ARTILLERY PIECES - Cover the landscape and grounds of the Soldiers' Home, and in many photos of the soldiers on the grounds, there's an artillery piece close by. The Charleston Cannon, looks to be a Rodman Naval cannon, and once at the front door several paces away was moved a few years ago to the front and side area of the Confederate Memorial Chapel
The historical marker on the Charleston Cannon is the "R. E. Lee Camp Confederate Memorial Park", and as it was located in front of the Soldiers' Home (Robinson House) - that was a very clear statement that the "R. E. Lee Camp Confederate Memorial Park" was located all the way down to the grounds of the Virginia Historical Society. The project of restoration of this Charleston cannon should be undertaken by the Museum and the Commonweal...th, as it is a historic treasure that needs to be preserved.
The artillery pieces in front of the UDC and in back have recently been restored, and in my opinion, the grounds of the R. E. Lee Camp Confederate Memorial Park need some artillery pieces laid out for the children and adults to come take a look at, and they need an understanding of what these grounds were about. An artillery piece, so loved by those Confederate Veterans, would be a perfect item to have placed and identified, for interpretation by all visitors to the grounds. It would then be part of the wishes and thoughts of those Confederate Veterans of the R. E. Lee Camp No. 1 C.V., who provided a Grant Deed to the Virginia Arts Association in exchange for a "Contractual Promise".
(My Great Grand Dad, had need of the services rendered at the Home in his final years. He was a member of The Richmond Howitzers 1st Company).
Special thanks to Bobby Edwards for allowing me to use this post !
