The Cranston Historical Society, alongside members of the Rhode Island National Guard, gathered at Sprague Mansion on Sunday to celebrate the Historical Society’s procurement of two Civil War-era cannons.

The two cannons were built in 1845 and 1847, and were displayed at Rolfe Square from 1924 until the early 1990s, when they were removed for fear of future damage. Now, they are sitting as centerpieces of the Historical Society’s exhibit on Cranston’s past, visible as soon as one enters the barn on the property of the mansion.

Though the cannons likely never saw action in the Civil War because of their age, according to the Cranston Historical Society’s Gregg Mierka, they likely would have been used to train Rhode Island regiments for combat. They may, however, have been used in the Mexican-American War, which lasted from 1846 through 1848.

Mierka credited Maj. Gen. Reginald Centracchio for helping the Historical Society procure the cannons and making sure that they stayed in a safe place in the city.

“When this whole process started back in ’94, what I did was suggest they put the two cannons in City Hall, but they didn’t have the room,” Mierka said. “Then, Gen. Centracchio is the one who suggested bringing them to the Sprague Mansion … in the end, I think this is a perfect place.”

The cannons, Mierka said, had a special connection to William Sprague IV himself, Rhode Island’s governor from 1861 through 1863.

In addition, Sprague was the only Union governor to see combat during the Civil War, fighting at the Battle of Bull Run.

“He wasn’t injured [but] he had three horses shot out from under him,” Mierka said. “Sprague ordered the cannons to train Rhode Island artillerymen, and Rhode Island artillerymen were some of the best in the Union.”

Sprague, he said, was one of three governors that Civil War era President Abraham Lincoln, Vice President Hannibal Hamlin and Secretary of War Edwin Stanton knew they could count on for the utmost support, alongside the governors of Massachusetts and Pennsylvania.

There alongside Historical Society members was Rhode Island National Guard Lt. Col. Katherine James, who addressed the crowd on the meaning of the cannons to those in uniform today.

“This monument before you is a tribute to their unwavering dedication,” James said. “We stand in gratitude for the selflessness and the sacrifice of the men and women who proudly wore the nation’s uniform and made the ultimate sacrifice so that future generations of Rhode Islanders could relish the freedom we enjoy today.”

Former Cranston Mayor John O’Leary, representing current Mayor Ken Hopkins, said that after seeing the cannons removed from Rolfe Square during his time as mayor, seeing them displayed again was a great sight.

“I remember they were subjected to some vandalism and there was great worry about the future,” O’Leary said. “And then General Centracchio saw to it that they were refurbished and repaired. So it’s a great honor for me to represent the mayor at this time that they’re coming back to the City of Cranston.”

For his work in procuring the cannons, Centracchio gave Mierka a “challenge coin” to represent his gratitude and respect for him.

Another celebration of veterans occurring this year, Mierka said, was the 100th anniversary of the Rolfe Square Monument where the cannons once stood.

The anniversary, Mierka said, was just as important to him as the procurement of the cannons.

“We have to hope that in the future, there will be more connections to history and the defense of the country,” Mierka said. “These cannons represent that, and the Rolfe Square monument represents that.”

The cannons, Mierka said, would likely not be displayed at Rolfe Square again, due to concerns about damage from the weather and potential vandalism. Instead, they will stay stored with the Historical Society, and join other objects representing Cranston’s contributions to the history of the country.