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Iron 24-pounder iron guns mounted on wooden garrison carriages

Caption: Iron 24-pounder iron guns mounted on wooden garrison carriages

These 24-pounder guns on garrison carriages are found in a bastion at Fort George National Historic Site, Niagara-on-the-Lake. This solid carriage, with its small wheels and strong construction, was used to mount heavy guns in forts and field fortifications. The wheels were only intended to allow the gun to be pointed at its target. To move any great distance, a gun of this size would normally be dismounted and moved in a travelling carriage or heavy waggon drawn by a large team of horses. In North America during the early 19th century, movement by boat was preferred whenever possible because of the poor state of the roads.