obriendavid wrote:.......... I was surprised at you saying the 4pdrs were actually Saxon guns as most accounts mention them as being ones taken from the Austrians after the Wagram campaign....
Dave,
The Saxons produced their own artillery since the time of August the Strong.
They invented from time to time their own unique design after some war expiriences, in this case the System M1766 after the SYW. They did this to lower the numbers of different guns sizes from 18 to 7.
The M1766 produced a 6pdr Granatestueck a gunhowitzer like the unicorns that fired early sorts of shells/shrapnels, the 4pdr Geschwindgeschutz, the 8pdr, 12pdr, 8pdr Howitzer, 18 and 24pdr field canons and some Mortars.
As the Saxons didnt have another gun at hand they used the 4dr M1766 for their Regimental guns and went with 50 pieces of them in the 1806 and 1809 campaigns. After that they were removed from service only to be distributed again in 1812. The reason for the name Geschwindgeschutz was the use of a crank instead of the wooden block to elevate the gunbarrel.
As you see they didnt need foreign guns and they produced more than their army could use.
Best Wishes,
Günter