The execution method of tying a victim to a cannon and firing it, known as cannon execution, was utilized around 1700 in military contexts. This brutal form of execution was intended as a deterrent and a display of power, often reserved for those accused of treason or severe crimes. The gruesome nature of this punishment highlighted the harsh realities of justice and military discipline during this period.

The cannon execution method by tying to the mouth in 1700 became a powerful symbol in anti-war poetry, representing explosive violence and imperial might. Poets used this imagery to evoke strong emotional responses and critique the brutality of warfare, as seen in the works of poets like Wilfred Owen, who confronted the horrors of conflict.