Historic Cannons Revealed
Seventeen Revolutionary War Cannons Found in Savannah River Set for Museum Display
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Seventeen cannons that sat on the bottom of the Savannah River for more than 240 years are back on dry land — and they look brand new. The Savannah History Museum in Georgia's oldest city unveiled the restored weapons on June 3, 2026, according to Associated Press. They will go on public display July 2 as part of America's 250th birthday celebrations.
The cannons were found by accident in 2021, when a dredge scooping mud from the riverbed pulled one up in its metal jaws. Workers were deepening Savannah's shipping channel as part of a $973 million harbor project. Within a week, two more cannons surfaced. By early 2022, crews had pulled up 19 total, Associated Press reported.
British Ships Scuttled During the 1779 Siege of Savannah
Experts believe the cannons came from British warships sunk during the Siege of Savannah in 1779. British forces under General Augustine Prevost deliberately sank at least six ships to block the river channel. The goal was to stop a French fleet from sailing upriver to help American forces retake the city. The tactic worked. The Franco-American assault failed, leaving roughly 800 casualties in just 50 minutes, according to the Coastal Heritage Society.
The cannons are believed to come from British vessels including the HMS Savannah and HMS Venus. They were found at a spot called Five Fathom Hole, just off the shores of Old Fort Jackson. Archaeologists initially thought any artifacts in the area were from the Civil War — specifically the CSS Georgia ironclad, recovered nearby in 2015. The Revolutionary War find was a complete surprise.
Cannons Spent Three Years Being Restored at Texas A&M
In January 2023, 17 of the 19 cannons were trucked to the Conservation Research Laboratory at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. Two cannons stayed behind for scientific study. Researchers spent more than three years cleaning and preserving the weapons. Professor Chris Dostal led the restoration. He used radiocarbon dating on wooden muzzle plugs — called tampions — to confirm the cannons date to the late 1700s, The Durango Herald reported.
The preservation was a striking success. Many cannons still had their bores sealed with the original wooden plugs, keeping cannonballs and gunpowder inside for over two centuries. USACE archaeologist Andrea Farmer said the guns "look brand new" after restoration and are so well-preserved they "could pretty much be fired if someone wanted to," according to Associated Press.
New Exhibit Challenges the Patriots-Only Story of the Revolution
The cannons will anchor a new 3,000-square-foot gallery called "Loyalists & Liberty: Savannah in the American Revolution." The exhibit opens July 2 to coincide with America 250, the national celebration of the country's 250th birthday. The National Endowment for the Humanities awarded a $25,000 grant to help build the large mounts needed to display the artifacts, according to the Coastal Heritage Society.
The exhibit title is deliberately provocative. Savannah was a Loyalist stronghold — many residents sided with Britain, not the Patriots. The Coastal Heritage Society says the show will include stories of Loyalists, French forces, and Haitian soldiers who fought in the siege. Historians note that Georgia's role in the Revolution is often overlooked in favor of Northern campaigns.
A $973 Million Dredge Project Turned Into a History Lesson
The Savannah Harbor Expansion Project deepened the city's shipping channel from 42 to 47 feet to handle larger modern cargo ships. The project cost $973 million and was sponsored by the Georgia Ports Authority. No one expected it to rewrite history. The USACE called the cannon recovery a successful "mitigation" — proof that big industrial projects can uncover, rather than destroy, the past.
Savannah's port already contributes $32 billion to Georgia's economy. Now the cannon find adds a heritage tourism draw to that industrial muscle. The museum exhibit is expected to be a centerpiece of the city's America 250 tourism push this summer, drawing visitors eager to see weapons that sat forgotten on a muddy riverbed since the birth of the United States.
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