Exploded New York gunboat cannon displayed at Clinton Co. History Museum

PLATTSBURGH | Pieces of an exploded cannon unearthed from Lake Champlain silt launched the most extensive underwater research project ever conducted in Valcour Bay. Retired State Police Diver Edwin Scollon found the broken barrel by chance in 1999. Working with Lake Champlain Maritime Museum (LCMM) underwater archaeologists and expert dive volunteers, the team recovered all but two pieces of a mystery that blew into the water on Oct. 11, 1776. As they dug through historical documents, putting journal entries and war records together, Scollon discovered the cannon was originally placed broadside on the gunboat New York during the Battle of Valcour Bay. It likely exploded, his forensic analysis suggests, due to a stress crack located on the muzzle base. The six-pound cannon was mounted on a modified nine-pounder gun carriage. Recovered with some fanfare in the early 2000s, historic cannon parts were conserved by and are held at the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum on Basin Harbor Road in Vergennes, VT. The historic pieces of the gunboat New York cannon are part of "Fragments: Voices of the American Revolution on Lake Champlain," an exhibit that contains several Valcour Bay artifacts. LCMM worked with Vermont State University at Castleton students to create the life-sized replica with a huge 3D printer. The parts and pieces were painted cast-iron black to match the originals. Scollon, who worked extensively with the original artifacts, said it is an amazing reproduction. "It's really cool." LCMM Executive Director Chris Sabik came with their Director of Collections Patricia Reid and Collections Assistant Devyn Cabral to present and help install the exhibit. Cabral was a student at Castleton, a 2025 graduate, and helped with the replication project. "It's made of PLA, Polylactic Acid, which is a lightweight plastic," they said. "The cannon pieces are largely hollow." Three-D scanning and fabrication were completed by Castleton's Architecture, Anthropology and Geography (AAG) program in collaboration with 3D Technology students, Cabral said. "They were super excited about it. They were really into it." It took days to fabricate the cannon barrel, which was printed in four pieces. Scollon helped Reid and Cabral arrange the cannon, some of its broken parts lifted on silicone rods to resemble the force of an explosion. CCHA President Geri Favreau said the gunboat New York's exploded cannon highlights their Battle of Valcour collection and this summer's exhibit designed to interpret Lake Champlain's integral role in the Revolutionary War. "It's just awesome. We could not have done this without the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum. They're very supportive of our projects," Favreau said. The installation included a check to CCHA for $1,000, which was part of grant funding LCMM obtained to build the replica. CCHA Exhibits Committee Chair Richard Soper had a site ready for the explosion display and was thrilled to see the final pieces added to this summer's America 250 display. It was installed just before the Fourth of July. ........................................................... FIND OUT MORE: LCMM is hosting a presentation July 25 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. about the New York's cannon and ongoing historical research. "Recovering the Exploded Cannon" is part of their Collections Corner program slate. "On October 11, 1776, one of the cannons aboard the gunboat New York exploded, killing Patriot sailor Thomas Rogers and injuring his crewmates Jonas Holden and Daniel McCay. Understanding how and why this accident happened continues to be part of our Revolutionary War research today." The July 25 event is free and open to the public. More information about Lake Champlain Maritime Museum exhibits and Revolutionary War summer programs is available online: lcmm.org/lake-champlain-and-the-american-revolution The Clinton County Historical Association Museum has displayed the replica cannon as part of its Military Legacy exhibit. The museum on Ohio Avenue is open Wednesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and by appointment. For more information about CCHA lectures and exhibits, visit their website: clintoncountyhistorical.org

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Exploded New York gunboat cannon displayed at Clinton Co. History Museum

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