The Napoleon was light enough to be moved rapidly on the battlefield by horses, heavy enough to destroy field fortifications almost a mile away, and versatile enough to fire solid shot, shell, spherical case, and canister.

This type of "canon obusier", commonly called in English the 12-pounder Napoleon Model 1857, was the primary cannon used in the American Civil War.

The Union version of the Napoleon can be recognized by the flared front end of the barrel, called the muzzle swell.

The smoothbore "canon obusier" was soon superseded by rifled cannons, which had much more accuracy and range, with the developments of Antoine Treuille de Beaulieu and the introduction of the La Hitte system in 1858.

[5] Napoleon III had his existing guns, such as the Canon obusier de 12, rifled to accommodate the La Hitte system.