The 4-pounder was originally assigned directly to the infantry units. Later, Napoleon decided to replace the 4-pounder with the heavier 6-pounder. Large numbers of Austrian and Prussian 6-pounders were captured in 1794–1800 and utilized to up-gun the French armies. The 6-pounders were too heavy for the infantry regiments to use, so they were taken from the infantry units and massed into batteries. Also, the French began manufacturing the Canon de 6 système An XI. This piece was designed to make the French system conform to the European 6- and 12-pounder standard. The new 6-pounder proved to be unsuccessful and was finally abandoned. Instead, the French employed large numbers of captured Austrian 6-pounders. After 1809 Napoleon reintroduced the 4-pounder for direct infantry support due to the lower quality of French and French-allied foot soldiers.
