Original Revolutionary War Artillery Cannon Worm, recovered at Crown Point, NY

This is another rare piece being offered, it is a Revolutionary War Iron Artillery Worm. It is a double row of 3 twists approximately 9” long by 3” wide, with a tang with hole for attaching to a pole. It was recovered many years ago from Crown Point, New York.

An Artillery Worm was a claw-like tool that was used to extract a faulty round if needed. It could also be used to remove fragments of the powder bag after firing, although this was not part of the routine drill. There is an example of this worm in the Fort Ticonderoga Museum and in “Collector’s Illustrated Encyclopedia of the American Revolution”, by Neuman & Kravic, (see pictures).

At the outbreak of the American Revolution, the rebellious colonists looked to Crown Point to aid their cause. The surrender of Fort Crown Point to American rebel troops commanded by Seth Warner in May of 1775 yielded 114 pieces of cannon and heavy ordnance sorely needed by the Americans. Colonel Henry Knox carried twenty-nine of these to Boston during that winter to force the British out of the city.

After the capture of the fort, Crown Point became a springboard for an invasion of Canada. General Richard Montgomery's force sailed down the lake in August 1775. Despite initial success in Montreal, the combined forces of Montgomery and Benedict Arnold were defeated at Quebec in December 1775. They retreated in disarray, riddled with smallpox, to Crown Point. Men died by the hundreds in makeshift field hospitals and were buried in mass graves.

Crown Point was a staging area for the British in both 1776 and 1777. After the Americans abandoned Crown Point, the British assembled their troops here. Delayed by the American Navy, Sir Guy Carleton arrived here with his troops in October of 1776 but retreated north for the winter shortly thereafter. British General John Burgoyne's army arrived here in June of 1777. Crown Point remained under British control until the end of the war.

The hand-forged iron is very clean with no surface rust. This would have been the proper size for a 4-pounder cannon or larger. Occasionally, Civil War Artillery Worms show up, but Revolutionary War examples are almost non-existent. This is a very rare piece and a must have for any artillery collection.