Cannon ball pictures ?

[RUGER]

Ok here is some pictures of what I think is a cannonball.
As you can see it is about 2" across.
I haven't weighed it but it is close to 2 pounds in weight.

Here is the "smooth" side.

Here is the "rough" side.

The first time I looked at it Bobby G and I both thought we could see an "A" on it, possibly from USA or CSA.
Now I can't find any markings on it at all.

 

[Hawk]

The first time I looked at it Bobby G and I both thought we could see an "A" on it, possibly from USA or CSA.
Now I can't find any markings on it at all.

Anheuser most likely source of an A for you and Bobby..

 

[Cuttin Caller]

 

[nbforrest#3]

I believe that is a cannister shot, not a cannon ball.

They would put about 30 together in a cannister and
when it was shot out of the cannon they would seperate
and do some massive damage.

It would not be marked CS or US

Here is a link


http://www.periodictable.com/Items/026.4/index.html

 

[RUGER]

 

[GRAMPS]

Dang, I cannot even imagine getting hit with something like that. It would definitly leave a mark!

 

[corymhoward]

thats really awesome!

 

[Crow Terminator]

That's actually what they call a Grape Shot. There should be more of 'em....usually there was about 9 or so together in a stand. They are usually worth from $25-$40 unless they are a rare size. Yours seems to be one of the more commonly found sizes and still a good one to have just for sake of having. Most of 'em were fired from a gun boat with the heavier of artillery being on them, but some field gunners had them too.

http://www.virginiarelics.com/pc2363.htm

http://www.iglou.com/btreasure/artillry.htm

 

[RUGER]

Cool, thanks for all the info.

 

[johndeere]

Thats an awesome find there Ruger!

 

[Bertman]

cool

 

[Locksley]

Dang, I cannot even imagine getting hit with something like that. It would definitly leave a mark!

An old hunting buddy of mine MR. Womack who was 99 years old when he died back in 2006 told me once that his uncle described the battle of Kenneshaw mountain to him. The uncle another Womack was in the Army of Tennessee CSA and said that they made a charge on the Federals Artillery as ordered by General Hood and as they charged across the field the genteleman looked to the right at his brother to see if he was still there , and as he looked a Union cannon ball came bouncing at them and took his brothers head right off. The charge was suicide and as most of the units that took part were killed or wounded it failed. They could sometimes see the balls coming but it was not possible to dodge them all.

 

[Crow Terminator]

Yeah I've read soldier accounts from the war that said the cannonballs were so big that they looked like they were moving slow but were really going fast.

Sam R. Watkins in his book describes this a few times. If you guys are into Civil War history and haven't read it...GO BUY IT! You can get it from Amazon or about anywhere with books. He was a good ole TN boy from Columbia, TN. "Co. Aytch: A Side Show of the Big Show" is the name of it.

He said those balls would come "a bouncing along" and he describes one soldier as trying to stop one with his foot because it looked like it was rolling so slow on the ground, and that it took his foot and half his leg with it.