The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 21, July 1917 - April, 1918 Page: 67

The "Twin Sisters" Cannon, 1836-1865

Under date of November 30, 1863, Major A. G. Dickinson,
commander of the Post at San. Antonio, reported to S. T. Foun-
taine, chief of artillery and ordnance, district of Texas, that "the
'Twin Sisters' I am informed, are at or in camp in the vicinity
of Austin. They are in a deplorable condition, and I am fear-
ful could not be used.'1
This is the last official notice of the "Twin Sisters" written
before trace of them was lost. Much has since been written con-
cerning the disposition made of them and their present where-
abouts, but in every case where examination has been practicable
its erroneous character has been proved. During the years 1909
and 1910, Mr. W. C. Day, State Superintendent of Public Build-
ings and Grounds, made a careful investigation of every clue he
could find. He was at that time engaged in certain improve-
ments at the San Jacinto, battle ground. The results of his en-
deavors were almost entirely negative, the only bit of substantial
information added being that found by Mr. Ben C. Stuart, set
forth below. Mr. Day summed up the matter as follows:
I have received nearly one hundred letters, placing them [the
"Twin Sisters"] in nearly as many different places, extending
from Washington, D. C., to Santa F6, N. M. Some of them
are made of brass and some of them of iron, with all sorts of
inscriptions. . .
They have been buried in whole and in part; have been dumped
into the Gulf of Mexico; resurrected from the Colorado River;
discovered in some Louisiana Bayou; have been found in the
Navy Yard at Washington, and have petrified on the plains of
New Mexico.:8
Mr. Ben C. Stuart, a veteran newspaper man, then a resident
of Hitchcock, Texas, now of Beaumont, sent a brief sketch of
the "Twin Sisters" to the Cincinnati Enquirer. As a result of
this article, Mr. M. A. Sweetman, of Circleville, Ohio, wrote to
17Official records of the Union and Confederate Armies, I, 26, Part 2,
p. 459.
"sHouston Post, June 6, 1910. The following references are given for
the curious who may wish to go into this matter: Austin Statesman,
October 3, 1909; Dallas News, June 9 and 24, and November 19, 1909;
Galveston News, April 16 and 23, and May 1, 1893; Houston Chronicle,
November 10, 14, and 24, 1915; Houston Post, August 11, 15, 21, 22, and
30, 1909; The Story of Corpus Christi, 111.