A cannon dating to the mid 1600s, which had been salvaged from the St. Lawrence River at the head of Carleton Island in the Town of Cape Vincent decades ago, has been returned to New York.
Plans are in the works for a long term loan to allow for the cannon’s display at the Village of Cape Vincent’s East End Park on the shores overlooking Carleton Island, where so much of the cannon’s history played itself out.
The nearly 6,000-pound cannon was cast in Britain in the mid-17th century and sent to New York in November 1739 on the HMS Vanguard. During the French and Indian War, it was moved to Oswego or Fort William Henry. It was captured by the French in 1756 or 1757, and recaptured by the British at the Battle of Isle Royal near present day Ogdensburg, NY in 1760.
During the American Revolution, the cannon was moved from Fort William Augustus (Isle Royal) to Fort Haldimand at Carleton Island. Just before the start of the War of 1812, it was sunk in the St. Lawrence to keep it from falling into the hands of the Americans. It was recovered by American divers in the early 1960s, and became the property of the New York State Museum.
New York State offered the cannon as a long-term loan to the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa, where it has been for more than two decades. Sackets Harbor Battlefield State Historic Site has now taken possession of the cannon.
Photo provided by the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation.
The gun is not from Oswego. Oswego’s single 18-pounder was a brass gun intended for Shirley’s 1755 Expedition against Niagara. This expedition failed due to logistical problems. In summer 1757, Fort William Henry had two 18-pounders and Fort Edward had eight 18-pounders in their inventories. Six of these guns had been sent to Albany by Governor Clinton in 1745, sat for 10 years. The Winslow Expedition brought the other four guns (1756). The Clinton guns weighed between 52-53 hundred weight (Pargellis 1936, Page 128). This seems an excellent match (5,800 lbs). The gun is not from the Siege of Fort William Henry as both 18-pounders burst. Possible Fort Edward gun.
The Canadian War Museum probably should have retained this gun. This gun was not a captured piece from the Battle of Isle Royal — “Their Artillery consisted of twelve 12-Prs, two 8-Prs, thirteen 4-Prs, four 1-Pr & four Brass 6-Prs, besides several Guns with Trunions broke off, small Arms, and a great quantity of Powder & ball & provisions.” (Amherst Journals, August 26, 1760; Page 239). Much more likely the cannon was lost in the river by the British while being transported, part of the Siege Train — why it was returned by the Canadian War Museum.
However, there is a very good chance this gun was at the Siege of Louisbourg, Nova Scotia (1745) and/or Ft. Beausejour, Nova Scotia (1755). It is an involved game of musical chairs with cannon. In 1745, ten 18-pounders were sent from New York to the Siege of Louisbourg. In Nov. 1755, six of these guns are sent to Albany. In 1755, all ten of the remaining 18-pounders then in New York Harbor were sent north to Boston for the planned attack on Ft. Beausejour. Two might have been sent back as part of an ordnance trade (Shirley), but at least 8 of these guns were at Ft. Beausejour. These were returned to New York either Albany or New York Harbor. Winslow brought at 4 of these guns north to Fort Edward (1756). In 1759, Amherst ordered two 18-pounders moved from Albany to the Mohawk River Valley suggesting Winslow brought all eight Beausejour 18-pounders to Albany. This gun is likely one of those ordered by Amherst to the Mohawk Valley. In 1760, Amherst assembled his artillery train at Oswego and then moved to the Saint Lawrence River. In all likely this is a Beausejour cannon with a smaller probability that it was at Louisbourg in 1745.
Correction: In Nov. 1745, six of these guns are sent to Albany. (Clarification: Six of the guns that had served at Louisbourg were sent to Albany in November 1745).