On the Offensive: The Small Arms and Artillery of Monterrey Shipwreck A

Summary

Sailing on the open seas could often be treacherous and the Gulf of Mexico was a theater for such activities with its history of privateering and naval actions. Vessels at that time could be armed both offensively and defensively, but could also be transporting such military cargoes to aid in the many conflicts abounding during the formative early decades of the 19th century. ROV investigations of Monterrey A discovered two collections of small arms and six cannon within the hull remains.  Video documentation of the artillery and recovery and analysis of a small assortment of firearm artifacts allude to a mixed collection of multi-national arms and at least two types of cannon. Such assemblages may be part and parcel for privateers and the more informal vessels of the emerging navies that operated in the Gulf of Mexico during the period. 

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• The Monterrey Shipwreck Project: Three Early 19th Century Wrecks In The Northern Gulf Of Mexico.   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2015

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Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 331