A very interesting presentation cane with the handle made of brass and in the shape of a cannon. The overall length is 36 1/4 inches, the two-piece shaft being made of dark hardwood with a brass and iron ferrule. The cannon-shaped handle is about 4 inches long from muzzle to cascabel and inscribed "Piece of Merrimac's(sic) Cannon/March 9th 1862" on one side and "John Kenly from Bro. 'Dan' 1885" in a different font on the other. The first inscription appears to be referencing the Union's name for the ironclad ship C.S.S. Virginia, which was made from the remnants of the scuttled U.S.S. Merrimack, as 9 March 1862 is the date of the Virginia's famous showdown with the U.S.S. Monitor in the Battle of Hampton Roads. The Virginia's armament is usually listed as four Brooke rifles of varying caliber and six 9-inch Dahlgren guns, all of which were of cast iron. However, two 12-pound howitzers are also listed in many references as being mounted on the upper deck to repel boarders. These howitzers would have likely been M1841 12-pounders or M1857 12-pounder Napoleons, which were both popular with the Confederacy, and were both made of cast bronze. It is possible the canes handle was made of a piece of one of these guns. The other inscription may be in reference to Brigadier General John Reese Kenly, who was colonel in command of the 1st Maryland Volunteer Infantry at the Battle of Front Royal. At this battle Colonel Kenly commanded a brave last stand against Stonewall Jackson's forces before being severely wounded and captured. The last stand of his regiment saved General Banks' division, and later got Kenly promoted to brigadier general. The identity of "Bro. 'Dan'" is unknown. There is mention in multiple references including "Encyclopedia of Civil War Shipwrecks" by Gaines of materials from the Virginia being used to make canes and Civil War mementos. A cane very similar to this example was in the Grant-Vanderbilt Collection that was donated to the National Museum.