Twelve More Revolution Cannons Found in Savannah River-- Part 3:

The HMS Rose was a brig that carried 160 men and twenty 9-pounder cannons.  Earlier, it had worked to control smuggling in Rhode Island and fought and patrolled waters off New York City and up the Hudson River.  Later, it switched operations to the south as the British were hoping they could get the support of many Loyalists there and the ship ended up in Savannah, Georgia, after the British captured it.

But with French ships closing in on the city, the Rose was scuttled on September  19, 1779, to block the Savannah River.

It is possible that the cannons also may have belonged to the  HMS Venus or HMS Savannah which were also scuttled.  The French did not capture the city and kept control of it until almost the war's end.  (I could not find any records on these two ships as British Navy ones, but likely were troopships.  I have seen a couple places where it was mentioned that ships by these names were sunk in the river.)

The cannons appear to date from about the mid 1700s, which would put them  closely aligned to the Rose's history.

The ones found last February were about five feet long.

An interesting story.

--DaCootRose

Twelve More American Revolution Cannons Found in the Savannah River-- Part 2: HMS Rose?

The river bottom of the Savannah River is strewn with all sorts of old stuff , ranging from Indian pottery to parts of a Confederate Civil War ironclad (the CSS Georgia) and other vessels lost dating back to Colonial times.  

When the first three cannons were found during dredging last February east of Savannah's famed River Street, archaeologists and the British Royal Navy  offered an intriguing possibility about their source.

Based on measurements and appearance, those cannons might have been from the British HMS Rose, a ship they scuttled during the American revolution in the Savannah River to block French ships from aiding the colonists who were attempting to retake the city.

But, now further investigation has the ship being sunk farther up the river and that it had had its cannons removed beforehand.

Farther research show that the cannons might have belonged to  British transport ships that were also sunk to block the river's channel.

Archaeologists are hoping further research will bring to light identifying elements of the cannons and matches to what the scuttled ships were carrying as weapons.

So, Whose Cannons?  --Cooter

Twelve More American Revolution Cannons Found in Savannah River-- Part 1

From the February 9, 2022, WJCL ABC "Archaeologists discover a dozen Revolutionary War cannons in the Savannah River" by CNN.

This is a remarkable find that raises the question of what vessel had they been on before their trip to river bottom and, of course, why were they dropped.

The local district of the Army Corps of Engineers is in charge of deepening the river channel posted a video and photos about it.

Last month's raising of the rusty artifacts brings to the number of recovered cannons to fifteen, plus fragments of another one found over the last year in preparation for the river project.

"There is no telling what all is down there," says Corps district archaeologist  Andrea Farmer told CNN, saying, "so much of the river is unknown.

--Cooter

Colonel John Boyd, Tory Commander

From American Battlefield Trust.

He commanded the Tories at the Battle of Kettle Creek, Georgia.

Information about John Boys id unfortunately extremely sparse.  It is also possible that his name might have even been James.

In any event, he was probably a landowner in South Carolina.  After the British capture of New York City, Boyd traveled north  and met with Sir Henry Clinton, receiving a commission and orders to form a Loyalist regiment in the South.

In November 1778, Boyd accompanied British Colonel Archibald Campbell's expedition to Savannah, Georgia, which was captured by British forces on December 29, 1778.  After Campbell followed up his victory by moving inland and capturing  Augusta, Georgia, Boyd was dispatched north to raise a force of Loyalists in the Carolinas.

He was attacked at Kettle Creek on his return journey after completing his recruitment expedition.  Boyd was buried in an unmarked grave on the Battle of Kettle Creek site.

It has not been located.

--Brock-Perry

No Kissing the Soldiers at Savannah's St. Patrick's Parade

From the March 11, 2017, Chicago Tribune  "Army:  No kissing parading soldiers on St. Patrick's Day" by Russ Bynum, AP.

Well, the Army says that makes the soldiers look unprofessional.  So,  not sure how they will stop it.  "Duck and cover?"  No word from them as to what they will do if a gal gets in close for a kiss.

Anyway, Savannah, Georgia,'s  St. Patrick's parade and celebration is legendary, right up there after Mardi Gras in New Orleans.  Roughly 200 soldiers from nearby Fort Stewart will be taking part in the parade this Saturday.

Organizers say that as many as 500,000 revelers will be downtown this weekend in Georgia's oldest city.

Irish immigrants (they didn't all go to New York City and Boston) and their descendants have marched in the St. Patrick's parade since 1824.

And, It's a Real Big Parade.  OK, Girls, Put Away the Lipstick.  --CootRish

Doing the Forts of Savannah

Yesterday, I visited Fort Pulaski, named for the Polish general who died fighting for American independence at Savannah during the American Revolution.  It was the site of a major Civil War battle in which rifled cannons proved to be more than a match for masonry forts.

Today, we go to Old Fort Jackson, built during the War of 1812.

--Cooter

Savannah's History: Oglethorpe's Town

February 12, 1733:  General James Oglethorpe and his band of colonists build the first houses.

Nov. 30, 1735:  The Scots celebrated St. Andrew's Day.

1736:  Oglethorpe returns from England with the Reverends John and Charles Wesley.  John preaches his first sermon in America near Trinity Church.

July 1742:  The Battle of Bloody Marsh defends the city from the Spanish.

1752  The colony becomes a royal providence.

--Cooter

Eating With History

From American Profile "10 of America's Oldest Eateries" by Marti Attoun.

These taverns, inns and restaurants have been serving great food for at least 150 years. I am listing them here, but will have more detail in my RoadDog's RoadLog Blog.

OLD '76 HOUSE-- Tappan, NY-- 1686
KING GEORGE II INN-- Bristol, Pa. 1681
THE PIRATES' HOUSE-- Savannah, Ga. 1734

OLD TALBOTT TAVERN-- Bardstown, Ky. 1779
THE GOLDEN LAMB-- Lebanon, Ohio 1803
THE LOG INN--Warrenton, Ind. 1825
UNION OYSTER HOUSE-- Boston, Mass. 1826

ANTOINE'S RESTAURANT-- New Orleans, La. 1840
TADICH GRILL-- San Francisco, Cal. 1849
HAYS HOUSE-- Council Grove, Kan. 1857.

And, Several Are Over 150 Years. --DaCoot

Fort Morris "Come and Get It"-- Part 2

The fort also protected the town of Sunbury.

The first fort at the site was constructed in 1741 to protect a plantation. In that same year, it was attacked by Indian allies of the Spanish in Florida. Several soldiers were killed and the fort captured. The plantation was ransacked.

A second, 100 yard square fort mounting eight guns was built during the French and Indian War but fell into disrepair after 1762. It was rebuilt for the Revolutionary War.

During the Civil War, it is believed the fort was used occasionally by a small group of Confederates based in Sunbury. After Sherman arrived, Union soldiers removed some of the fort's cannons.

I'll have to visit the next time I go to my sister's place in nearby Richmond Hill.

"Come and Get Your Lead." --Cooter

Crystal Beer Parlor Closes

While looking at the Battery Backus article I came across the closing of one of Savannah, Georgia's best-known restaurants, the Crystal Beer Parlor at 301 West Jones Street this past Friday, October 24th.

Always a sad thing to see a place that old, dating back to 1933, close. Maybe someone will buy it and reopen the place. It had closed back in 2000, but reopened three years later with the current owners. However, business was down 25% and even with big crowds coming in on Fridays to see their in-house Dixieland jazz band, the Beer Parlor Ramblers, that was not enough.

Its web site at www.crystalbeerparlor.net referred to it as Savannah's Best Kept Secret and the city's last speakeasy. It was also one of the first places to serve alcohol at the end of Prohibition and the second oldest restaurant and oldest in the historic district.

The most popular item was crab stew with a cornbread loaf on the side.

Guess There Will Be No Crab Soup for Me. Too Bad. --Da Coot

Savannah's Battery Backus in Danger

The October 27th Savannah (Ga) Morning News had a report by Chuck Mobley about the concern regarding Battery Backus, an 1898 fortification built on Tybee Island to protect the city from foreign attack.

It is up for sale for $2.1 million and, since it is right on the oceanfront, fear is that it will be torn down for a beach mansion. It is listed at 21 and 23 Pulaski Street.

Earlier this month, it was put on the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation's "10 Places in Peril" list.

It's construction began in the Spanish-American War and continued into the 1900s. It was one of seven batteries that made up Fort Screven. It was occupied during both world wars and deactivated in 1945.

Nearby Battery Gantt is now the foundation for a beach house. Backus is one of only two of Fort Screven's six batteries that have not been completely altered. At one time, the whole fort had about 265 buildings and only half of those remain today. Restoration of Battery Backus is possible, but not without government assistance.

Save the Battery!! --Old Coot