Edenton Bell Battery Edenton Bell Battery refers to an artillery unit from North Carolina that served for the Confederate States of America in the American Civil War , the four named guns the unit served throughout the war , and to an American Civil War reenactment group based in Edenton , North Carolina inspired by the original unit . Military formation . The Edenton Bell Battery , 3rd Battalion North Carolina Light Artillery Company B , were originally recruited in March 1862 as the Albemarle Artillery by Edenton lawyer William Badham , Jr . , as most of the men were from North Carolina ' s Albemarle Sound area . Drilled as artillery at Richmond , Virginia in April and May , 1862 , the unit found themselves in danger of being designated an infantry company , because of the scarcity of cannon available to outfit battery companies . A captain was dispatched back to Edenton for help . Early in the war , Confederate leader P . G . T . Beauregard , recognizing the immediate need for large metal sources for artillery pieces , suggested one expedient would be for local communities to donate bells from churches , courthouses , and other institutions . A song , " Melt the Bells , " widely reprinted in southern presses , inspired many in Chowan and surrounding counties to donate bells for recasting . After four bells from the Edenton , North Carolina area were offered , the Albemarle Artillery was renamed the Edenton Bell Battery . The Tredegar Iron Works in Richmond , Virginia melted down the bells and recast them into four bronze cannon . The company voted to name the resulting cannon to honor each bell ' s donation . The " Edenton " , cast from the bell of the 1731 Edenton courthouse , fired six pound shot , as did the " Columbia " , named for the capital of nearby Tyrrell County , Columbia . The twelve - pounder " St . Paul " was named for the St . Paul ' s Episcopal Church in Edenton which donated its bell for the purpose . " Fannie Roulac " was another twelve - pound weapon , created from the bell once atop the Edenton United Methodist Church , where Miss Roulac was highly regarded and a church leader . The battery served in Virginia with the Army of Northern Virginia at the Seven Days Battle and Battle of Fredericksburg . In 1863 the battery was sent to North Carolina and fought in the Battle of Kinston . On January 15 , 1865 after the fall of Fort Fisher the battery engaged in a fighting retreat towards Wilmington , North Carolina . While retreating , the " St . Paul " and " Edenton " and their gun crews were captured in the Battle of Town Creek after inflicting heavy casualties on Union forces . The remaining battery fought in the Battle of Bentonville . The " Edenton " was surrendered with the surviving men of the battery and Army of Tennessee under General Johnston on April 26 , 1865 . The " Fannie Roulac " and " Columbia " were rumored to have been dumped into the Eno River during the unit ' s retreat with Confederate forces west of Raleigh after the Battle of Bentonville . The location of the cannons remained a mystery until 1990 , when an Edenton Civil War re - enactor discovered the " Edenton " at Shiloh National Military Park in Shiloh , Tennessee . In 1999 , the " St . Paul " was discovered at Old Fort Niagara in Youngstown , New York . The Edenton Historical Commission was able to get both back ; in 2001 the Old Fort Niagara Association loaned " St . Paul " , and in 2006 , the Shiloh National Military Park transferred the " Edenton " . Both are now in Edenton ’ s waterfront park .