This Spanish mountain howitzer utilizes a 6-groove rifled 3-inch bore following the "de Beaulieu" principle in which it uses shells equipped with six lugs that engage the grooves. Large Spanish "crown/I2" marked on top of the breech ahead of the vent, the royal cipher of Queen Isabella II of Spain. "F. DE S. 1865/No 9557" marked behind the breech, indicating manufacture in the year 1865. The South is said to have purchased some of these Spanish mountain howitzers during the United States Civil War. During the time frame of this howitzer's date of manufacture in 1865, there was also lots of unrest in Spain leading up to the overthrow of Queen Isabella II in 1868. Only a handful of these are known to exist, with the majority of them residing in museums.