Fort Morris Cannon

This small cannon was a part of the armament of historic Fort Morris at Sunbury during the American Revolution. In November, 1778, a superior British force from Florida under Colonel Fuser of the 60th Regiment besieged the Fort. To the ultimatum to surrender the American Commander, Colonel John McIntosh, sent back the laconic reply: "COME AND TAKE IT". The enemy thereupon abandoned the siege and retired southward. In January, 1779, the British returned to Sunbury by water. Fort Morris was then under the command of Major Joseph Lane of the Continental army. Ordered by his superiors to evacuate Sunbury following the fall of Savannah, Lane found reasons to disobey and undertook to defend the post against the overwhelming British force under General Augustin Prevost. After a short but heavy bombardment the Fort surrendered on January 9, 1779, with its garrison of 159 Continentals and 45 militia. This cannon, which was excavated at the site of the ruins of the famous Revolutionary fortification in 1940, stands here as a reminder of America's hard-won struggle to achieve Independence.