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Reproduction Napoleon replica is the newest acquisition of the Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park. Date published: 5/26/2006
By RUSTY DENNEN A single loud boom will reverberate across Marye's Heights on Sunday afternoon, shaking the ground like an apparition from Fredericksburg's Civil War past. The occasion is the ceremonial first firing of Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park's newest acquisition--an exquisite reproduction Napoleon cannon. For anyone standing nearby, the blast will be accompanied by a plume of acrid smoke, the byproduct of black powder. And unlike the punishing barrages of the city during the Battle of Fredericksburg in December 1862, onlookers this time will be applauding, rather than fetching ammunition, counting the dead or running for cover. The Park Service is trying to get the word out about Sunday's firing. "We just wanted to let people know and assuage fears we're not going to knock any windows out," said Stacy Humphreys, a park supervisor and black powder expert. "In fact, if you were not paying attention, you might not even hear it" on some streets below, she said. During the war, the cannons--known as 12 pounders because they fired 12-pound balls--were packed with about 21/2 pounds of black powder, Humphreys said. That was enough to propel the projectile about 1,700 yards--but the gun was most effective at much shorter distances. Sunday's load will be about 20 ounces of powder, and the boom--though loud--won't be as big as the deafening sound Confederate gunners experienced on the hill overlooking the city. "I've fired live shots, and it's about 10 times louder than we'll have on Sunday," Humphreys said. She said the cannon will be pointed away from homes and businesses downtown. Still, cannon fire--minus the projectiles--will give tourists more bang for their buck while they're in town, and add a new dimension to the park's interpretive program. A few authentic cannons are on display at area battlefields, but for preservation and safety reasons, they cannot be fired. The half-hour ceremony begins at 2 p.m. Sunday. Park Superintendent Russ Smith will be on hand, along with Jimmy Blankenship, a black powder expert from Petersburg National Military Park, who will pull the lanyard.
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