There were several types of guns aboard, cannon being one. They varied in length
and weight of ball depending on what they were intended to do.  To refer to the
gun as a cannon was like referring to your shoes as Nike’s.  I am sure it was
done.

My favorite naval artillery platform was the Bomb Ketch, which the French
perfected.  It was a ship without a foremast to clear deck space at the front of
the boat. The mainmast was extra tall to make up for some of the lost sail area,
Then a couple of mortars were mounted on the deck.  Imagine how embarassing it
would be to destroy your own rigging.  Once they put a fuse in the ball they
were very devastating.  And those mortars are guns.

https://www.mariner80.com/291969847 <https://www.mariner80.com/291969847>

Ed Minch