Two French & Indian War artillery canister balls, recovered at Fort de La Presentation, NY

Being offered are two French & Indian War grapeshot balls, measuring 1 1/4” each. 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 at Fort Presentation, NY.

In 1749, the French Sulpician priest, Abbé Picquet, built a mission fort, which he named Fort de La Présentation (Fort of the Presentation). It was built at the confluence of the Oswegatchie River and the St Lawrence River in present day New York. The French wanted to strengthen their alliance with the powerful Iroquois, as well as convert them to Catholicism. With increasing tensions with Great Britain, they were concerned about their thinly populated Canadian colony.

After the British victories of 1760, the French ceded their Canadian territory to Great Britain. The British renamed it Fort Oswegatchie. It remained under their control until 1796, after Jay's Treaty, when redefinition of the northern boundary caused the land to be taken over by the United States. The first settlement under an American flag began that year.

They are nice pieces of French & Indian War / Revolutionary War history and are ready to display. They come in the acrylic display case pictured.

Revolutionary War artifacts have always been difficult to find. With the upcoming of the 250th anniversary of the nation's founding next year, there will be a revitalized interest. Just about all Revolutionary War relics and artifacts will be in demand, which will only add to their scarcity and price. I am already seeing a substantial increase in sales.