Want to find 15 inch cannon ball

[entsminger]

I've relic hunted in Northern Va. for a good part of my life but have yet to find my hearts desire, a 15 inch cannon ball. Has anyone found such a ball recently?I'm wondering if there is a chance one is still out there waiting to be found or are they like trying to find the Braddock cannons filled with gold? If nessesary I'd pay someone to show me where to find one or I'd trade a few Shenkle shells for a site that would produce one.

Scott

 

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[SomeGuy]

I don't know, but it sounds too big for a field piece. Therefore, I would look downrange from large forts and seacoast batteries. Of course, these installations might have been targeted by other large guns (from ships) or perhaps a caisson overturned and dropped a few cannonballs sometime in the battery's history, so it's immediate vicinity would also be a place to look.

During the Civil War, large mortars were mounted on riverboats on the Mississippi, and some were mounted on RR cars. Look for battlesites that would have been targeted by these weapons.

 

[entsminger]

I've researched and wandered all over areas where big guns were fired and been in locations where I figured the big Rodmans or Columbiads would have fired their 15 inch cannons like the James River VA. etc etc ,etc , but never got lucky. I'm getting too old to keep driving all over creation hoping to luck out, so I was hoping someone could point me to a more specific location where there still was a good chance of finding one before I get too old to lift my metal detector much less the cannon ball

Scott.

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[DoctorDan]

That thing would have to be bigger than my measly 50 cal.

How big a cannon would that be? I just got wind of some possible 12 pounders in North Central Missouri but that don't seem like it would come any where near 15 inchs.

If anyone is interested in chasing these 12 pounders let me know and I'll try to send what I know about them which is very little so far. Not sure how many but they are evidently in a river and given the appoximate location it's probably one a person could wade in.

 

[Michigan Badger]

A 15 inch ball? WOW! I would think that would be well over 100 lbs.

The biggest I've seen is 7 1/2 inches. That's a big gun for the field.

To buy a 15 inch would be some serious money.

I love cannon balls but only if I dig them.

Hope you find that 15 incher.

 

[SomeGuy]

Did a little reading...

These things were huge, and the case shot weighed a little over 300lbs.

 

[mvSWAT]

I share your same desire....I told my son the other day that I'd eventually find a cannon ball, now every time I come home from MDing he asks me if I've found my cannon ball yet....I'll show him one of these days! Of course I've got to get out of southern Indiana to do my searching.
DoctorDan I'd love to hear what you've got in Missouri. I've got a waterproof detector. Happy Hunting. Dan

 

[entsminger]

I live in Northern Va.and there are several forts in the area that had 15 inch guns that did fire them at targets but mostly they were fired at targets in the river. Sort of diffucult to find a 3 or 4 hundred pound ball at the bottom of the dark mucky river. There were gun boats with 15 inchers in rivers shooting at forts along the rivers in Va. but most land upon which these huge cannon balls might have landed are off limits to rekic hunting by hostile land owners. I have heard of hunters passing over what they believe were 15 inchers on the shores/banks of rivers but they say they are near impossible to dig up as the water and sand keeps filling the hole and they can be 5 or more feet deep. Believe me, if I knew where this was I would keep digging regardless!!
If anyone knows where I might look for one of these 15 or even 13 inch balls with out the fear of being shot by an angry land owner please let me know. I will make it worth your while.

Scott

 

[Gribnitz]

I'd be happy with just finding a 4 pound solid shot. I know of a pasture where a farmer found one lying on top of the ground after a plow, but I be danged if I can even find a bit of metal in that field. There was a confederate officers homesite at one point nearby and his home was raided several times on suspicion of storing arms, but I haven't found anything remotely civil war there yet (lot of beer cans, guess they liked swilling the grog while working the plow).