Cannons Recovered from Savannah River
Workers deepening a 40-mile section of Georgia’s Savannah River discovered cannons that had been missing since the Revolutionary War. The first cannon was found in 2021, with more discoveries continuing through 2022, ultimately leading to 19 cannons being pulled from the water more than 200 years after they vanished.
Following the initial finds, officials paused dredging operations to focus on locating additional artifacts. Along with the cannons, archaeologists also uncovered fragments of anchors and pieces of a bronze vessel bell.
Experts believe these cannons are linked to British ships that were deliberately sunk during the 1779 Siege of Savannah. The British reportedly scuttled ships in the river to create underwater barriers against the approaching French fleet. This battle became one of the bloodiest conflicts of the Revolutionary War. One vessel thought to have been scuttled was the HMS Savannah, and Stephen James, maritime director of the Commonwealth Heritage Group, suggested the cannons could have originated from this ship.
Radiocarbon testing performed on wooden stoppers found with the weapons dated the material to the late 1700s, supporting their Revolutionary War origins. Seventeen of the recovered cannons underwent restoration at Texas A&M. These restored cannons are now part of an exhibition titled Loyalists & Liberty at the Savannah History Museum, where they went on public display on July 2, 2026.
