Wooden dummies shaped like cannon.
1809. Nor was he content with thus strongly garrisoning the fort, but he likewise added exceedingly to its strenth by furnishing it with a formidable battery of quaker guns.—W. Irving, ‘A History of New-York’ (1820), iii. 240. (N.E.D.)
1830. Our six iron six-pounders and six quakers, (wooden guns,) were, like the millenial lion and lamb, lying down together in the hold, not dreaming of “war and din alarms.”—N. Ames, ‘A Mariner’s Sketches,’ p. 7. (Italics in the original.)
1862. They approached very cautiously, and found that they had been awed by a few Quaker guns—logs of wood in position, and so painted as to resemble cannon.—J. B. Jones, ‘A Rebel War Clerk’s Diary,’ i. 113 (Phila., 1866). (Italics in the original.)
1863. [It was said] that we had men at the head of the Army who were … too dilatory in attempting to advance, allowing the enemy to deter them from making attacks by the exhibition of “quaker guns” and other artful contrivances.—Mr. William Allen of Ohio, House of Repr., Feb. 2: Cong. Globe, p. 85/3, App.
