VERY RARE – Revolutionary War Canister shell with balls, from Lake Champlain

This is another rare item out of a 60-year collection of Revolutionary War, French & Indian War, and War of 1812 artillery. It is a Revolutionary War Tin Canister Round. It has a 3” diameter, 4” high, and has 26 iron balls, averaging around a 1” diameter each.  This would have been fired from a 4-pounder cannon. It was found many years ago at Lake Champlain, NY. This area was called the Battle of Valcour Island.

Valcour Island is on the western side of Lake Champlain between the present-day states of Vermont and New York. On October 11, 1776, the British fleet under the overall command of Guy Carleton traveled south on Lake Champlain from their supply base at St. John. Benedict Arnold was waiting in Valcour Bay, hidden from the British view until they rounded the island.

In the subsequent three-day battle, the British destroyed or captured 11 of the 15 Patriot boats. While a resounding tactical victory, the British were unable to capitalize on their control of Lake Champlain to capture Fort Ticonderoga. After a desultory probe, Carleton led his forces back to Canada for the winter.

I have had a couple of larger Revolutionary War canister rounds in the past, but this is the first 3-inch shell, which is one of the rarest. The canister round is in very nice condition, indicative of an early recovery from the mud. There is an example of one of these shells in the Ft. Ticonderoga Museum (see pictures).

This collection began in the late 1950s and was created by private acquisitions, closed museums, and from lake divers. The collector meticulously displayed and cataloged every piece along with its provenance. Some of the pieces went through electrolysis to remove crusted rust. There are also examples in “Round Shot and Rammers”, by Harold Peterson and in the Revolutionary War Museum in Yorktown, VA (see pictures).

This is the first time this shell has been on the open market, and it is truly a great piece of early American History. It definitely merits a place in an advanced collection or museum. Surviving canister rounds are extremely rare, very few have been recovered, especially in this condition. As with all the pieces in this esteemed collection, a Certificate of Authenticity will be included.