Here's the story of had, lost, found, and preserved. A "lost"Confederate cannon, perhaps given to the City of Petoskey by an ex-Confederate cannon wikll once again be on public display.
The June 16th Petoskey News-Review reports that this Saturday, the Robert Finch Camp 14 Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War will unveil the the preserved Confederate cannon that was unearthed downtown 12 years ago. The barrel will be mounted on a replica carriage.
It is called the "Iron Napoleon Howitzer" and was dug up near Stafford's Perry Hotel in 1996. Of interest was that it was cast at the Augusta, Georgia arsenal. Until this one was found, it was thought that these cannons were all manufactured at the Tredegar Foundry in Richmond, Virginia.
No one is sure exactly how the cannon got to Petoskey, perhaps it was given to the town at the 1899 Michigan Grand Army of the Republic Encampment. US Major General Joe Wheeler attended and had been a Confederate general during the Civil War.
No mention was made as to how the cannon was lost and buried, but I'm sure that would have been an interesting story as well.
Lost and Found inPetoskey. --Old B-Runner
The Battle of Fort Fisher, N.C.
