Grasshopper cannon
| Grasshopper cannon | |
|---|---|
Reproduction three-pounder "grasshopper" cannon at Cowpens National Battlefield | |
| Type | Field gun (light battalion gun) |
| Place of origin | Kingdom of Great Britain |
| Service history | |
| In service | c. 1770s–early 19th century |
| Used by | British Army; British colonial and provincial forces |
| Wars | War of the Regulation; American Revolutionary War; War of 1812 |
| Production history | |
| Designed | late 18th century |
| Manufacturer | Royal Arsenal (Woolwich) and contractors |
| Produced | late 18th century |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | c. 200 lb (c. 90 kg) (barrel; varies by pattern) |
| Barrel length | c. 37 in (c. 94 cm) (barrel; varies by pattern) |
| Shell | Round shot; grapeshot; canister shot |
| Caliber | 3-pounder (firing a ~3 lb / 1.4 kg Round shot) |
| Carriage | Bracket/Split trail carriage with detachable shafts (manhandled by crew) or towed by a limber |
| Effective firing range | c. 400–800 yd (c. 370–730 m) (varies with elevation and charge) |
A grasshopper cannon was a British bronze 3-pounder light field gun used as a battalion gun to support infantry in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, particularly in North America. The nickname is associated with the gun’s light-carriage system and/or its lively motion when fired, and was used informally rather than as an official designation.