| Canon de 12 Gribeauval | |
|---|---|
 Canon de 12 Gribeauval, An 2 de la République ("Year II of the Republic", i.e. 1793-1794), Les Invalides | |
| Place of origin | France |
| Service history | |
| Used by | France |
| Wars | American Revolutionary War French Revolutionary Wars Napoleonic Wars |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Jean Baptiste Vaquette de Gribeauval |
| Designed | 1765 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 2,172 lb (985 kg) |
| Barrel length | 7 ft 7 in (231 cm) |
| Crew | 15 men, 6 horses |
| Caliber | 121 mm (4.8 in) |
| Barrels | 1 |
| Carriage | 2,192 lb (994 kg) |
| Rate of fire | 1 round per minute |
| Effective firing range | Shot: 900 m Canister: 600 m |
| Maximum firing range | 1,800 m (1,969 yd) |
The Canon de 12 Gribeauval or 12-pounder was a French cannon and part of the system developed by Jean Baptiste Vaquette de Gribeauval. There were 1.079 English pounds in the Old French pound (French: livre), making the weight of shot nearly 13 English pounds. The 12-pounder was the heaviest cannon in the French field artillery; the others were the light Canon de 4 Gribeauval and the medium Canon de 8 Gribeauval. Superseding the previous Vallière system, the Gribeauval system was adopted in 1765 and its guns were first used during the American Revolutionary War. The greatest use of Gribeauval guns came during the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. During the latter wars, the 12-pounder was often employed in corps artillery reserves. Because of their physical and psychological effect, Emperor Napoleon increased the number of 12-pounders in his artillery and fondly called the cannons his belles filles (beautiful daughters). Gribeauval cannons fired canister shot for close-range work and round shot at more distant targets. In 1803 the Year XI system was introduced, but it only partly replaced the Gribeauval system which was not completely replaced until the Valée system was set up in 1829.