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THE DEVELOPMENT of the NAVAL TRUCK GUN CARRIAGE: HISTORY, ARCHAEOLOGY, and DESIGN by Katrina Bunyard March 2019 Director of Thes

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THE DEVELOPMENT of the NAVAL TRUCK GUN CARRIAGE: HISTORY, ARCHAEOLOGY, and DESIGN by Katrina Bunyard March 2019 Director of Thes THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NAVAL TRUCK GUN CARRIAGE: HISTORY, ARCHAEOLOGY, AND DESIGN By Katrina Bunyard March 2019 Director of Thesis: Dr. Donald Parkerson Major Department: Program in Maritime Studies Truck carriages represented the primary naval gun mounting of European and American navies throughout the Age of Sail. Developed during the early to mid-16th century, truck gun carriages were found upon armed ships for over three centuries. They allowed for gunners to control and aim their pieces, promoting the development of naval guns of increasing power. During the 19th century, the truck carriage became viewed as a stagnant medieval leftover that underwent little change. Some later scholars further propagated this belief. This thesis seeks to examine the truck carriage’s place in the development of modern western navies, evaluate the nature of its design and construction development, and explore its presence in the archaeological record. The truck carriage developed from the concerted efforts of artillerists across Europe, developed in sophistication in tandem with naval administrations, and played a role in shaping the living and working space aboard warships. Numerous archaeological sites contain the remains of several types of gun carriage, providing ample material for further study. Through the development of a gun carriage database, statistical testing was undertaken to explore the nature of design change over time. This database suggests that the truck carriage underwent non-linear change in several of its basic proportions over the course of its lifetime, likely adapting to changing capabilities of naval cannon and increased industrialization. The Development of the Truck Gun Carriage: History, Archaeology, and Design A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of the Department of History, East Carolina University In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts in Maritime Studies by Katrina Bunyard March, 2019 © Katrina Bunyard, 2019 The Development of the Truck Gun Carriage: History, Archaeology, and Design By Katrina Bunyard APPROVED BY: DIRECTOR OF THESIS: ____________________________________________________________ Donald Parkerson, Ph.D. COMMITTEE MEMBER: ______________________________________________ Wade Dudley, Ph.D. COMMITTEE MEMBER: ______________________________________________ Lynn Harris, Ph.D. CHAIR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY: _______________________________________________________ Christopher Oakley, Ph.D. DEAN OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL: _______________________________________________ Paul J. Gemperline, Ph.D. Acknowledgements This project was made possible through a strong support network. I owe a great deal to my family, several excellent historical institutions, and the faculty and students at ECU. To start, I wish to thank my parents, Steve and Lisa, and brother, Ryan, for their continuous love and support throughout this process. Next, I would like to thank Nick Beeson of the History Museum of Mobile; Anne Lewellen and Dwight Pennebaker of the Castillo de San Marcos archives; Christopher Leverett of the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument; Jeanne Willoz-Egnor of the Mariner’s Museum; Matthew Keagle of Fort Ticonderoga; Chris Sabick of the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum; and Paul Cora of the Historic Ships of Baltimore for guiding me through their institutions, letting me record gun carriages, and view their archives. The volunteers and other staff at these locations were also a big help. Thanks are also due to Katherine Ridgway, Chelsea Blake, and Randall Jones of the Virginia Department of Historic Resources; Dr. John Broadwater; Amy Borgens and her colleagues of the Texas Historical Commission; Lisa Bishop, Beth, and Nicholas Hole of the Yorktown Victory Center; Philip Nassar of the CSS Alabama Association; Michael McAllister of the Hamilton and Scourge National Historic Site; and Alistair Miles of the Mary Rose Trust, for their help in furnishing photographs, measurements, background information, and additional carriage data. To end, I would like to thank the faculty and students at ECU. Thanks are due to Dr. Parkerson for agreeing to supervise this project and providing wonderful advice and support, my committee members Dr. Dudley and Dr. Harris for their advice, feedback and support, and Dr. Rodgers for getting me started. Lastly, I would like to thank my fellow students for tolerating an endless parade of gun carriage trivia and their encouragement to finish out this project. TABLE OF CONTENTS Title Page ............................................................................................................................... i Copyright Page....................................................................................................................... ii Signature Page ....................................................................................................................... iii Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................ iv List of Tables ......................................................................................................................... x List of Figures ........................................................................................................................ xi List of Abbreviations ............................................................................................................. xv Chapter 1: Introduction ......................................................................................................... 1 Chapter 2: History of the truck carriage ............................................................................... 10 Introduction ................................................................................................................ 10 Types of Carriage ....................................................................................................... 11 Historiography ........................................................................................................... 11 Developing and Integrating the Truck Carriage ........................................................ 12 English Carriages ........................................................................................... 16 Spanish Carriages........................................................................................... 22 French Carriages ............................................................................................ 25 Supply of Truck Carriages in the Royal Navy ........................................................... 25 Supply of Carriages in the American Navy ............................................................... 28 Truck Carriage Design .............................................................................................. 31 Mary Rose Design.......................................................................................... 31 Early 18th Century Design............................................................................. 34 Muller’s Treatise ............................................................................................ 36 1791 and 1795 Design ................................................................................... 39 The Sea-Gunner’s Vade-mecum .................................................................... 40 Gunnery Catechism, 1870 .............................................................................. 40 Design Changes Over Time ........................................................................... 43 Proportional Changes ..................................................................................... 44 Conclusion ................................................................................................................. 46 Chapter 3 ................................................................................................................................ 48 Introduction ................................................................................................................ 48 Sources ....................................................................................................................... 48 Archaeology of Gun carriages ................................................................................... 49 Mary Rose ...................................................................................................... 49 Discovery and Excavation ................................................................. 49 Conservation ...................................................................................... 53 Curation.............................................................................................. 54 Major Findings ................................................................................... 54 Vasa................................................................................................................ 62 Discovery and excavation ................................................................. 62 Conservation ..................................................................................... 71 Curation.............................................................................................. 71 Major Findings ................................................................................... 72 La Belle .......................................................................................................... 80 Discovery and Excavation
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