Some Big Guns by Frank R. Stockton
"Some Big Guns" by Frank R. Stockton is an informational essay exploring the historical development and increasing size of artillery, the ongoing competition between offensive weaponry and defensive fortifications, and descriptions of several remarkable cannons from around the world. Stockton opens by observing a notable contrast in the history of weapons: while infantry firearms have grown smaller and more precise over the centuries, cannon have followed the opposite trajectory, growing ever larger and more powerful. He notes that an old-fashioned cannon could fit inside one of the great columbiads of his era and be fired out of it like a projectile. The essay frames the development of artillery as an arms race between offense and defense. As cannon grow larger and more destructive, the iron plating on warships grows thicker and the walls of forts grow more massive. Stockton speculates that if either side achieved a decisive advantage — either impenetrable defenses or irresistible firepower — warfare itself might become pointless and cease altogether, though he doubts either outcome is near. To illustrate that enormous guns are not purely a modern phenomenon, Stockton recounts several historical anecdotes. The Knights of Malta reportedly possessed a cannon so thunderously loud that even experienced gunners stopped their ears when it fired. The Chinese, whom Stockton credits with inventing gunpowder long before Europeans, allegedly built a cannon so vast that a person could sleep inside its bore. This Chinese cannon was supposedly fired only once, and local tradition held that its ball was still in flight. Stockton remarks humorously that encountering such a still-traveling ball on a country walk would be most unpleasant. He then pivots to describing the impressive guns of his own era, particularly large American artillery pieces capable of hurling five-hundred-pound balls distances of five or six miles. He contrasts these modern weapons with the ancient implements of war — battering rams, catapults, javelins, slings, and arrows — and wryly imagines an American field battery opening fire on a classical army. He jokes that even the legendary hero Achilles, whose only vulnerability was his heel, would have found it necessary under such circumstances to protect his entire body. The essay is written in a lively, accessible style suited to younger readers, blending factual observations about military technology with humor and colorful historical anecdotes. Stockton conveys genuine wonder at the scale of modern artillery while maintaining a light, conversational tone throughout, making technical and historical subject matter engaging rather than dry. The central theme is the relentless human drive to build ever more powerful weapons and ever stronger defenses, a cycle Stockton presents as fascinating, somewhat absurd, and without a clear resolution in sight.
By Frank R. Stockton · First published 1889 · Genre: Short Story, Adventure, Humorous Fiction · 840 words
First lines
Ever since the invention of gunpowder, the men who have been devoting their attention to the science of gunnery for purposes of war have been making their cannon larger and larger.
This is not the case with the weapons that are carried by soldiers; for our rifles and muskets are much smaller than those used by our ancestors. A hundred or two years ago, the great flint-lock muskets and blunderbusses were twice as large as the rifles now used, although they did not carry a ball half the distance, or with any thing like the accuracy of our improved arms.
What this Textopian page supports
Some Big Guns is listed on Textopian as a short story by Frank R. Stockton, dated 1889 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Frank R. Stockton
- Date: 1889 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Short Story, Adventure, Humorous Fiction, Fantasy, Science Fiction
- Length: 840 words
- Structure: 1 section, 19 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Difficult (10th-12th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Some Big Guns by Frank R. Stockton
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Genres
- Short Story — Some Big Guns is a short story collection by Stockton, characterized by brief narratives with focused plots and themes.
- Adventure — The work features action-driven narratives with elements of exploration and peril that are central to adventure fiction.
- Humorous Fiction — Stockton's writing style incorporates wit, irony, and comedic situations throughout the stories.
- Fantasy — Some stories contain fantastical or imaginative elements that depart from realistic settings and possibilities.
Tags
fiction · short stories · humor · adventure · American literature · 19th-century literature · satire · comedy · domestic life · social observation · lighthearted · imaginative