Posts discussing the 12-pdr Model 1857 Light Field Gun, a.k.a. the “Napoleon”:
The First American “Napoleons”
Federal
Cyrus Alger production
Ames Manufacturing production
Henry N. Hooper production
Greenwood (Eagle Iron Works) production
Revere Copper production
Confederate
Overview of Confederate Types
Leeds & Company Napoleons, called “Type 2″ by some secondary sources – A look at the guns and more on the weapon’s background
Quinby & Robinson Type 3 Napoleon
Augusta Arsenal Napoleons (Type 5)
Charleston Arsenal Napoleons (Type 5)
Columbus Arsenal Napoleons (Type 5)
Macon Arsenal Napoleons (Type 5)
Tredegar bronze Type 5 Napoleons
Type 6: Confederate Iron Napoleons from Tredegar
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One question comes into my mind when looking at all those photos of guns from the Civil War you have collected here with all those fantastic posts from your enormous research, givin me a lot of hours of joyfull studying.
Guns were either made of Bronze, Iron or Steel. Today your photos show that the Iron/Steel guns are all painted black while all Bronze guns stand beautifully patinated without paint.
The Iron and Steel guns would either have been painted or treated with the preservation methods you use for hand-weapons today (if they knew that process then), otherwise they would be rusting rather fast, giving the crew a lot of work removing the rust and oiling the gun, but that would leave a rather shiny surface, visible at very long distance.
Now to my question:
Would Bronze guns be painted too, or would they just be left to get their patina (starting with a matt brownish surface that after many years would get the greenish color you see today)?
This would either have left the guns very shiny for the first months or they would have gotten a chemical treatment at the factory, giving them the matt brownish patina they would get by time.
Just curious, knowing all the effords soldiers do today to make their guns “not shiny”.