Doc:
To quote an old movie:
“What we have here, is a failure to communicate!”
I have come to the realization that we are actually speaking two different languages. Having lived in the United States my entire life, I don’t speak the Queen’s English, I speak American English. You seem to be speaking a more eclectic version of the language
.
http://machaut.uchicago.edu/CGI-BIN/WEBSTER.page.sh?page=222
Case shot
Case" shot` (?). (Mil.) A collection of small projectiles, inclosed in a case or canister. &hand;
In the United States a case shot is a thin spherical or oblong cast-iron shell containing musket balls and a bursting charge, with a time fuse; -- called in Europe shrapnel.
In Europe the term case shot is applied to what in the United States is called canister. Wilhelm.
(My emphasis.)
An example of this strictly American usage is illustrated in Capt. McCarthy’s report of action near Fredricksburg. (below) He uses the terms “case shot” and “spherical case shot” interchangeably,
“The distance from my battery being about 1,300 yards, the projectiles used were case shot and percussion shells, the effect being very satisfactory.”
1300 yds. is beyond the effective range of canister.
He then tallies the rounds used as “Spherical case shot, 52 rounds; percussion shell, 20 rounds; total, 72” and notes that “about 8 rounds of the case shot did not explode”.
No. 35. Report of Captain Jeremiah McCarthy, Battery C, First Pennsylvania Light Artillery.
OPPOSITE FREDERICKSBURG, VA., December 19, 1862.
SIR: The following is my report of the operations of my battery during the late engagements:
The battery was placed upon a commanding elevation, opposite a small stream, called Deep Run, on the night of December 10, with instructions to fire upon any person or body of men who should interfere or obstruct the throwing across of pontoon bridges, and to protect the passage of our troops across them.
Just before the completion of the bridges, the enemy, numbering about 300, appeared in a ravine on the opposite side, firing occasional shots among those who were constructing the bridges. A few shots from my battery, in connection with several other batteries, caused them to retire. The distance from my battery being about 1,300 yards, the projectiles used were case shot and percussion shells, the effect being very satisfactory.
Friday, December 12, according to instructions, opened on the enemy's batteries on the opposite hills, the distance being about 2 1/2 miles. The projectiles used were percussion shell and case shot, only a few of which reached the desired point.
During Saturday, Sunday, and Monday I fired occasional shots.
The following is the number of rounds fired in the above engagements: Spherical case shot, 52 rounds; percussion shell, 20 rounds; total, 72.
During the firing I noticed that about 8 rounds of the case shot did not explode.
I have the honor to be, your most obedient servant,
JEREMIAH McCARTHY,
Captain, Commanding Battery.
Major TRUMBULL,
Commanding Left Center Batteries.
Capt. McCarthy used the same terminology I’ve been using, the same as used on the site about American Civil War Artillery, and the same as the above dictionary reference lists as strictly American.
Bear in mind that the lead and other stuff that went in was where the weight came from, o.k.?
My point exactly. The explosive filler is but a small percentage of the total weight. When the explosive train is removed, the solid matrix remains, with a pre-drilled hole. What's left is a sphere of a size and weight consistant with our object, with a counter bored hole and internal void into which you could pound an iron rod.
I don't know about 19th century handling of Boreman fused munitions, but modern munitions are never shipped with the fuze installed. We have no information on the source, or the state, of these munitions when acquired by our unknown worker.
The reason these points matter is that if we can determine that the item is just an ad-hock assemblage of parts, then, lacking any further context, (the well question has already been asked) it is clear that any further attempt to specify purpose is reduced to pure speculation. Door stop, conversation piece, horse tether, pendulum weight, war souvenir, abstract art, 8 yr. old kid are all equally plausible, and equally unprovable.
? I'd guess it to weigh close to 20# total. The rod connecting the two spheres is solidly attached and about 3/4" separates them. Also, the rod is about 1" in diameter.
