French & Indian War Cannonball, recovered many years ago at Delmar, NY (Albany County)

This is another nice early piece coming out of a 60-year collection of French & Indian War, Revolutionary War, and War of 1812 artillery. Being offered is a French & Indian War 12-pounder cannonball. It weighs 12-pounds, 14-ounces and has a diameter of 4 ½”. It was recovered many years ago in Delmar, NY, just south of Albany in Albany County (see map).  

During the French and Indian War, Albany County was the target of several French plans to cut the British colonies in half. Albany was also the point in which British and colonial troops were assembled, and where several invasions of French Canada, and specifically Montreal, were planned.

Albany County, New York played a significant role in the American Revolution, with the county's militia fighting in many battles and the city serving as a military base, supply center, and hospital

The Albany County militia was the colonial militia of Albany County, New York. Drawn from the general male population, by law all male inhabitants from 15 to 55 had to be enrolled in militia companies, the later known by the name of their commanders. By the 1700s, the militia of the Province of New York was organized by county and officers were appointed by the royal government. By the early phases of the American Revolutionary War the county`s militia had grown into seventeen regiments.

The cannonball remains in very nice condition, having overall surface rust, but no flaking or chipping and a light coat of varnish was applied for preservation. This collection began in the late 1950s and was created by private acquisitions, closed museums, and from lake divers. The collector meticulously displayed and cataloged every piece along with its provenance. His markings were crude at the time, but now they have proved to be very important. Many of the pieces went through electrolysis to remove crusted rust.

This is the first time this relic has been on the open market, and it is truly a great piece of early American History. This was the only cannonball in this large collection from the Delmar/Albany area and is probably French. It definitely merits a place in an advanced collection or museum. As with all the pieces in this esteemed collection, a Certificate of Authenticity will be included.