ut inon droit," nro cast
upon It.
There Is also another revolutionary relic,
which eamu to us through the Saratoga
convention. It was made by W. Ilowen In
1719. The inscription "A ut nuiuiuam tunts
nut porllco" appears on It. Also, "Thu
Itight Hon. Lord George Suckvlllo, Lt. G
and tho rest of the principal olllcers i.f h
MaJ. Orduanco." Following tills Is "llenl
bolt iul mal y pensu" and "DIuu et moil
droit."
Another mount Is ono of a pair of nine,
inch bronze mortars, captured by our army
at Santiago do Cuba In 1898. They were
last at Seville In 1780. The Spanish crown,
tho monogram of Carlos III and the above
dati and place of casting nro cast on them.
Tho are works of art and weigh 1,200
pounds each.
Another now trophy 1b n bronze gun of
French make, captured by our army at
Santiago In 1898. It was east at Douay,
Franco, 27th July, 1718, by Jenn Marltz. It
is a gem of bronze work, lis namn Is "Lo
Faiounho" (Tho Flerre); its motto, "Ultima
Hallo Hokum." Tho Hour de Us (the oni
blcin of thu hoiiHo of the Dnurbons)
appears on ll, as it ili.i h in .ill gun of
French make. There also appear "Louis
Charles de llourbon, ('mute il'Ku, Due
d'Aiinialo," the French crown, coat of arms,
tho motto of Louis XIV, "Nee plurihus llll
par," and u bhi.lug huh.
A beautifully polished and engraved
tin in ii t a i ll howitzer, I'-;, Inches caliber, is
marked "Val Verde, No. tl." The name of
"Lt. McCormick" am! the date. 21st Feb
ruary, 18ii2, are engraved on It.
There In another cast-iron howitzer, fiV&
inch caliber, which was presented to the
republic of Texas by Major General T. I.
Chambers.
It has the single star of Texas east on It.
Siirri-iiilcri'il liy Hie llrllUli.
A live nuil three-quarter inch brouzu
howitzer Is a revolutionary trophy. 'Mm
ii'onoginui of George II, and the name of
It. Gilpin, 1700, aru cast on lt. It Is a
particularly handsome bionze easting, lt
was surrendered by the Saratoga coineni bin
October 17, 1777.
lu another group are two ship's guns,
carroiiades, of east linn, four uml llvo-elghths-lnch
caliber, made by W. lloweu in
17.11) ami 1700, which also came to us through
the Saratoga convention. Thoy nre without
embellishments or iccords. They are well
proportioned for tho powder and projectiles
used lu thu last century.
There Is a peculiar thioc and one-half-Inch
bronze rllle. A transverse section of
the gun shows the bore as hexagonal, In
stead of having the ordinary bands and
grooves. It shows the Spanish eiown, and
"F. do S., 1801. No. 9122," east on It. No
further record can be found of the gun.
A six nun oiio-hnlf-luch bronze seacoast
rllle, captured by tho army at Santiago In
1898, is u haiidsomo casting. Its name.
"Fanntlco," appears on ll, iiIno the Spanish
crown, the monogram of ('alios III an I
"Hi villi', 2'J May, 1779," but not the found
er's name.
On thu east sldo of the building, at the en
tianeo of tho Navy department, tho sec
retary of tho navy has placed two very
1 it lit If til bronze guns, eaplilied by tho lleel
in dor Dewey ut Manila, May 1, 181)8.
They aro crossed with large anchors. One
has tho monogram of ('alios III, and was
cast nt Seville, February 21, 1777; the other
the monogram of Carlos IV, was east at
Manila October 23, 1789. One Is mimed
"HI Ilellcoso" (The Warlike), and the other
"Gaidumi" (The Martin). The names of
tho founders do not appear. All tho guns
brought from Manila by the navy, except
ing theso two, have been given lo thu
stntis, national cemeteries, etc. There lire,
howover. two steed breech loading rllles now
on tho way from Manila which will also
bo mounted In front of tho Navy depart-ment.
