Shawn,

Yes, I examined the Marianna cannonball many times. It was definitely solid shot. In fact, the teacher who owned it used to challenge his students by offering an automatic "A" to anyone who could "palm" it like a basketball.

Col. Zulavsky was later severely critical of Asboth for failing to use his artillery at Marianna. As best I can understand his criticism, he felt that the Federals should have pulled back and deployed artillery once they realized the position in which the Confederates had placed themselves.

Yes, I've done quite a bit of research on the engagement at Massard Prairie, Arkansas. No artillery was used there, but during the subsequent and related Confederate demonstration on Fort Smith, both sides deployed some field guns. The Confederates had light howitzers attached to their cavalry and the Federals brought some standard field guns forward to engage them. The confrontation clearly demonstrated the superiority of the latter.

By the way, at Natural Bridge in Florida the Federals used naval boat howitzers as field artillery, pushing and pulling them by hand over more than 20 miles of rough marsh and piney woods roads.

Best,
Dale