Cannon’s explosive history to be explored

Johnston Sun Rise ·

During recent years, the Johnston Historical Society has hosted many speakers whose in-depth programs have been both interesting and informative about events that have impacted the state and nation.

That trend, JHS officials announced this week, will continue next Wednesday evening – Sept. 27 beginning at 7:30 p.m. – when Phil DiMaria presents a highly-unusual program about the famed Gettysburg gun that is located in the foyer of the Rhode Island State House.

“All are welcome,” Anthony Ursillo, a member of the JHS Board of Directors, told the Sun Rise this week. “We invited people to come and learn all about the Civil War and the importance of the Gettysburg Gun.”

There is no admission charge for the program, which DiMaria will present inside the JHS Museum Barn that’s located at 101 Putnam Pike in Johnston.

“The gun is an important part of history,” Ursillo said while explaining that it’s on display at the State House and surrounded in part by flags from the Civil War. “The cannon is – and has been – a special attraction because of its unusual history.”

The cannon was last fired during the 1863 Civil War battles at Gettysburg, Pa. and it still has a cannonball wedged in the muzzle. While soldiers of Rhode Island’s Battery B, First Light Artillery were loading a shot, the cannon muzzle was his by a Confederate shell.

As history has it, the dent from the explosion caused the muzzle to become deformed and when the surviving gunners tried to load a new shot, it became jammed in the muzzle. The cannon was on exhibit in Washington, DC until 1874 when it was returned to Rhode Island.

On Aug. 24, 1962 – almost 100 years after it became disabled – it was discovered that two and a half pounds of black gun powder were still in the cannon and when that happens is becomes more sensitive as it ages and is therefore said to be highly dangerous.

So, back on Aug. 25, 1962, the Rhode Island National Guard removed the cannon from the State House and transported it to the Guard’s Maintenance facility in Smithfield. Two days later, they successfully removed the black powder and the cannon was safely returned to its place inside the State House.

From the outside, the Gettysburg Gun still looks exactly as it did at the end of the battle on July 3, 1863.

As for DiMaria, Ursillo pointed out “he has been interested in the Civic War for years but it wasn’t until the late 1970s while he visited a national park that he got involved with living history and involved with various reenactments.”

He joined the 3rd Massachusetts Heavy Artillery but after several years he and other member decided to break off and form Battery “B” 1st RI Light Artillery which was officially reactivated by a Governor’s proclamation in 1984. Since then DiMaria has participated in living history reenactments at Gettysburg, Harper’s Ferry, the Charlestown Navy Yard and home of President Martin Van Buren.