Savannah Museum Unveils 19 Revolutionary War Cannons for America 250
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Jul 5
Savannah Museum Unveils 19 Revolutionary War Cannons for America 250
2 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jul 5
Summary
Nineteen Revolutionary War cannons recovered from the Savannah River went on permanent display Thursday at the Savannah History Museum as part of the new “Loyalists & Liberty” exhibit.
The guns spent nearly 240 years underwater after sinking in 1779 and were discovered in 2021 when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dredged the river for larger cargo ships.
Seventeen cannons were restored at a Texas A&M lab through desalination and stabilization work, while two were left unrestored so visitors can compare their original condition.
Historians believe the cannons came from ships deliberately scuttled to block a French fleet from retaking British-occupied Savannah shortly before the Battle of Savannah.
Museum officials call the find the largest cache of 18th-century artillery from a single Revolutionary War naval event, giving Savannah a centerpiece for the U.S. 250th anniversary.