Fused Canister?

[Saphroneth]

Live firing black powder cannons then & now carries the same risks.

Yes, but the consequent risks are different. Let's say for the sake of argument that if you're pulling the lanyard on rotten shot a dozen times there's about a 10% cumulative chance of serious injury to at least one member of the gun crew.

If you're a reenactor using a black powder cannon, then obviously firing rotten shot is a bad idea. It's much, much more dangerous than not doing it (because you're not actually in a battle, you're having a nice day out) and the consequences of not doing it are basically negligible (no enemy troops running up to try and kill you).

If on the other hand you're a gunner serving your weapon during e.g. Seven Pines, then firing rotten shot can be a good idea.
It's not that much more dangerous than not doing it (because you're a volunteer soldier acting as a gunner during a battle, and on the order of one in seven of the men on the field are going to become casualties in this battle anyway) while the consequences of not doing it could be devastating (enemy attack reaches the gun batteries, you personally are quite likely killed or wounded defending your piece, the outcome of the battle could be affected).

 

[alan polk]

In a written exchange I had with CW artillery expert Peter C. George, he wrote the following:

"ACW artillerist's Manual says that if you've run out of canister ammo, you can pierce the Bormann fuze at the "zero point" and use case-shot shells as a substitute for canister."

He did not tell me which manual it was, but I have no reason to think he made it up out of thin air. But perhaps someone here might know where he found that.

 

[Rhea Cole]

Yes, but the consequent risks are different. Let's say for the sake of argument that if you're pulling the lanyard on rotten shot a dozen times there's about a 10% cumulative chance of serious injury to at least one member of the gun crew.

If you're a reenactor using a black powder cannon, then obviously firing rotten shot is a bad idea. It's much, much more dangerous than not doing it (because you're not actually in a battle, you're having a nice day out) and the consequences of not doing it are basically negligible (no enemy troops running up to try and kill you).

If on the other hand you're a gunner serving your weapon during e.g. Seven Pines, then firing rotten shot can be a good idea.
It's not that much more dangerous than not doing it (because you're a volunteer soldier acting as a gunner during a battle, and on the order of one in seven of the men on the field are going to become casualties in this battle anyway) while the consequences of not doing it could be devastating (enemy attack reaches the gun batteries, you personally are quite likely killed or wounded defending your piece, the outcome of the battle could be affected).

I am #1 on the right gun of the section. You can just make out my corporal's stripes.​

I do a safety lecture during our annual training & can attest to the fact that firing muzzle loading blackpowder cannons is a potentially life threatening activity. No enemy fire is required. The Stones River gun books show that I have participated in ~ 2,400 firings, so I have seen a thing or two. At a non-NPS event I witnessed a friction primer & jet from the vent go through #3 hand. Fortunately, it went through the muscle between his pointer & thumb. The skin grafts & burn scars are something to see, but he has the use of his hand.

As he was stepping out, #4's foot got tangled in Maypop vine that tripped him & fired the gun prematurely. #3 had gotten carried away with his authentic drill & had laid his hand over the friction primer after inserting it. That was a left over from linstock days that was meant to keep the priming from blowing away & was still part of the C.W. drill. Our modern NPS drill keeps #3's hand clear of the vent as #4 steps out.

Every time a fuzed round is fired there is a chance of a premature detonation. I have only seen it happen once near the muzzle of the gun. Nobody was injured, but it sure got everybody's attention. I have seen eight or ten shorts down range. Because fuzed rounds are so inherently dangerous, many artillery live fire venues do not allow them. Cannoneers #1 & #2 would be in particular danger. When I am not gunning, I am usually #1, so there nothing theoretical about this topic for me.

​

 

[Saphroneth]

What you are missing is that every time a fuzed round is fired there is a chance of a premature detonation. I have only seen it happen once near the muzzle of the gun. Nobody was injured, but it sure got everybody's attention. I have seen eight or ten shorts down range. Because fuzed rounds are so inherently dangerous, many artillery live fire venues do not allow them. Cannoneers #1 & #2 would be in particular danger. When I am not gunning, I am usually #1, so this is not theoretical to me.

I'm not missing that at all. I'm saying that, while I achnowledge that there is risk in firing any round (and perhaps increased risk in firing rotten shot) we have primary source evidence to the effect that rotten shot was fired in actual combat - as reported in the after action reports of the people who fired it.