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Program Content Overview: This interpretative program focuses on the use of the Model 1841 six-pound smoothbore cannon by the 23rd Infantry at Fort Mackinac for ceremonial purposes and explains why it was an obsolete piece by the 1880s in comparison to artillery advancements of the time. The program will explain why the Model 1841 six pounder smoothbore was considered antiquated, outdated, and inaccurate by the 1880s. The program will provide a general overview and breakdown of the characteristics of the gun itself and how it was used, explain the use of the piece at Fort Mackinac in the 1880s for ceremonial purposes and then conclude with a demonstration of the cleaning, loading and firing of the cannon.
Model 1841 Six Pound Smoothbore Cannon and its Characteristics The Model 1841 Six Pound Smoothbore Field Gun was generally referred to simply as a “six-pounder.” The term “six-pounder” referred to the weight of the projectile, which was a six pound, cast iron cannon ball. The cannon had a maximum range of one mile (for reference, that’s roughly to the shores of Round Island), at which it would have been wildly inaccurate because of the lack of rifling, but had a more accurate range of half a mile, (roughly to the edge of the breakwater in the harbor) which would have adequately defended the harbor and the village below. The six-pounder’s use by the 1880s when the 23rd Infantry administered Fort Mackinac was entirely ceremonial. The cannon was used for firing what were called “salute shots” which consisted of a smaller amount of gunpowder without a cannon ball, fired to celebrate local events, daily routine, or federal holidays. This included the raising or lowering of the flag, commandant’s birthday, special visitors to the island, Fourth of July festivities or other special events at the fort.
Cleaning, Loading and Firing Procedures: The demonstration begins with one of the gun “crew” members using the heavy leather glove known as the “thumbstall” to cover the “touch hole” on the tube of the gun in order to cut off airflow into the cannon. This is to prevent any remaining embers in the gun tube from previous cannon fires which could be stoked up and create a safety hazard for the gunner who will be loading the piece at the end of the cannon tube’s muzzle. The person loading the gun (known as the “gunner”) will search the piece with the gunner’s worm or auger (essentially a corkscrew on a stick) to fish out any debris from the previous firing that could be harboring embers. It may be seen to pull out aluminum foil, which is historically inaccurate, but much safer as it doesn’t smolder compared to the cloth or linen that would have been historically used in the “casing” of the charge. In the next step, the gunner will swab the piece with the wet swab (basically a wet sponge on the end of a stick) to cool the barrel, further dowse sparks, as well as create a vacuum, so an audible thump may be heard, signaling that it is safe to load the charge. At this point the gunner will then ram the charge down (4 ounces of black powder, fairly small compared to a 20 ounce combat charge, so as to not scare horses). The crew will wheel the piece into battery, then prime the piece by poking a hole in the charge with a brass spike called a gimlet. An ignition device called a friction primer will then be inserted into the touch hole. A friction primer is a small brass tube filled with fine gunpowder and a friction sensitive chemical known as mercury fulminate at the top with a pin. A firing trigger known as the lanyard is attached to the friction primer so that when the pin is pulled, it will send a jet of flame down the touch hole, igniting the main charge. The cannon demonstration will commence with the commands, “Ready, Fire!”
Program Content Overview: This interpretative program focuses on the 23rd Infantry Regiment’s assignment at Fort Mackinac during the 1880s, uniforms worn by them (both dress and undress), an explanation of their individually assigned weapon, the Springfield .45-70 and the loading and firing of the weapon. The program will inform visitors why the 23rd Infantry was stationed at Fort Mackinac, an overview of both the Army dress and undress uniforms as well as their distinct uses in conjunction with evolving practicality based on the needs and expectations of the United States Army at the time. Visitors should also understand the significance of the Springfield .45-70 as the U.S.’s first standard issue breech loading rifle, how the weapon was loaded and fired, and how Army reforms and evolving training practices were shaped by post-Civil War budget cuts, which in turn shaped the continued development of the U.S. Army.
The 23rd U.S. Infantry Regiment: The 23rd U.S. Infantry Regiment served at Fort Mackinac from 1884-1890, serving principally in a “reserve capacity,” with no frontline combat taking place within the region nor largely within the nation as a whole, but working to maintain battle-readiness in case war were to break out by regularly conducting marching “drill” formations and taking target practice. Another principal duty was to maintain and oversee Mackinac Island National Park between 1875-1895, serving as “impromptu park rangers” which included enforcing rules and regulations, forging trail heads and watching for fires. Uniforms worn by the 23rd Infantry included the undress or “fatigue” uniform and dress uniform. The fatigue uniform served as more of a day to day wear, still very similar to a Civil War style uniform and was considered an allaround good uniform (durable, comfortable and cheap). The fatigue uniform was worn primarily when conducting National Park duty, rifle practice, or “down time” around the fort while still on duty. Soldiers had little choice but to wear these uniforms as the only clothing they were allowed to own were uniforms in an attempt by the Army to cut down on desertion. The dress uniform was saved for much more formal occasions such as dress parades, funerals, weddings, and troop inspections but was never intended for battlefield use. It was meant to inspire an impressive or imposing impression by the viewer. These uniforms were heavily Prussian-inspired with a long frock coat and spiked helmet, as the Prussians were considered the pre-eminent army in the world thanks to their recent defeat of the French in the Franco-Prussian War.
Springfield .45-70 The Springfield .45-70 was a major technological advantage for the U.S. Army as it was the first standard issue breech loading rifle. No longer a muzzle loader as seen in previous conflicts, it loaded from the back or breech end of the gun. The weapon loaded by pulling back the hammer, flipping open the trapdoor-style breech, inserting a fairly modern brass cartridge, closing the breech, and pulling back the hammer which allowed the weapon to be ready to fire. This process only took about 5 to 6 seconds in the hands of a well-trained soldier, compared to the 20 seconds a muzzle loader would take. The rifle was far more accurate than previous smoothbore muskets due to the rifling and tighter-fitting bullet to match which made it accurate upwards of 1,000 yards in distance (from the porch of the barracks to the white lighthouse in the harbor). However, it would take a while for the U.S. military to take full advantage of the .45-70 as the concept of marksmanship wasn’t of widespread concern to the U.S. Army prior to the 1880s. The reason for this was because target practice was largely seen as a waste of time, money, and ammunition with the men often only receiving about ten rounds of ammunition to practice with a month. Officers still widely accepted volley fire at close range over placing an emphasis on individual marksmanship. The disadvantage to this concept was demonstrated during the Plains Indian Wars in the West in defeats such as the infamous battle known as “Custer’s Last Stand.” By mid-1880s the Army instituted the “Blunt System,” which required soldiers to go out to a rifle range at least twice a week and be given enough ammunition to hone their skills. Competition shooting also became popular to encourage better marksmanship, with a “marksman” being recognized as being able to hit targets at 600 yards, and “sharpshooters” able to hit targets a full 1,000 yards away. The Blunt System was largely successful in creating more proficient and competent marksmen, which in turn created more effective and lethal soldiers in the Army.
Program Content Overview: This program serves as a guided tour of Fort Mackinac with an emphasis on life at the fort for soldiers stationed here during the 1880s. The tour is broken down thematically by the duties and activities that soldiers would perform to better illustrate to visitors what life was like for soldiers stationed here during the 1880s. The program, conducted by a costumed park interpreter, specifically explains the role of guard duty, maintaining Mackinac Island as a National Park, “fatigue” duty, and recreational activities for soldiers stationed at Fort Mackinac to give visitors a clearer vision of life at the fort during this time period.
Guard Duty: Guard duty was a 24-hour shift in which 10-12 men would be patrolling the fort’s walls, looking for various dangers/threats. By the 1880s, threats other than invading armies became the principal concern of soldiers on guard duty. The most common and enduring threat to the fort was the hazard of fire. Many of the fort’s buildings have suffered from fire damage at least once in their structural lifetime, including the barracks burning down twice during the fort’s use as a military installation. Soldiers trying to sneak out of the fort without permission was also a common concern on guard duty, especially with soldiers suffering from boredom and the only available distraction being the downtown just below the fort, which included a number of bars. Finally, in the later National Park years of the fort’s occupation, unauthorized access by tourists was another concern for guard duty.
National Park Duty: Mackinac Island would become the second National Park in the U.S. in 1875, right after Yellowstone, due primarily to the efforts of Michigan Senator Thomas W. Ferry, who grew up on the island and appreciated its natural beauty and historical significance. The National Park Service was not established until 1916. Prior to that, all National Parks were administered by the War Department, hence the Army’s principal role at the fort from 1875 until 1895, when the fort was de-commissioned and transitioned to the oversight of the State of Michigan. During the National Park period, soldiers stationed at the fort acted in the capacity of park rangers in which they enforced rules and regulations, forged trail heads, and monitored fire hazards. These duties fell outside of a soldier’s regular position expectation and required the Army to pay the men “extra duty pay” in addition to the $13.00 a month starting salary for soldiers at the rank of private. To offset these additional expenditures, the Post Commandant sold government land on Bois Blanc Island and leased out land on the east and west bluffs of Mackinac Island. In addition to their pay, enlisted soldiers also received free board in the barracks, three hot meals a day and clothing in the forms of uniforms issued to them. The combination of the opportunity to earn extra pay along with the generally pleasant atmosphere of the fort location is what gave the reputation of Fort Mackinac as a “desirable station” as referenced by one former officer who served here.
Fatigue Duty: Operation as a National Park required a great amount of labor and maintenance work by the soldiers, not only onpark lands, but especially on the fort itself which was over 100 years old in the 1880s. This work done by soldiers outside of daily military specific tasks was known as “fatigue duty,” a special type of duty reflected in the different type of uniform the soldier is wearing for this portion of the program. This work included patching up the fort’s limestone walls, painting buildings, cleaning windows, patching roof tiles and general fort hygiene maintenance. Seasonal work like chopping firewood on Round Island, tending to the Post Gardens (now Marquette Park), and chopping out ice blocks during the winter for food storage in the Commissary. Military drill six days a week for an hour to two hours a day, practicing marching and maneuvers, and rifle practice at least twice a week were also included in a soldier’s daily schedule.
Recreation: From the end of the War of 1812 onward, Fort Mackinac had an increasingly lack of strategic importance from a military standpoint. By the 1880s it had virtually no military significance, which allowed for a fair amount of free time on the hands of the soldiers stationed there, who sought to fill this time with recreational activities. If of good character, a soldier could be given a leave pass for a day or two, so they could go downtown to visit friends, perhaps go dancing at one of the various hotels on the island, or more often than not, frequent one of the many saloons downtown. This soon became an issue as soldiers often found themselves drinking in excess and getting into trouble with some of the locals. This would include getting into scuffles with civilians, passing out under private porches, showing up to drill late, drunk, or not at all. To remedy this problem, in 1889 the Post Commandant converted the Wood Quarters into a Post Canteen which contained a game room with a billiards table, a Post Exchange to buy amenities, as well as a small bar in order to better regulate the alcoholic intake of soldiers. After this conversion, there was a large decrease in incidents involving enlisted men downtown. The fort even had its own baseball team, the “Fort Mackinac Never Sweats,” which would play with local teams from Cheboygan and St. Ignace in the field directly behind the fort. Seasonal recreation was available as well which included boating and fishing during the summer and skiing or sledding down the various hills on the island or skating on Lake Huron once the water froze over in winter.
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