[SodiumBenzoate]

My family has a Civil War cannonball (supposed to explode, but was a dud) my great-grandfather picked up off the beach after the Battle of Mobile Bay (he was an ensign in the Union Navy). It is at least a foot in diameter, possibly more, and it weighs a lot. If I had to guess, I'd say somewhere around 50 pounds, give or take maybe 10 pounds.

I have been to Gettysburg several times, and I have never seen a cannon (or mortar) there close to the size needed to fire this cannonball.

Anyone have any ideas as to what fired it? I have no idea if it was a Union or Confederate ball.

[Chuck Dye]

Take a look at

http://civilwartalk.com/cwt_alt/resources/artillery/tables/common_heavy.htm

you may find what you want. By your estimation of weight, your projectile has lost it its charge, not a bad thing for a souvenir. Explore this site, it has a LOT of information.
.

[Mike Irwin]

Well, it could be any of quite a few different shells.

Please tell me that the fuse has been removed and that the bursting charge has been cleaned out?

Otherwise, you're living with a very live, and VERY deadly, explosive device in your home.

As for the guns themselves,

There are a LOT of descriptions on this page, broken down by shell diameter.

You'll want to go near the bottom.

http://www.cwartillery.org/ve/bordex.html


10" guns were fairly common pieces of kit for both services, though.

[SodiumBenzoate]

Please tell me that the fuse has been removed and that the bursting charge has been cleaned out?


Yep, it has been.

[Jim K]

Collective "WHEW!" from all of us.

Jim

[4v50 Gary]

Forgot which museum had it but they had a Civil War Napoleon that had a cannonball stuck in the mouth of the muzzle before it could be fired. The cannon was left unfired and was on public display for over a century until someone realized there was still powder in it. :uhoh: EOD was called in an disarmed it without removing the stuck ball in the muzzle.