Revolutionary War Cannonball recovered many years ago at Carleton Island, New York

This is another nice early piece coming out of a 60-year collection of French & Indian War/Revolutionary War artillery. Being offered is a Revolution War 12-pounder cannonball. It has a diameter of 4 1/2” and weighs 12 pounds, 7 ounces. This unique piece was recovered from a British shipwreck in the early 20th century off Carleton Island, New York on the Lawrence River.

In 1778 British General Frederick Haldimand ordered a fort built on the island to protect Kingston, Ontario in Canada and as a forward base. The island was renamed Carleton Island after Sir Guy Carleton (see pictures), who had preceded Haldimand as Governor of the Province of Quebec, and the fort was named after Haldimand. Many ships for the war were built on the island, including the recently discovered HMS Ontario. At the close of the war, under the terms of Jay's Treaty, the British were supposed to cede Carleton Island along with other forts to the Americans, but in the case of Carleton, never did.

During the War of 1812, Carleton Island was captured without bloodshed by three freelancing Americans. In 1817, the State Legislature of New York annexed the island to Jefferson County.

The ball remains in very nice condition, having a mostly smooth surface, indicative of an early recovery. 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 cannonball has been on the open market, and it is truly a great piece of early American History. There are many shipwrecks in the Lawrence River alongside of Fort Carleton. 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.