Appointed to the heavy artillery foundry at the Hague in 1755, Jan Verbruggen was responsible for introducing horizontal boring (a Swiss invention) to the Netherlands, which had the potential to greatly increase the consistency and speed of cannon boring. Verbruggen experienced a number of political and mechanical problems at his post, and was finally run out of the country along with his son Pieter in 1770 after it was discovered that he had been altering and repairing his cannons between boring and proofing to obscure flaws in the casting process. Relocating to England, Jan and Pieter accepted positions with the Royal Brass Foundry at Woolwich, which they helped turn from an outdated facility to one of the top producers in the Empire. By the outbreak of the Revolutionary War, the Verbruggens had Woolwich up to speed, with some sources naming the Verbruggen as the most commonly recovered cannons on the battlefields of the War of Independence. The 3 pounder, nicknamed the "Grasshopper" was designed for use by light infantry units, being light enough to be transported by a single horse, strapped to pack animals, or broken down and hauled by men across terrain that would be inaccessible for heavier weapons. The cannon itself is brass construction, 40 1/2 inches long overall and 11 inches wide across the 2 1/4 inch diameter trunnions, with a 3 inch bore measuring 34 1/2 inches in depth. The top of the cannon is marked with a 1 inch martial "broad arrow" stamp, the back end is numbered "1:3:10", indicating a weight of approximately 206 pounds, and a band around the breech is marked "I. & P. VERBRUGGEN FECERUNT Ao J776" around the top. The carriage is constructed from hardwood with iron banding and reinforcement, measuring 75 inches across the axle and 87 inches along the main body, with a width at the trail of 21 inches and 45 inch diameter wheels.

Very good, showing a well aged brass patina overall with some minor handling marks overall. The carriage shows significant wear, with damage to the left wheel, rust on the iron, and scattered dents and chips. No provenance information is available on this cannon or it's mount, and it is unknown if this particular Grasshopper made it onto the battlefields of the Revolution.