Revolutionary War canister balls, recovered at German Flatts, NY

Being offered are two Revolutionary War grapeshot balls, measuring approximately 1” in diameter each. It is very unique because they are fused together. These balls would be part of a canister shell, which when fired was like a shotgun blast (see pictures). They are part of a cache of boxed dug artifacts that were identified and put into separate boxes 50+ years ago. They were recovered years ago at German Flatts, NY.

The German Flatts raid, occurring on September 17, 1778, was a significant event in the Mohawk Valley during the Revolutionary War. A force of Loyalists and Iroquois, led by Joseph Brant, attacked the settlement, destroying homes, barns, and crops, and seizing livestock. The raid, though destructive, was somewhat mitigated by a timely warning from Lt. Adam Helmer, allowing many residents to seek refuge in nearby forts.

Helmer and eight scouts under his command were sent to the Unadilla River Valley to spy on Joseph Brant's company. Brant’s force included 150 Mohawk warriors (Brant’s Volunteers) and 300 Loyalists (Butler’s Rangers). The planned target of the raid was the German Flatts settlement.

Helmer and his scouts were attacked by a large group of Brant's men, apparently part of the feared raiding party on its way north. Several of the scouts were killed, but Helmer managed to escape. He ran for almost 30 miles warning settlers at Columbia and Petrie's Corners, most of whom then fled to safety at Fort Dayton.

When Helmer arrived at the fort, severely torn up from his run, he told Colonel Peter Bellinger, the commander of the fort, that he had counted at least 200 of the attackers in route to the valley.

The farms and houses of the area were destroyed by Brant's raid, and all of the livestock, grain and horses were seized. But because of Lt. Helmer’s actions, there was very little loss of life. Adam Helmer was an important character in Edmonds' novel, “Drums Along the Mohawk”. These are nice pieces of Revolutionary War history and are ready to display. They come in the acrylic display case pictured.

With the 250th anniversary of the nation's founding this year, interest in the Revolutionary War and its relics is significantly increasing. This renewed enthusiasm is driving the demand for virtually all Revolutionary War artifacts, further contributing to their scarcity and rising prices.

I am witnessing a notable uptick in purchases of these items, which reflects the growing celebrations for the anniversary and the heightened value of Revolutionary War memorabilia.