The Cannon at Bloom Park: Where It's From And Why It's In Washington County
By Michaela Shindle
HIS 240, Spring 2025
Nestled in the heart of Hagerstown, Maryland is Bloom Park, site of a Spanish-American War memorial. Built in 1900 on land donated by Mayor Bloom, it is commemorated as the 3rd oldest Spanish-American War memorial in the United States. A ceremony of its dedication was held on July 4, 1900 where a former Adjutant General of the Maryland National Guard who was a Confederate officer during the Civil War served as the keynote speaker. William P. Lane, one of two boys who unveiled the site, grew up to serve as Governor of Maryland from 1947-1951. Within it lies a bronze war cannon which was discovered mounted in defense of Fort Morro Santiago, Cuba and was siezed by U.S. troops after their victory in the Battle of Santiago de Cuba in 1898.
The canon’s origin story began in northeastern France in 1667 when Douai became a French city. Louis XIV (also known as “The Great”) installed several establishments in Douai including an arsenal, an artillery school, and a cannon foundry by the name Fonderie de Douai (1696-1819). It’s operations were initially entrusted to several Swiss founders, but eventually passed to the Bérenger family in 1696. Jean-François Bérenger, son of François Simon Bérenger, took over in 1747– leading to the creation of the cannon in 1751 for the House of Bourbon. This is where Pacte de Famille (1733-1761), a series of alliances between France and Spain, come into play. Ruled by the House of Bourbon, these alliances strengthened political and military relations between the two nations. It is also worth noting that within the House of Bourbon is Philip V, the first Bourbon king of Spain.
This would explain the interconnection of Spain and France and how Bourbon dynasties and military cooperation under the Pacte de Famille allowed the movement of weaponry across colonial lines. In other words, this likeliness provides us with clarity about how a French cannon ended up in a Spanish colonial port, like Santiago de Cuba.
The Battle of Santiago de Cuba was a final conflict in the Spanish-American War, which emerged from decades of Cuban resistance against oppressive Spanish control. According to Rafael E. Tarragó in his journal article The Road to Santiago: Cuban Separatism and United States Americanism and How They Converged in 1898, Cuban historiography reveals a great deal regarding the matter. Beginning in 1895, Cuban separatism was on the rise as a “European-like society” (Spanish and mixed-race elites emerging at the top of Cuban colonial society) took over the nation. Spanish settlers had brought large quantities of slaves from Africa, eventually becoming a significant portion of the population by the 19th century. The Spanish then used this as justification for the lack of political freedom and the amount of limitations they imposed on Cubans. This lack was apparent to the general population, but most directly affected the union of civic and military powers in the governor and his regional lieutenants in the island. It is worth noting, however, that Cuban plantation owners were in favor of slavery as they were eager for affordable labor, serving as a big factor in terms of their desire for independence. So, given Britain’s persistence in demanding that Spain abolish slavery altogether, Cubans feared for the loss of their labor. However, Cubans knew they were too weak of a nation to fight Spain on their own. Cuban historiography, in turn, indicates that a significant portion of the Cuban population favored annexation by the United States during this period. Hungry for freedom, they recognized the U.S. as a democratic and orderly nation-state (Tarragó, p. 63). Gaspar Betancourt Cisneros (1803-1866), a Cuban revolutionary and writer, was an active campaigner for the annexationist cause. He organized the first Cuban Revolutionary Junta in 1848, a group of Cuban nationalists opposing Spanish rule, and was an editor of the annexationist propaganda paper La Verdad, eventually resulting in his exile in 1846. Cuban passion for annexation expanded to the United States where he was forced to emigrate and join Club de la Habana, a network of annexationists in the United States in 1847. While this was happening in local Cuban society, the U.S. government had the desire to expand its influence in 1848, specifically in the Caribbean due to its strategic location to the U.S. coast (implying control of the Caribbean equates to enhanced security and naval power). Other, although less significant reasons, would include economic interests for investing in sugar and tobacco, and imperialism.
The real turning point is when the USS Maine exploded in Havana Harbor, Cuba in February 1898—ultimately pushing the United States to act on its desire for expansion in the Caribbean and uniting Cuba and the U.S. through their aligning interests. Alas, the Spanish-American War breaks out. The United States recognized Santiago de Cuba as a major port as it was one of Spain’s main naval bases in the Caribbean. Located on the southeastern coast of Cuba with a well-protected harbor, it was ideal for keeping warships and supplies. By winning Santiago, Spain’s naval presence in the region would be eliminated, meaning less threat and more power for the U.S. With this in mind, on April 22, 1898, the U.S. Navy began blockading Cuba (targeting Santiago and Havana) 2 days before officially declaring war on Spain. It is likely that sometime during this period, under the Pacte de Famille, France was sending military aid to Spain, including artillery such as the bronze cannon that currently sits at Bloom Park. The Spanish fleet, led by Admiral Pascual Cervera, knew they could not remain trapped forever. In their attempt to break out of the harbor, the U.S. fleet, commanded by Rear Admiral William T. Sampson and Commodore Winfield Scott Schley, was prepared. The U.S. ships immediately opened fire, and within a few hours, the entirety of the Spanish fleet was destroyed.
The cannon at Bloom Park reflects the important role that Washington County veterans played during and after the Spanish-American War. While the Bloom Park marker mentions that “local veterans” secured the cannon, it is historically accurate to connect their efforts to groups like the Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.) and later veterans’ organizations, which were commonly responsible for acquiring and preserving war relics for public display (National Park Service, G.A.R. History). This cannon was likely placed in Bloom Park with the intentions to serve as a lasting memorial to those from Washington County who served in the Spanish-American War. The editorial team at Encyclopedia Britannica establishes the point, “The G.A.R. promoted the establishment of soldiers’ homes, advocated for pension legislation, and was instrumental in the construction of soldiers’ memorials” (Encyclopedia Britannica). Several local men had participated directly; members of Hagerstown’s National Guard unit, Company B, 1st Maryland Infantry, were stationed at Camp MacKenzie in Georgia, awaiting demobilization in early 1899 after their service. Samuel Strite served as a lieutenant aboard the USS Olympia, which famously opened the Battle of Manila Bay under Admiral Dewey’s command, while another local, Private Edward B. Suman, was among the casualties of the USS Maine explosion- an event that directly led to the U.S.’s declaration of war. The military involvement of Washington County citizens explains why a captured Spanish cannon was brought here: to honor not only the memory of their service abroad but also to reinforce the community’s pride and sacrifice, a tradition that continued into the mid-20th century when Maryland’s Spanish–American War veterans chose Hagerstown for their 1949 annual convention.
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