19 Revolutionary War-Era Cannons Recovered from Savannah River During Dredging Project

During a $973 million project to deepen a 40-mile section of the Savannah River, workers using a clamshell dredger began discovering centuries-old cannons in 2021. After the initial discovery of three cannons, officials halted dredging to focus on artifact recovery, using sonar technology and divers to locate additional weapons. By 2022, a total of 19 cannons had been recovered from the riverbed, where they had rested for nearly 250 years. Historians initially believed the cannons came from a Civil War-era vessel but quickly determined they dated to the Revolutionary War, likely from the HMS Savannah or HMS Rose, British ships that were deliberately scuttled in 1779 when the British saw French forces approaching Savannah. Some cannons were still loaded, suggesting rapid sinking. After careful restoration by Texas A&M University experts, 17 of the cannons are now ready for public display at the Savannah History Museum.