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Old Kickapoo cannon

The "Old Kickapoo" cannon was a United States Model 1841 six-pounder field gun. The cannon was captured by American forces in the Battle of Sacramento during the Mexican-American War (1846-1848). After the war the gun made its way to Weston, Missouri, were it was seized by proslavery forces in a raid and taken to the town of Kickapoo, Kansas, a town just to the north of Leavenworth. The proslavery Kickapoo Rangers used the gun in the raid on Lawrence on May 21, 1856. Later in 1858 the cannon was captured by free-state forces in a foray against Kickapoo. The gun then resided for a time in Leavenworth. After the Civil War the cannon was used to clear a coal mine shaft at Leavenworth and the barrel blew up due to being overcharged. It later was purchased from a scapyard in 1884 by the Kansas State Historical Society and then placed in its historical collections.

Date: between 1840 and 1860

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Old Kickapoo cannon - 1

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About this item

Item Number: 215141
Call Number: 1884.11.1
KSHS Identifier: 1884.11.1

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