Nora Fleming Lee, CEO of Coastal Heritage Society, says 19 Revolutionary War cannons are now on display in Savannah, Georgia. The cannons spent nearly 240 years underwater in the Savannah River.
The cannons were discovered by a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers crew in 2021 while dredging the river. According to Fleming Lee, this is the largest discovery of 18th century artillery from a single Revolutionary War naval event.
The cannons were found with concretion, oyster shells, and marine life attached to them. Some were still packed with cannonballs and gunpowder charges. After being pulled from the river, most of the cannons were sent to a Texas A&M University lab for cleaning and preservation work.
Fleming Lee explained that the preservation process involved running electrical currents through a water bath to desalinate the iron works. The cannons were then painted with acid, given a spa treatment, and waxed to extend their life on land.
Seventeen cannons were restored, while two were left unrestored for a side-by-side comparison. All 19 cannons are now on display at the Savannah History Museum as part of the new “Loyalists & Liberty: Savannah in the American Revolution” exhibit.
Historians believe the cannons sank shortly before the siege of Savannah in 1779, when the city was under British occupation. Fleming Lee said the cannons were likely part of a blockade to prevent the French fleet from sailing up the river and reclaiming Savannah for the American side.
The new exhibit tells the story of Savannah’s role in the birth of America through the lens of five unique historical figures, including indigenous, free and enslaved people, women, and children. The exhibit is now open, just in time for America’s 250th anniversary.
The cannons are a tangible part of the city’s revolutionary story, said Fleming Lee. The exhibit expands Georgia’s revolutionary story, focusing on the naval events and the stories of those who are often overlooked.
According to Fleming Lee, the cannons would have sunk just weeks before the Battle of Savannah, one of the bloodiest battles of the Revolutionary War. The battle was fought on the ground where the Savannah History Museum now stands, with over 800 casualties in under an hour.
The exhibit will be on display for the foreseeable future, offering a unique glimpse into Savannah’s role in the Revolutionary War. Visitors can see the cannons and learn about the city’s history, with the exhibit open to the public from now on.
