To Belfort he sent only a castellan, nine squires, a cannoneer and some valets. "Cannoneer" as a term for an artilleryman dates from the 16th century. He lived in Boston for six years and was the cannoneer there. The embarrassed cannoneer then insults Ponceludon, forcing him into demanding a duel. A cannoneer from Greenfield was the sole federal casualty of that conflict.