Cape Vincent's "Rose and Crown" Gun

 The Silent witness of American Revolution The "Rose and Crown" gun in East End Park, Cape Vincent, NY, is no ordinary piece of iron. Cast in the foundries of Sussex, England in 1678, it bore the weight of history long before it ever entered the fresh water of the St. Lawrence River. By the time of the American Revolution, this 18-pounder Iron Gun called a Culverin[1] was already a veteran of a century of service.

First, it was on the HMS Vanguard (1678), a notable 90-gun second-rate[2] ship of the line of the Royal Navy, built during a pivotal era of naval expansion under King Charles II. When the Vanguard was decommissioned around 1701. The iron gun was salvaged and in 1735 it was brought to New York.

In 1756 it was on the shores of Lake Ontario. It was Captured by the French at Oswego in 1756 and recaptured by the British in the Battle of the Thousand Islands in 1760. In 1779, it had been in service for over 100 years, its 11-foot barrel marked with the cypher of King Charles II. That year, it was brought from where it was captured from the French at Oswegatchie (Ogdensburg, NY) to Carleton Island to serve at the newly established Fort Haldimand.

From its high vantage point on the bluffs, the gun with others, looked out over the deep-water harbor. Carleton Island, was a hub of war as a vital British base, Carleton Island funneled supplies and war parties toward the American frontier, anchoring British control over eastern Lake Ontario. From its fortified  position, the iron guns witnessed the ebb and flow of a conflict that shaped the  borderlands of a new nation.

The Coming and Going of War Parties

It watched the red-coated regulars and Butler’s Rangers sharpen their blades before heading south into the Mohawk Valley to strike at the rebellious colonies.

The Great Canoes

It saw the messengers and Mohawk allies arrive with news of the frontier—reports of burned crops, narrow escapes, and the growing hunger of a revolution that refused to die.

The Labor of Empire

It felt the vibration of hammers and saws as the shipyard below hummed with life, building the vessels that kept Britain’s western posts supplied. It saw Loyalist families fleeing their burned-out farms in the south and displaced Indigenous tribes seeking protection from the scorched-earth tactics of the Continental Army.

The iron gun's primary role was one of deterrence. To the rebels, the sight of a Culverin of such stature—capable of hitting a target 1,800 yards away—was a grim reminder that the St. Lawrence remained firmly in the King’s grip. In reality, the gun—being over a hundred years old at the time—was considered unserviceable; its purpose was purely to intimidate the Americans.

The weapon endured the biting winters of the North Country, the iron of its 6,067-pound body contracting in the sub-zero winds. It stood firm through the surrender at Yorktown, a silent witness to a conflict that was slowly slipping away from the crown it represented.

The Long Silence

The war eventually ended, but the gun’s watch did not. It remained at the fort until 1807, long after the "United States" had become a reality rather than a rebellion. That year, the British Military used the waters of the St. Lawrence River off Carleton Island for the abandonment of unserviceable iron ordinance to place them beyond use by the Americans.

Orders were issued in a letter written by Lieutenant Colonel James Green, Military Secretary, Quebec 1807. The gun sank into the mud off North Bay, its "Rose and Crown" cypher hidden by silt and cold water. There it slept for over 150 years, until scuba divers pulled it back into the light in 1962.

Today, the iron gun sits on public display in Cape Vincent, NY—still facing the water, still bearing the marks of the King, a heavy piece of iron that remembers when Carleton Island was an important British base.

Come to East End Park and lay your hands on a true survivor of the American Revolution. This massive "Rose and Crown" iron gun was cast nearly 400 years ago and served through the French and Indian War and the birth of our nation. It spent over 150 years resting on the River bottom before returning home to Cape Vincent. Come touch the iron, look out over Carleton Island, and imagine the thunder of the past!

[1]A culverin was a type of early gunpowder artillery used from the late 15th through the 17th centuries. It was distinguished by its unusual length relative to its bore, designed to fire solid projectiles over long distances with high velocity

[2]a Second Rate was a powerful three-decked ship of the line.

Further Reading: https://www.forthaldimand.com/p/iron-guns_23.html; also see previous article by Dennis McCarthy about Fort Haldimand https://thousandislandslife.com/carleton-island-royal-shipyard-1778-1788-2/

By Dennis McCarthy

Dennis R. McCarthy lives in Cape Vincent, NY, along with his wife Kathi. He is a graduate of the Rochester Institute of Technology, with a degree in Electrical Engineering. Dennis has been diving since 1970. He co-founded the St Lawrence Historical Foundation Inc. in 1994 and currently serves as one of its directors. His memberships include the Nautical Archeological Society (where he holds an NAS 2 certification) and the Ordnance Society of Great Britain. He is a past president of the Clayton Diving Club. Dennis is a member of the Advisory Council for the NOAA Lake Ontario National Maritime Sanctuary. Dennis and Kathi serve on the board of the Cape Vincent Historical Museum.

See past articles by Dennis McCarthy here and here.