Cannons on the Hill

In 1871 two cannons and twelve-pounder Napoleon guns with caissons were furnished to the university by the US War Department. They were first placed on the Hill, but the citizens of Knoxville protested the loud firings at odd hours when students were enjoying the game of loading and firing them. In 1876 the cannons were moved to the UT farm. In 1901 the trustees had the cannons returned to the US Government as the only effective means to stop disturbances involving them.