Civil War Cannon Ball?

[cmt04444]

I picked this up at a flea market today for $35. It's 4 pounds and roughly 3 inches. Is it a cannon ball?

[268th C.A.]

has the seam around it, looks good to me...Congratulations.

[cmt04444]

Thanks!

[Brian from Columbus]

I have my doubts. The smallest Civil War cannon ball weight was 6 pounds. And then you get in the grape and canister shot. The "seam" does not guarantee authenticity. If your weight is accurate, then it is likely not a cannon ball.

Unfortunately, mixer balls have made their way into the antique market as cannonballs.

[dhcoleterracina]

First of all you're not going to be hurt by a $35 price. As Brian said, the smallest size was a six pounder. Did grape/cannister exist in the four pound ball size? I'm not sure.

 

There are many steel balls used in industry that look like cannon balls. I have a nice weathered eight pound ball which was used to break up ore in California's gold country in the Civil War period and later. It looks like a cannon ball but it isn't.

[USCapturephotos]

Yeah I don't ever remember seeing a seam on the Civil War era cannonballs.sometimes earlier shot might have a seam but I think usually an obvious seam like this is seen on rock crushing balls.

Paul

[Brian from Columbus]

According to Jack Bell's Book on Heavy artillery a 42 pound stand of grape could contain a 4.2 pound ball.

There were no field artillery cannisters in that size, so you would have to be looking at coastal/siege guns with grape shot.

 

That being said, a mold seam is often attributed to CS artillery and their crudeness of manufacture.

 

With all that being said, my opinion is that this is a crusher or mixer ball. The seam does not resemble the "seam" seen on a cannon ball.

With precise measurements (meaning postal scale and digital calipers) you could definitively say if it is a grape shot.

There are shot tables that specify what was used. If you have something that falls outside of that, then it is not a grape shot.

The specs on a grape from a 42 pound canister would be a diameter between 3.13-3.17 inches and 4.2 pounds.

[Blacksmith]

Does not conform to size (weight) or construction of any cannonball I have seen. Agree this is something else.

[4th Miss Cav]

I have dug two 6 pounders from Port Hudson LA both with seams. They were fired from Boones Battery in a position called the Devils Elbow. So I know for a fact that seams are period correct. The ball looks awful smooth to be iron. Is it possibly steel and if it is it is a ball used in mixing. They flooded the relic and antique shops in Vicksburg MS in the middle 90's.

[illinigander]

My opinion is that if it is a CS projectile, it is a very crude casting with that large parting-line it would be "local blacksmith" produced. Such a parting line would be hard to load and have to much windage. All my CS projectiles are much cleaner castings.