Most large guns used on ships are too heavy to bring to fights ashore. Deck guns, however, combine portability with a deadly punch, allowing them to be used as mobile artillery. Aboard a ship they offer the advantage of rapid repositioning, unlike the ship’s main guns, whose aim relies on the vessel’s orientation. Though not as devastating as true cannons, deck guns can decimate enemy troops at close range, either before beginning a boarding action or in defending against one, maximizing casualties before melee begins.
Young deck gunners often start their careers as “powder monkeys,” running powder between the lower and upper decks in the heat of battle. Many swabs prefer duty on deck guns, where they can take shots at the enemy from a distance rather than fighting on the front line. Even so, working with a deck gun is a dangerous occupation. The crew must work in perfect synch to clear the breech, load the cannonballs, stuff powder, and light the fuse. Many a sailor has lost a hand or foot when the gun’s forceful recoil sent it rocketing back. Firing these powerful guns ashore is a slightly simpler and less dangerous proposition, as the gunners need not account for a pitching deck.