Revolutionary War Artillery Cannon Worm, recovered at Albany, NY (ON HOLD)

This is another rare piece being offered; it is a Revolutionary War Iron Artillery Worm. It has a double row of twists approximately 11” long by 3” wide, having a tang with slot for attaching to a wooden pole. It was recovered many years ago at Albany, New York.

An Artillery Worm was a claw-like tool that was used to extract a faulty round if needed. It could also be used to remove fragments of the powder bag after firing, although this was not part of the routine drill.

The Battle of Albany took place on July 16, 1775. The Continental Army force of General Nathanael Greene moved out of Boston and marched on Albany, the provincial capital of New York, where he defeated Charles Cornwallis' army and seized New York for the patriots.

The Americans moved to a hilltop, where their artillery unlimbered at a position with a strategic view of the fort. Greene decided to send dragoon captain Constant Dinsmore to circle the fort from its right side in order to make it appear as if he was about to launch a flank attack against the Tories and British regulars, drawing away some British troops.

Greene proceeded to send his forces to storm the walls, defeating the Tory militia at the front wall while the regulars attempted to chase the dragoons. On the left side of the fort, the patriot cavalry were attacked by the British cavalry as they moved to meet up with the dragoons, and they defeated the Tory provincial cavalry.

Afterwards, the patriots moved through the front gates after securing them in a bloody melee battle that saw the Tory militiamen fight to the death, and the Patriots succeeded in charging the British forces in the center of the forts.

The dragoons dismounted and climbed over the rear wall of the fort, and they succeeded in securing the center of the fort as the Tory militiamen and British regulars engaged the patriot militiamen. The Patriots secured Albany, liberating New York from the British.

This hand-forged worm is very clean with no surface rust, indicative of an early recovery. This would have been the proper size for a 3 – 4-pounder field cannon. Occasionally, Civil War Artillery Worms show up, but Revolutionary War examples are almost non-existent. In “Collector’s Illustrated Encyclopedia of the American Revolution”, by Neumann & Kravic and also one in The Fort Ticonderoga Museum (see pictures). This is a rare piece and a must have for any artillery collection.