In 1786, when this piece was cast, it was common to give names to guns. Theodorico ("Little Theodore") served as part of the defenses of Santiago de Cuba. Though it had been rifled to improve its range and accuracy, Theodorico was obsolete by 1898…
This was the standard smoothbore fieldpiece of the Civil War. Our specimen is a rare early model distinguished by its handles as one of the first thirty-six made.