Historic Cannons from American Revolution Recovered, Head for Savannah Museum

Seventeen iron cannons believed to date back to the American Revolutionary War are set to go on public display at the Savannah History Museum in Georgia after being recovered from the bottom of the Savannah River and carefully restored over several years.

The cannons were first discovered in 2021 during dredging operations by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which initially believed the weapons might be from the Civil War era. However, further archaeological analysis later revealed they were likely linked to the late 18th century and the 1779 Siege of Savannah; one of the most violent battles of the American Revolution.

Experts believe the cannons may have been part of a defensive scuttling operation by British forces, who sank ships in the Savannah River to block advancing French naval support for American revolutionaries. Some of the recovered artillery still contained cannonballs and remnants of gunpowder when retrieved, offering rare physical insight into 18th-century warfare technology.

After recovery, the artifacts were transported to Texas A&M University’s Conservation Research Laboratory, where specialists spent years removing sediment, stabilizing the metal, and preserving their structural integrity for long-term display.

Museum officials in Savannah say the cannons will form part of a major new exhibition timed to coincide with America’s 250th independence anniversary celebrations. The display aims to highlight Savannah’s strategic importance during the Revolutionary War and provide visitors with a direct link to the battlefield history beneath the modern city.

Historians say the find is significant not only for its scale but also for the mystery surrounding the cannons’ origins, as some appear to be British-made while others may have been cast in France or early America.
The exhibit is expected to open to the public this summer.