Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1906-04-05
OLD COLONIAL CANNON.


II have been repeatedly requested
10 write 40 account Of the recovery
Of she old Colonial cannon which,
after the removal otthe capital Of the
colony of Maryland from St. Mays
to Annapolis By the royal Governor
Nicholson, were left exposed to
winds and weather 90 Fort Point,
about amlle below thepresent Jesuit
villa. ana the washing away Of the
river bank By The southwest and
west winds caused them 10 be- sub
merged three or four feet by the
water Of the ST. Mary's river and
some $50 yards distantfronh The land.
n the year 1924 Capt. Thomas Car
hsry, Of Washington city, al one
time Mayor Of that place, was on q
visit 20 his brother Jesuit priest
in charge Of ST. lingo ! parish and
when he learned oi the lamentable
condition Of tho venerable pieces Of
ordnance, determined 10 get them
ashore at bis own expense, for his
love Of State and native county re-
VOTED Vi The idea Of their remaining
there to be destroyed by the oxy.
dizlne agency u salt waters. La q
rural locality, distant from any city,
there we're no proper appliances to
BE- utilized In his patriotic UNDER
taking He shoughl the matter over
aud concluded that the task ID view
could b accomplished By the aid Of
four or five men and Two scows, Two
strong beams and as many timber
chains When all was Ia readiness
he proceeded to the spot where the
cannon were resting Oh the sandy
bottom when the tide was al is low.
est abb and the water not more than
1.-Two and bali fact deep. He cans.
cd the scows 70 be placed about three
feet apart and both parallel 10 one
81 the large guns. which could be
plainly seen. The heavy beams
were adjusted across tho scows,
about Eve ieet apart, the sand was
dug away 10 two places under the
guns where The chains wererun IN
der Them and the ends firmly aud
lightly fastened across She beam
i About SIX hours alter this work was
accomplished the Tide rose 70 its gull
height. and when ihe scows were
revisited they bad risen two feet or
more wilh The increased volume Of
water, and the gun attached to the
cross beam was raised from the bed
Of the river. and ii was ar easy mat
Ter 70 push she aasboass near tha
shore. whence the gun was hauled
by timber cart up Ia front Of the
old ST.. Inigos mansion. There they
remained for many years, and the
writer when D boy played on and
about them many times. Twoof the
guns we're much smaller than the
other three. but whether they or
the larger ones were what the colon
lists den0mlnaled murderers am
unable 70 say The smaller guns
we're used subsequently A. bound
posts between ST. Inigo's Manor
and Gross Manor, which was che hne
estate Of Thomas Cornwalleys, one
Of the ablest and wealthIest OF the
early colonisls II Maryland and one
II The advisers 81 GSy. Leonard Cal.
vert. The demesne ol Cross Manor.
upon which he built. as DO wrote his
unfortunate iriend, the Earl OF STRAIT.
ford, the finest brick house Ii the
province. il the residence Of Mr..
Charles 5 Grason, grandson oi
Governor Grason and on ominontly
worthy representative oithat distIn.
0uished son 81 Maryland. This old
house and relic d past years has d ..
hnsd the assaults 81 many blasts,
and from It's fresh and massive 40.
| pearanco gives every promise OF
many years In tls>S .s;:s...;ssfe. | have
d copy d . correspondence Ia my
| possession between Rev. Joseph
Carbery and Col. William Coad when
tho latter was q member Of the House
Of Delegates during the December
session 81 1910 Colonel Coad wrote
| ID his friend, Rev. Father carbery.
and made the suggestion that be
would present 10 the State oneof the
lold cannon ii his yard as amemento
Of her early days. which suggestion
was cheerfully and promptly acced-
| Cd 10, and the General Assembly
accepted the gift and authorized the
Governor Of The State 10 have II re-
moved 10 Annapolis. The following
letter from the Governor was receiv.
ca BY the generous donor Of tie
Colonial relic
ANNAPOLIS, JuLY II. l941
"