CMA Cannon and Caisson

CMA Cannon and Caisson. . The Columbia Military Academy Cannon and Caisson were manufactured in the 1890s and shipped to Columbia Arsenal from Rock Island, Illinois as part of the military equipment that was located on the arsenal. When the Army transferred the land and property to the Columbia Military Academy in 1904 the Cannon and Caisson remained as part of the equipment that was transferred to CMA. The Cannon and Caisson stayed with CMA during the entire existence of the school, from 1904 to 1979, and for a number of years served as the Salute Gun when the academy performed the Retreat Ceremony to lower the American Flag. The Cannon and Caisson were a favored backdrop for ceremonies and photographs and are captured in virtually every CMA publication, from School Catalogs to CMA Yearbooks, from each year of CMA's existence. When CMA closed and was reorganized as Columbia Academy in 1979 the Cannon and Caisson were initially stored on the campus, but later transferred to the CMA Alumni Association by Columbia Academy. The CMA Alumni Association restored the Cannon and Caisson and then stored them in several locations for over 25 years. Through a mutual desire of the CMA Alumni Association and the Columbia. Academy, the Cannon and Caisson were returned to the campus and put on display alongside the CMA Museum when it was dedicated on August 2nd, 2008.