Savannah dredging operations brought up numerous Civil War and Revolutionary War cannons and artifacts. How did the projects and weapons compare?

CSS Georgia Dahlgren pulled up from river in 2015; one of the Revolutionary War cannons in 2021 and this week's unveiling of conserved artillery pieces at the Savannah History Museum (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers photos)

A stunning collection of Revolutionary War cannon recovered off Old Fort Jackson in Savannah, Ga., is now on public display, the culmination of an extensive archaeological and conservation effort.

A contractor dredging the Savannah River in 2021 came across the first of the 19 artillery pieces, which some thought might belong to CSS Georgia, a Confederate ironclad that was scuttled nearby by its crew in December 1864.

But it soon became apparent they dated to the American Revolution and the British siege of the city in 1779. They were on ships scuttled by the British to prevent French support of the colonists.

The surprise discovery of the Revolutionary War weapons came following the 2015-2017 recovery of items associated with the Civil War ironclad. That U.S. Army Corps of Engineers harbor deepening project, which involved contractors and U.S. Navy divers, recovered more than 30,000 CSS Georgia artifacts, including 241 pieces of ordnance, five cannons and two large casemate sections. The latter were documented and left in the water.

A section of the CSS Georgia's casemate in 2017 (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers)

The Corps of Engineers worked with Texas A&M University to conserve the CSS Georgia material and then 17 of the cannons associated with the Revolutionary War. The Savannah History Museum this week opened “Loyalists and Liberty: Savannah in the American Revolution.”

Chris Dostal, director of the conservation lab at Texas A&M, told the Civil War Picket:

“From a conservation standpoint, both projects involved large, concreted iron artillery from a marine or riverine environment, but the Savannah River cannon presented a particularly unusual opportunity because so many guns were recovered together, several with associated bore contents preserved.”

Some CSS Georgia artifacts are on display at the National Civil War Naval Museum in Columbus, Ga. (At left, one of its propellers, Picket photo)

The Picket recently asked officials to provide some context to how both archaeological projects dovetailed or differed.

The following responses came from Francis “Franky” Stankiewicz with Chronical Heritage, Andrea Farmer, archaeologist with the Savannah district of the Army Corps, and Cheri Pritchard, media relations chief with that office. The responses have been edited for brevity and context.

Q1: Are you any closer to knowing precisely which British ships these Revolutionary War cannon belonged to? I know the HMS Rose was ruled out.

A: We have learned a great deal since the cannon were conserved, but I would not say we can assign individual guns to specific vessels with certainty. The strongest current interpretation is that the assemblage most likely originated from the armed ship Savannah, formerly the American privateer General Arnold, and the British transport Venus, both of which were associated with the 1779 Siege of Savannah. Current research suggests that domestic colonial production is the most likely origin for the guns attributed to the General Arnold/Savannah. However, manufacture in Britain, France (particularly Bordeaux), or Spain (particularly Bilbao) cannot be ruled out. Within the realm of domestic production, Rhode Island and Pennsylvania presently appear to be the most probable manufacturing centers.

Andrea Farmer with two reenactors at the Savannah History Museum (USACE photos)

Q: There was early speculation these 19 cannons might date to the Revolutionary War era but might have been placed on the CSS Georgia or fortifications. What led you to determine they dated to the Revolution?

A: The Revolutionary War interpretation rests on several lines of evidence. Typologically, the guns are mid-to-late 18th-century 6-pounders, including examples exhibiting Armstrong-pattern characteristics as well as related short-gun variants. Historically, British and French accounts document the burning and scuttling of armed vessels in this section of the Savannah River during the 1779 Siege of Savannah, consistent with the location of the recovery area. Archaeologically, many of the cannon were recovered in a loaded condition, containing tampions, wadding, shot, powder cartridges, fuse remains, and powder residue, indicating that they were likely prepared for immediate use rather than discarded at a later date. Taken together, the age, location, and loaded condition of the guns strongly support their association with the Revolutionary War-era scuttling events in the Savannah River.

Q: From an archaeological and conservation viewpoint, how different are these cannons vs. those found at CSS Georgia site?

A: From a conservation standpoint, these cannons were unusually rich in sealed contexts. Most were heavily concreted and contaminated cast iron, but many still held preserved bore contents. That meant conservation was also excavation: tampions, hemp junk wads, shot, cartridges, and residues had to be removed and documented in sequence. CSS Georgia material, by contrast, is Civil War ironclad wreckage and ordnance context: later, more industrial, and tied to an armored floating battery. The Savannah cannon assemblage is earlier, Revolutionary War-era muzzle-loading artillery, and its research value comes heavily from the combination of gun form, loading evidence (i.e., material within), and scuttling context. (See link for more photos)

Q. I know the investigation into CSS Georgia concluded a few years back. Have you learned anything more about the site or vessel since then?

A: The CSS Georgia investigation itself concluded earlier, and the current investigations do not indicate a major new interpretation of the vessel since that work. What they do add is a broader landscape context: the cannon cluster site lies near, but is not part of, the CSS Georgia site, and prior mapping work around CSS Georgia actually helped identify the Revolutionary War cannon concentration.

Q: Do you have a schematic/map or illustration showing their precise location in the Savannah River? And do you have anything similar showing the CSS Georgia cannon location -- or both put together?

A: To help preserve and protect these cultural resources long-term, we are not publicly disclosing their precise locations. While the locations are known to a limited number of researchers and resource managers, there is broad agreement that this information should remain restricted for now. Limiting access helps protect the sites from disturbance while supporting future research and analysis that may provide additional insights. Researchers continue to use a variety of mapping products, including sonar and multi-beam imagery of the Cannon Cluster Site near Fort Jackson. Specific details about the exact locations of these resources and their relationship to one another are also being withheld to support ongoing stewardship and future study. In addition, the Savannah Harbor shipping channel is heavily trafficked by large commercial vessels. Restricting site locations helps discourage unauthorized diving activity and reduces potential safety risks. (At left, anchor from one of the 18th century vessels, USACE)

Q: Finally, what is your long-term perspective on both CSS Georgia and these 19 cannons -- What do they tell us about their chapters in American history?

A: Although separated by nearly a century, CSS Georgia and the Revolutionary War cannon cluster represent two distinct chapters in Savannah's long history as a strategically important river port. CSS Georgia represents the Civil War effort to hold the river with improvised Confederate naval technology, including an ironclad that functioned more as a floating battery than an effective maneuvering warship. The cannon cluster reaches back to the Revolution when British forces deliberately used vessels and their armament to obstruct the river and help stop the French fleet during the Siege of Savannah. Together, they show that control of the Savannah River was repeatedly central to military strategy, commerce and the fate of the city.

'Faithful Unto Death': Gettysburg hero Alonzo Cushing's Medal of Honor will be displayed at park visitor center for this week's 163rd anniversary

1st Lt. Alonzo Cushing (center, back) and other artillery officers at Antietam in 1862 (Library of Congress)

The Medal of Honor awarded to artillery 1^st Lt. Alonzo H. Cushing will be displayed at Gettysburg National Military Park on the anniversary of his death during Pickett’s Charge.

The medal and display box will be on exhibit July 1-5 at the park’s museum and visitor center.

“This rare display coincides with the anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg, offers visitors a unique opportunity to reflect on Cushing's sacrifice where it occurred and provides them with the opportunity to view the nation’s highest military decoration awarded to one of Gettysburg’s most recognized Union officers,” the Gettysburg Foundation said.

Cushing's Medal of Honor has been displayed at various sites (Gettysburg Foundation)

The Delafield, Wisc., native was raised in Fredonia, N.Y. Cushing, one of three brothers who had distinguished military service, was only 22 when he fell leading his battery.

At Gettysburg, Cushing and his battery of six 3-inch ordnance rifles took position with Brig. Gen. Alexander S. Webb's brigade on July 2, 1863. They were engaged throughout the day and again on July 3 as Confederate forces opened a two-hour artillery bombardment that preceded the assault known as Pickett's Charge, the foundation said.

Battery A, 4th U.S. Artillery was at a spot dubbed "The Angle."

Cushing suffered two grievous wounds and directed the operation of a field piece during the massive Rebel advance. He refused to leave the field. A bullet to the head killed him instantly.

In 2014, the young officer received the Medal of Honor from President Barack Obama for demonstrating conspicuous gallantry, inflicting severe casualties on the enemy and helping to turn back the charge. A descendant living in California accepted it on Cushing's behalf.

"This medal is a reminder that no matter how long it takes it's never too late to do the right thing," Obama said during the brief ceremony at the White House Roosevelt Room.

It was rare for a Federal officer during the war to receive a Medal of Honor and historians acknowledge efforts to recognize Cushing at the time probably were sidetracked because others survived the momentous July 1863 battle in Pennsylvania and wrote about their service.

It was largely up to the descendants of Cushing, who like his three brothers had no children or direct descendants, to keep alive his legacy, saving his letters, traveling to Gettysburg and sharing stories around the Thanksgiving table.

Among those joining the Cushing and Loring families in Washington, D.C. for the White House and U.S. Army ceremonies was Margaret E. Zerwekh, then 94, of Delafield.

Zerwekh, who died in 2018, lived on property once owned by the Cushing family. She performed research on him and petitioned a congressman years ago to support the honor. Efforts involved additional politicians and military experts who studied records of the young artilleryman's stand at Gettysburg.

Cushing's citation reflects the same devotion expressed in the words inscribed on his headstone (left, click to enlarge) at West Point: "Faithful unto Death." 

Cushing's medal is now part of the collection at Gettysburg National Military Park.

For $18.63, you can sponsor an American flag and remember a soldier who fell at Gettysburg. The 7,000 flags will be on view in November

Eternal Light Peace Memorial on the battlefield (Gettysburg Foundation)

The Gettysburg Foundation is asking the public to sponsor a U.S. flag for $18.63 through “A Field of Remembrance,” a campaign to memorialize the 7,000 men killed at the battle.

The foundation, which supports the National Park Service at Gettysburg National Military Park, launched the effort earlier this month. The campaign runs through Veterans Day.

The field installation of 7,000 flags near Eternal Light Peace Memorial will be on view from Nov. 12 through Nov. 23.

“The field will reflect the estimated number of soldiers killed during the battle, while remembering all who were killed, wounded, captured or missing at Gettysburg,” totaling about 51,000, said the foundation.

Proceeds will support the Gettysburg Foundation's preservation and education work.

The flag installation and the David Wills House’s reopening in November are part of Gettysburg’s PA250 Adams County commemoration.

President Abraham Lincoln finalized his Gettysburg Address at the Wills residence (left, Library of Congress).

“One makes the human cost of the battle visible; the other returns visitors to the room where Lincoln shaped the words that have carried that cost forward ever since,” said the foundation.

Campaign participants may sponsor one or more flags, with tribute naming available at all levels. Sponsorships are now open here.

After the remembrance, the flags will be kept for flag-placing ceremonies, such as Memorial Day at Gettysburg National Cemetery.

Edwin Coe had a premonition and was killed the next day at Petersburg. The Massachusetts officer's sword somehow got to Hawaii. So many questions remain

The Coe sword was briefly placed near his headstone in 2014 (Petersburg National Battlefield)

How 2nd Lt. Edwin I. Coe’s sword ended up at a jewelry store in Honolulu remains a mystery more than a decade after it was subsequently purchased by Petersburg National Battlefield, which has occasionally shown it to the public.

Paul Perrone, a researcher in the Hawaii attorney general’s office, told the Picket in 2015 he was shopping for a wedding ring for his fiancée – now his wife – when he came across the weapon, which had an inscription bearing Coe’s name and indicating it was presented “by his friends in Worcester, Mass.”

Coe, a 19-year-old acting adjutant for the 57^th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, died 162 years ago Wednesday – June 17, 1864, during an assault on Confederate positions at the Virginia battlefield. Coe (below) had a vivid dream the night before, and he told comrades it meant he would fall.

An online version of the unit’s history led to the soldier’s photograph and biography. There was now a human connection to this well-crafted piece of steel. Perrone decided to broker a sale between the business and the national park in 2014.

After the blade was shipped to Petersburg, two park employees drove it to where elements of the 9^th Corps made the June 17, 1864, assault, about 200 yards behind park headquarters on the eastern section of the battlefield, near the Army’s current Fort Lee. They also stopped by Poplar Grove National Cemetery, where Coe lies.

“Since 2015, the sword has had brief periods of exhibition primarily in pop-up presentations with the anniversary of the Initial Assaults (June 15-18, 1864),” Emmanuel Dabney, chief of resource management at Petersburg, told the Picket this week.

“We've been clear that we are unaware how the sword got to Hawaii, but we've been grateful that we have the sword and are honored to serve as the stewards of it and Lt. Coe's remains at Poplar Grove National Cemetery.” 

Many mysteries remain: Was Coe carrying the sword when he died? How did it end up in Hawaii? Who were his friends in Worcester, Mass., that gave him the sword?

Perrone and Dabney indicated they have learned nothing new on the matter since 2015.

“I think barring some piece of Coe family letters or an observer in the 57^th Mass, we're in the dark on this one,” wrote Dabney.

Sword and scabbard before they were sent to Petersburg (Paul Perrone)

Hawaii has a lot of ties to military history

The sword came to the Pacific Diamond and Swiss Watch Exchange in Honolulu in 2012. Owner Ted Gonzalez bought it from an estate dealer.

“I thought it was unusual just because I’ve never bought one before. I decided to buy it and I decided to keep it,” Gonzalez told TV station KITV.

(Photos courtesy Paul Perrone)

Perrone took an interest and began his research on the Ames Model 1850 foot officer’s sword. The frosted blade contains patriotic motifs -- eagles, cannon, olive branches and arrows -- and was obviously manufactured and decorated with care.

Coe, the son of a Unitarian minister, was born in Medway, Mass. He moved to Worcester and joined another regiment when he was just 17 or 18. He then joined the 57^th Massachusetts.

According to the regimental history, written by John Anderson in 1896, the young lieutenant was “of excellent character, fond of military service, zealous and ambitious in the faithful performance of duty, loved and esteemed by all who knew him.”

It’s not known when the sword was presented to Coe. The inscription said it was a gift “by his friends in Worcester.” 

Coe was struck by a spent musket ball at Spotsylvania Court House on May 12. He threw up both hands and fell; his comrades believed he was finished. “But in a few moments he rejoined the regiment,” according to the unit history,” saying that he had only been stunned for a few seconds.”

Just before the charge at Petersburg, Coe told comrades he would be killed. The premonition proved correct: He was struck in the head during the early part of the advance. Ten enlisted comrades died in the battle.

Coe left no wife or children. His mother applied for a pension in 1891.

His brother, who served in another Federal unit, took charge of his remains and Edwin was buried near where he fell. He was disinterred after the war and placed in the national cemetery now managed by the park.

How did it wind up at a jewelry store?

If the weapon was used used for ceremonial purposes, it might have been in the fallen officer’s tent at the time of the time. Or if Coe carried it during the charge, it could have “ended up in practically anyone’s possession,” Perrone said in 2015.

“With every branch of the service having at least one base in Hawaii, and with so many government contractors and retired military personnel living here, all kinds of interesting things turn up,” said Perrone (left), adding the story is the sword belonged to a retired serviceman.

Gonzalez, the jewelry store owner, told KITV that he and his wife “agreed to do the right thing” with the sword, rather than sell it for several thousand dollars, and he enlisted the help of Perrone.

“I wanted to literally return the sword to Lt. Coe, and Petersburg is where he has been for the past 150 years,” said Perrone, who contacted then-park curator Jimmy Blankenship and the discussions on the sword commenced.

Chris Bryce, chief of interpretation at the time, said the park, using donations and sales proceeds from bookstores operated by a private concessionaire, paid Gonzalez $1,600 for the Coe sword.

Bryce, at the time, said he was unaware of any surviving Coe descendants. Bryce and Blankenship no longer work for the park.

At the 'right place at the right time'

Coe was among tens of thousands of men in blue and gray who were in the area during the Petersburg campaign and siege. “We don’t have a great number of items that we can put to one person, let alone have an image of an individual,” Bryce told the Picket in 2015.

The 57^th Massachusetts was supposed to be in reserve, but took part in the charge. Casualties mounted quickly.

The park believed the Coe weapon is a combat, rather than a presentation, sword. (Jimmy Blankenship, right, with the Federal weapon)

“Chances are good he was carrying it in battle,” said Bryce. “By carrying it,” they (his friends) are with him in battle.”

It's possible the young officer had both a combat and presentation sword, and the one found in the Hawaii shop was the latter. No one knows for sure; Coe may not have even wielded a blade that day.

Students at Worcester State University in 2016 researched the lives of 398 area residents who were killed during the Civil War. Coe was among them.

Perrone told the Picket in an email Monday he and his wife discussed the story just a couple of weeks ago.

“I still feel like returning that sword is something I was meant to do. I'm very grateful to have been in the right place at the right time to do the right thing.”  

Atlanta History Center hopes to make an emotional connection with patrons through immersive 'More Perfect Union' Civil War exhibit, opening in mid-July

Frock coat of  Benjamin Schumpert, a 17-year-old Georgia fatally shot in the head at Chickamauga in 1863; commemorative locket with a photograph of U.S.C.T. soldier; field hospital flag manufactured in Maine (AHC)

Prize artifacts and integrated technology will deeply engage those visiting “More Perfect Union: The American Civil War Era,” the Atlanta History Center says of its gallery opening on July 10.

The AHC this week provided more information and photos from “More Perfect Union,” the first of two Civil War exhibits debuting in coming months.

“Opening during the institution’s centennial year, the expansive new exhibition reimagines how this defining and contested period of American history is presented and understood,” a news release said.

“More Perfect Union” opens in the overhauled DuBose Gallery, which for years was home to “Turning Point: The American Civil War.” The second phase, “Hard Hand of War: Soldiers, Weapons, and Mass Production,” will open in the downstairs Goldstein Gallery some time this winter.

The AHC summarized “More Perfect Union” this way:

“Upon entering, visitors immediately step into an immersive media experience. This plunges them directly into the political storm that engulfed the nation just before the Civil War in 1861. Photographs, headlines, political cartoons, and other imagery flash across multiple screens, while period voices collide in a cacophony of political debate. These are the words of real Americans, revealing the deep divisions, conflicting opinions and uncertainty that defined the era.”

(Above, hand-painted drum carried by New York native William A. McKinzie of the 78th Illinois Infantry during the Atlanta Campaign.)

Digital maps and animated timelines will provide historical context and allow visitors to explore stories and connections at their own pace, “while keeping original artifacts and primary-source interpretation at the center of the experience.”

The remarkable array of artifacts -- many from the museum’s collection, while others were bought in recent years – include an original copy of Frederick Douglass’ speech (left, courtesy AHC), “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?”, the Confederate flag that flew over Atlanta at the time of the city’s surrender in 1864, Major Gen. William T. Sherman’s personal copy of “Photographic Views of Sherman’s Campaign,” a field hospital flag and the battle flag of the 127th U.S. Colored Troops bearing the words “We Will Prove Ourselves Men.”

Also featured will be uniforms for Union and Confederate soldiers who fought at Chickamauga in 1863 and at Peachtree Creek a year later.

The Atlanta History Center last year closed “Turning Point” to make way for the new galleries that will feature artifacts and a broader discussion of issues that engage the republic to this day: our belief systems, victory, defeat, reconciliation and the evolving meaning of freedom.

Atlanta, museum officials say, is ideal to tell a bigger national story about the Civil War in a striking way. Beyond being the capital of the South and a melting pot, it’s recognized by historians as a crucial battleground for saving the presidency of Abraham Lincoln and the United States itself.

For 30 years, relics collected by an Atlanta father and son formed the core of “Turning Point: The American Civil War.”

The exhibit focused on the soldiers in blue and gray and how they did their deadly work, and visitors were awed by the incredible collection of uniforms, weapons, personal items -- and just about every conceivable type of artillery shell. I enjoyed my visits over the years, but toward the end the presentation seemed outdated and in need of new energy.

Shelter half carried by Cpl. Charles E. Smith of the 32nd Ohio Volunteer Infantry (AHC)

While “Turning Point” did address some big questions about the Civil War, there was limited discussion on technology, slavery and the home front. New, more diverse generations – distanced even more from the Civil War era – are asking deeper questions, the museum says, about why the war happened, how 4 million enslaved Americans gained their freedom, Reconstruction and what the conflict, which took at least 720,000 lives, means today.

The history center is investing $16 million and more than 15,000 square feet for the new exhibits.

Make no mistake, Confederate and Union bayonets, swords, flags, rifles and revolvers will still be a big part of the presentation. To that end, senior military historic and curator Gordon Jones and AHC CEO and president Sheffield Hale told the Picket they are excited about plans to include two large collection of dug relics.

But they are particularly excited about the artifacts related to U.S. Colored Troops. The impetus for that came about in 2019, when the history center bought a hand-painted flag made for the 127^th USCT infantry. It depicts a soldier waving farewell to Columbia, a symbol of the United States, with the words “We Will Prove Ourselves Men.” (AHC photo, click to enlarge)

“More Perfect Union” also incorporates personal stories drawn from the journals, letters, photographs, and everyday objects of the people who lived through the war, the center says.

In a new video from the AHC, Jones detailed the “reimagined” signature Civil War exhibit.

“Atlanta is the home of so many pivotal events that have determined the outcome of American history, starting with the American Civil War. Everywhere you walk in Atlanta, you are on a battlefield. And on those battlefields, that was where the fate of the country was determined. It’s a story of a struggle and had it not been for what happened here, the outcome of the war for Union and emancipation may very well have turned out differently.”

USCT ladder badge worn by veteran; uniform of 1st Lt. George Young of the 143rd New York (AHC)

There will be stories of Confederate and Union soldiers. "This is about people -- men, women, free, enslaved," Jones says in the video.

The renovated Goldstein Gallery – which opens in the winter -- will focus on technology and the Civil War. In part, it will feature the singular collection of the late George W. Wray Jr., showcasing some of the rarest Confederate firearms, swords, uniforms, flags and other items. Some were one of a kind.

When it went on temporary display in 2015, the theme was the weapons were an attempt by a slave-based society to fight an industrial war. The South was hampered by limited manufacturing and the Union blockade of foreign goods.

At the AHC, Civil War aficionados can also see the giant Cyclorama painting of the Battle of Atlanta, related exhibits and the locomotive Texas, one half of the famous “Great Locomotive Chase” in 1862.