Swamp Angel

What is “The Swamp Angel”? In simple terms, it was one of the iron cannons used during the Civil War. It has strong ties to Lawrence County, Ohio, because the iron used to make the cannon came from Helca Furnace.  The cannon got its nickname from the sight of being used in a swamp at Vicksburg, Mississippi.

During one of U. S. Grant’s greatest victories was blowing up the swamp angel, which resulted in several injuries and deaths. Below is a short newspaper story that was told about the Swamp Angel. It was abstracted by  By Mildred Winters and submitted by Barbara Madden from the Ironton Evening Tribune on September 6, 1938

What is all this about trying to locate the “Swamp Angel?”

The “Swamp Angel” blew up at Vicksburg and killed her gun crew. At least, this is a story picked up from a local lad who knows his military history.

According to his account, the “Swamp Angel,” a cannon used in the Civil War, was cast for the Union army under General GRANT. It was made of iron from Hecla Furnace. In those days, Hecla iron was the standard used by the government in measuring the good in other iron.

The “Swamp Angel” was so called because her berth was a swamp at Vicksburg. A crew of Union soldiers manned her. But during the battle at Vicksburg, one of Grant’s great victories, the “Swamp Angel” exploded, killing and injuring her gunners.

Therefore, according to her account, finding her by the War Department or any other will be a tough job.

However, our young narrator offers the consolation that there might have been more than one “Swamp Angel.”  If such is the case, Ironton may have one yet for the Northwest Celebration on Oct. 6-8.

On the other hand, he may be dead wrong in his Civil War history. Yours truly is heading for a library to browse a bit for the elusive “Swamp Angel.”

Maybe the oldsters know it, but it’s a good guess that the young blood don’t know that the county seat of Lawrence county used to be at Burlington.

But then the courthouse building at Burlington burned, and about that time, Ironton was becoming the locale of some pretty wealthy businessmen. Iron was making Ironton about the most important spot on the county map. Ironton industrialists petitioned that the city, which was geographically and logically suitable as a county seat, be given the right to establish the county courthouse within Ironton city limits.

All that remains of the importance of Burlington’s in those faraway days of county seat recognition is the old county jail.