When the mountain howitzer was used within the limits of its design it could be a very effective artillery weapon. It needed to be used at close range, such as Nathan Bedford Forrest placing it among his front-line riflemen. Also, it was at its best when it was used in lightning-quick artillery raids where the howitzer was set up, fired, and moved before larger guns could be brought to bear on it. The howitzer was never meant to get into artillery duels with longer range guns. Many artillery units soon replaced it with bigger guns, but the howitzer would always remain popular with infantry and cavalry units that triumphed over their enemies because of its added firepower.

It served all over the United States, in Mexico and even in Central and South America. The howitzer was used from the early 1840s almost to the end of the nineteenth century. This was wider service than almost any gun in the Federal arsenal during this period. Indians learned not to attack any unit that had accompanying artillery. The fierce Apaches of southern Arizona learned this lesson at the hands of two mountain howitzers at Apache Pass, Arizona. In fact a few tribes even tried to capture some pieces for their own use. It played a role in almost all of the conflicts with the major tribes. The howitzer helped U. S. soldiers to take Mexico City, and it caused Billy the Kid's faction to lose the Lincoln County War. It served along the American/Mexican border against bandits from both sides, and it even lived on to see action in the 1910-1920 Mexican Revolution. The mountain howitzer provided very effective artillery support for fighting units in every war, units which might otherwise have had to go into battle with just their rifles. It ease of movement allowed the howitzer to stay with the groups it was assigned to and it saved many lives by supporting them in their battles.

The idea of a light, easy-to-move howitzer that could move with front-line troops did not die when the model-1841 Mountain Howitzer was finally retired from United States service. Mule-borne pack artillery was used by the American army in the 1898 Spanish-American War and the ensuing Philippine Insurrection. Also, modern mountain howitzers were in use by several major powers in World War One, and even by the American army in the Philippines in 1942 against the Japanese.⁽¹⁾ During the brutal fighting in Italy mountain guns were often the only artillery support that could accompany Allied armies deep into the rugged mountain ranges that were used as defensive positions by Axis forces. With few, or no, roads only lightweight guns could keep up with the troops. Also, the distances between hillsides were often so small that a mountain gun could be more effective than bigger artillery pieces. They were closer to the front lines so they could see where their rounds were most needed, and often the artillerymen could see where their fire was landing and shift it accordingly much quicker than bigger guns far behind the lines. The mountain howitzer had proven to the world that in many cases a light gun was more useful than heavier, longer-range guns. Even today the small howitzer lives on in the arsenals of many of the world's major powers.

First-hand accounts of many soldiers contain references to the uses of the mountain howitzer, and it is highly likely that for every mention of the howitzers there are likely many other incidents where it was used that were omitted or lost. Soldiers who used the howitzer within its limitations loved the cannon and fought to keep it with them.

The mountain howitzer helped to show military leaders, and historians, that bigger is not always better. This gun kept up with fast-moving infantry and cavalry where bigger guns would have been left far behind. It saw as long a period of service as any cannon of its era, and the ideas it embodied are still in use by many militaries of today. For all of its influence the howitzer has long been ignored by historians, and its deserves more respect and attention.

1. David A. Norris, "Confederate gunners affectionately called their hard-working little mountain howitzers 'bull pups,'" pp. 20, 90.