The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-02-21

and six feet long. The cannon is an iron
S2-pounder ships howitzer On the side
of the stone facing the front entrance
IS to be a medallion of the battlehag
of the Confederaey, with the words, in a
circle Confederate Veterans Associat ton
of Savannah. Ca" and below, in a panel,
In Memoriam."
The cannon. which will surmount the
stone, is a gun that saw service on more
than one occasion 1t was used in a Con-
federate battery on the Owens plantation
on the Little Ogeeohee during the siege
of the city by Sherman in December,
1864. and was spiked and thrown in the
ditch when the Coufederates abandoned
their position. 1t remained hidden from
sight for several years. and thus escap- d
the fate of ether pieces Of Confederate
ordnance, which We're gathered up by the
authorized junk dealers of the United
States War Department and sent north
ward 70 be recast into less dangerous
articles.
The gun was unearthed some years af-
ter and remained at the plantation a Gu
riosity to visitors, until a few years ago
when it and another piece were present
ed to the Georgia Hussars, and were
planted muzzles down in front of the Lib
erty street steps to their armory. The
pieces rot being Of the same size the
smaller one was taken up and given
place in the Hussars' shooting gallery,
from whence it viii soon be taken to its
future resting place, it having been do
mated for that purpose by the Hussars at
a meeting held last week.
The gun is Of ancient pattern and 1t
is within the possibilities that it saw ser
vice aboard one of the historic ships of the
old navy, in the war of 1sl2-15, and in the
later contest with Mexico. A majority
of the guns used by the Comfederacy
came from the United States arsenals,
forts and navy yards and were, as a rule,
entiquated. They were the best 10 be
had, however, and had to be used. The
Norfolk navy yard furnished many of
the old cannon, and the howl ger might
have come from that old boneyard of
glory
1t was the policy of the Confederate
government to fortify and defend every
foot of ground. Along the coast the
sand hills fairly hristled with guns bu,
it was deemed early in the war that but
few such places could be saved from the
foe, and gradually one fort after another
was abandoned until the outer line de-
lenses on the coast were on the mainland
Batteries of the most elaborate cnarac-
ter We're left, gurs hauled away and the
soldiers that defended the forts were
sent to reinforce Lee in Virginia or
Bragg in North Georgia small detach-
ments of artillery, serving as gunners.
Cavalry scouts, or infantry, as necessity
required, took the places of the regiments
of Infantry There is no telling where
the old cannon saw service IN those days.
If 1t could talk it might tell many a tale
of hope deferred that maketh the heart
sick"
There is a tradition that The gun was
part of the battery Of the u. S. steamer
Water Witch, which was captured by a
boarding party from the Confederate
states naval vessels on their stations
while she was blockading off Ossabaw
sound 1t is scarcely possible that this
could be so, as the Water Witch was a
small steamer She was formerly in the
United States Coast Survey and would
not carry so old and clumsy q gun The
Water Witch was q historic vessel and
once came near causing a war She was
engaged in surveying the river Rio de la
Platte and was fired on by the Argentine
Republic. This almost caused q war.
After the capture Of the Water Witch by
the Conlederates under Lieut.. Pelot, she
was taken to White Bluff where she was
burned when Sherman was about to
take Savannah Wherever the old gun
may have come from there Is no doubt
that Il was good Confederate piece IN
It's day, and II is meet and proper that
u should ind & resting piece with those
heroes who would have been by its side
had duty called them there.
-s-o-@--
Cooks Imperial Extra Dry Champagne
has delicious aroma Of che giopes. It's
purity Is undoubted. -,ad