The Georgia Hussars Monument
Posted by Admin at 4:54 pm
The Georgia Hussars Monument is a remarkable British iron cannon (known as a six pounder), strapped to a simple concrete block – both the cannon and its mount are set on the cement pad.
Unlike the other monuments found on historic River Street, this one was found embedded in a sidewalk at the southwest corner of Bull Street and Broughton Lane (now Broughton Street). The cannon itself is a true remnant of the history that has taken place in Savannah, GA.
The full monument is named for The Georgia Hussars, a troop of mounted rangers called into action by General James Oglethorpe to patrol and protect the colony of Georgia against the Spaniards and the Indians.
It is well documented that The Hussars fought at Bloody Marsh in 1742 and at the Siege of Savannah in 1779. Also during the Civil War, its recorded the troop was unsurpassed in their duties as was its service in Mexico, World I, World War II, and Korea.
The Hussars remained a horse cavalry until October 1940. From Colonial times to Vietnam, the troop represented Savannah in every war in which the United States was involved and it is still an active unit in the Georgia Army National Guard.
The cannon, after being excavated in 1958 from the sidewalk, was mounted and placed in Emmet Park. A group of Savannah citizens are credited as having the memorial erected in 1960.
