From the Annals of Artillery Mysteries    In 1835, the citizens of Cincinnati, Ohio decided to provide Texas with two cannons for use in defense against an assault by the Mexican Army.  The cannons were likely six-pounders that were forged at the Greenwood & Webb foundry.  The cannons were shipped downriver to New Orleans and then transported to Galveston where they arrived in early April of 1836.  On board the ship were twin sisters Elizabeth and Eleanor Rice who may have participated in the official delivery of the cannons to the Texas authorities.  That is believed to be the origin of the name “Twin Sisters” by which the field pieces became known.  They were delivered to Sam Houston’s army and first saw action at the Battle of San Jacinto and were the only artillery under his command.  The Twin Sisters were loaded with grape, iron bits, horseshoes and whatever else was handy as the Texas forces had no cannonballs.  It is believed that the opening salvo from the Sisters greatly contributed to the disorganization and panic of Santa Anna’s surprised forces.

After Texas joined the Union, the Twin Sisters became federal property and were transferred to Louisiana.  One of them was sold to a foundry for scrap and a private collector purchased the other.  George Williamson, the commissioner for Louisiana to the state of Texas, determined to find the cannons and return them to Texas.  He was successful and Louisiana appropriated $700 to refurbish the Sisters and ship them again to Galveston.  The Twin Sisters had one last round of service at the Battle of Galveston during the Civil War.  After that, their final disposition is not completely clear.  The general consensus is that Henry North Graves took the Twin Sisters and buried them near Harrisburg to prevent them from falling into Union hands.  The story is questionable because Graves later had the opportunity to retrieve the cannons, but never made any concerted effort to do so.  Their final resting place remains a mystery.

Photo of replicas from the San Jacinto Monument grounds.