cannon

"HELP HISTORY ROLL ALONG"

The City of Payette and the Payette County Historical Society are in possession of a very rare piece of American history. A 1861 6-PDR Bronze Confederate Civil War Cannon tube. Unfortunately, our cannon has no wheels! The PCHS is raising money to purchase an appropriate carriage, to aide in the preservation of this cannon, the cost of which will be about $10,000. Your help is urgently needed in raising the funds for this project. If you desire to help in the preservation of this wonderful artifact, please send a check or money order to PCHS, P. O. Box 696, Payette, Idaho, 83661. Please make checks payable to PCHS Cannon Fund.

The History
The 1861 Bronze Confederate Civil War Cannon tube is a 6 pounder. (Which means it shot a 6 pound projectile). The cannon tube had set in Payette's Central Park, across from the post office, for many years.
It is "one of the rarest surviving Civil War cannons among the 5559 known survivors in my files," according to Wayne E. Stark, cannon historian and expert. "It is the only known surviving cannon from A. M. Paxton & Co. of Vicksburg, MS. When Quinby & Robinson of Memphis suffered severe damage from a fire on Sept. 30, 1861, several unfinished castings were recovered after the fire. Since Q & R's machine shop was completely destroyed, the castings were sent to the A. B. Reading & Bros and A. M. Paxton & co., both in Vicksburg for finishing."
"Paxton may have completed more than three of the guns, but documentation has been found for only three." Stark says.
The cannon was purchased for Payette by the Grand Army of the Republic organization in 1912-15. The group gathered money by soliciting money from the local citizens.
It was placed in the park across the street from the Post Office where it stood until 2004. It was then loaned to the museum by the City of Payette for safe keeping.

As part of a fund raising project, the PCHS is selling grey T-shirts and coffee mugs with a photos and description of the cannon on them. Shirts are selling for $12.00 and come in assorted sizes (2x-5x are $2.00 extra) and the mugs sell for a donation of $15.00. If you would like to purchase one or more of these items, please contact Ann at the museum at 208-642-4883 or by e-mail at [email protected]