Revolutionary War case shot?

[DownNDirty]

I found fourteen of these cast iron balls today in a creek that runs through a site occupied by the British army for several months. They were all found in a small area, about 15-20 feet square. Depending on where I measured it this one had a diameter of 1.20-1.25 inches; they were all the same size.
Are these cannister shot? The diameter is within the range for canister shot used in 12 pound cannons, according to a charter that Cannonballguy shared in a post a while back.

Thanks

 

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[smokeythecat]

Very easily. They look very old and crudely cast. If they were mill balls, the seams would have worn off real fast in the crushing mill. Nice. Very Nice.

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

Since you asked for my input on your post...
Case-Shot means the balls are contained inside a hollow explosive shell.
Canister-balls are contained inside a tinned-iron sheetmetal can, or a container made of some other material.
Neither Case-Shot nor Tin-Can Canister artillery ammunition existed during the Revolutionary War.
Case-Shot was invented by British army Lieutenant Henry Shrapnel in 1784, a year after the end of the Revolutionary War.
I have not seen any "tin-can" Canister ammo found at RevWar sites. Some modern writings on the subject say tin-can Canister existed at that time, but I haven't heard of any being dug at RevWar (or earlier) sites.

By the way... a small correction to your post, if I may... the civil war "Shot Tables" document I frequently cite in my posts says the diameter of 12-Pounder caliber Canister balls is between 1.46-inches and 1.49-inches. So your find cannot be 12-Pounder Canister balls. www.civilwarartillery.com/shottables.htm

Due to the context (location) AND quantity of your find (14 balls in a small area), AND their crude casting, I think they are indeed artillery-ammo balls, not civilian-usage ones.

The civil war "Shot Tables" document covers artillery ammo from the early-1800s through 1861. As you mentioned, it does not have any listing for 1.20"-1.25" balls. However, because the Shot Tables do not list the size of the balls in a then-obsolete variety of grapeshot ammo called Quilted Qrapeshot, I theorize that the balls you found could be from a Quilted Grapeshot. The "base" of that type of Grape usually was a thick iron disc with a thick rod protruding up from the center of the base. The balls were stacked in circles around the rod. That assembly was contained inside a canvas (or other fabric) "sleeve" or bag, which was held together with twisted wires forming a "quilt" pattern on the bag's exterior. See the photo below. (However, its base is made of wood, instead of having the usual iron base.)

I suggest you hunt that spot in the creek closely, to see if you can find a Quilted grapeshot's thick iron base-disc and centerpole.

 

[DownNDirty]

Thanks so much for your input. As a matter of fact, at the same location where I found the shot I did find an iron shaft about 3/8" thick and roughly 18" long. It had what looked like a large washer on it and a nut threaded at the top end. Does that sound right? I had no idea what it was so I left it there but I can go back and get it if you think it's the center pole and disk.

 

[TheCannonballGuy]

At 2.5-feet long, that iron rod is definitely not from an artillery projectile. The central rod in Quilted Grapeshot was never more than 12-inches long, and usually, a good bit shorter than that. You can view an example of an excavated Quilted Grapeshot, missing the canvas coverand twisted-wire "quilting", here:
American naval 32-pound "stand of quilted grapeshot," early 1800s, rare.

 

[DownNDirty]

At 2.5-feet long, that iron rod is definitely not from an artillery projectile. The central rod in Quilted Grapeshot was never more than 12-inches long, and usually, a good bit shorter than that. You can view an example of an excavated Quilted Grapeshot, missing the canvas cover, here:
American naval 32-pound "stand of quilted grapeshot," early 1800s, rare.

OK, thanks-at least I'll know what to look for