Rutgers–Princeton Cannon War

[2] For the War of 1812, "Big Cannon" was transported to New Brunswick to help defend the city against potential attack by the British, remaining on the Rutgers campus – where it was used for training during and after the Civil War by Rutgers cadets[3] – until it was taken back to Princeton in 1836 by the "Princeton Blues", a local militia.

"[3] Princeton responded with a raid on Rutgers, stealing some muskets, and the heads of the two colleges exchanged polite but demanding correspondence.

Eventually, a joint committee settled the matter, and "Little Cannon" was returned to Princeton, escorted by the New Brunswick Police Chief.

The group opted to create a fictitious New Jersey Citizens Bicentennial Committee (NJCBC) and infiltrate the campus with a phony story.

That pass, along with the matron who posed as the Chairman of the NJCBC made things look legitimate enough to get their trucks and heavy equipment through security and onto Princeton grounds.

But within minutes of digging, a Princeton University Detective approached the group and foiled their plans, declaring "all right you guys, we know you're from Rutgers."

[citation needed] In November 2011, a group of Rutgers students who went to paint the cannon in Princeton brought a video camera with them and made a documentary about the tradition.

The footage became part of a larger project about the history of the Cannon War and its perception in the minds of current students today.