Dredging crews working in the Savannah River uncovered cannon dating to the mid-1700s, many still plugged with cannonballs and gunpowder charges. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reported 19 recovered by March 2022; a later account says the full effort ultimately uncovered 21, including partial cannon. Seventeen conserved examples went on display at the Savannah History Museum in July 2026.
How the cannon were discovered
The discovery began in early 2021 during work on the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project. Crews unexpectedly lifted one cannon from the riverbed. After two more emerged, dredging stopped and archaeologists and divers joined the investigation. Recovery and examination continued into 2022 and beyond. The Corps’ March 15, 2022 update said maintenance dredging had brought the recovered total to 19. It also noted that remote sensing and divers had not located four additional cannon in areas affected by sediment placement.
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Why reports give different totals
The two figures describe different stages of the work, not necessarily conflicting counts. The 19 figure is the Corps’ reported recovery tally in March 2022. In its July 2, 2026 account, the Corps said the full coordinated effort ultimately uncovered 21 cannon, including partial pieces. That later total should not be read as 21 complete guns, or as a claim that all were recovered by 2022. The 2026 account also announced the museum display of 17 conserved cannon.
What was inside the cannon
The Associated Press reported that most of the cannon still had wooden plugs sealing their bores, with cannonballs and gunpowder charges packed inside. “Most” matters: the reporting does not establish that every recovered piece retained ammunition, and the condition of one cannon should not be generalized to all 21. The AP also reported that some cannon bore scarring consistent with anchors or dredging, while others appeared exceptionally well preserved. These observations describe the artifacts; they do not establish that the guns were safe or operational.
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What is known about their age and origin
The Corps said analysis confirmed the cannon were manufactured in the mid-1700s. Their exact vessels of origin, however, have not been conclusively identified. In 2022, the Corps said preliminary archival research pointed to HMS Savannah as the source of all or most of the artifacts, while explicitly treating that attribution as provisional pending further analysis and conservation.
The broader setting is the period leading up to the 1779 Siege of Savannah. The AP reported that British forces scuttled ships in the river to block French vessels, and that later expert assessments left open whether particular cannon were British or French in design. Some lacked definitive identifying marks. The circumstances make a connection to the Revolutionary War plausible, but they do not prove that every recovered cannon came from a named ship or had the same national origin.
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Conservation and where to see the cannon
Seventeen cannon conserved at Texas A&M University’s Conservation Research Laboratory went on public display at the Savannah History Museum on July 2, 2026, in the exhibit “Loyalists and Liberty: Savannah in the American Revolution.” The AP reported that two cannon were presented in unrestored condition; the display therefore includes both conserved objects and examples shown without restoration.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesThe larger recovery also produced other artifacts. The Corps and AP reported anchor fragments or pieces, as well as parts of a ship’s bell. These objects offer additional evidence from the riverbed, but their presence does not settle the cannon’s ship-by-ship provenance.
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- James Cannon, 6-Pounder, US Civil War Cannon Model kit 1941 by Guns Of History, A division of Model ExpoModel Expo has been serving hobby enthusiasts with precision Models since 1976, and is a hobby tools and Accessories manufacturer, distributor, and reseller.
- The Model 1841 cannon was a lightweight gun used extensively during the Mexican War. Though fairly mobile at 900 pounds, its softball-sized shot was too small to do much damage. It was easily outranged, especially once rifled guns came into use.
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- Clearly written illustrated instructions, View the PDF Link below. Easy to build – assembly & painting time 5-10 hours. Length 8" Width 4" Height 3-1/4" Scale 1:16 Weight 1 lb. Entry Level
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