Help (please) with a Boremann Fuze cannonball...

Great find and welcome!

You know, sometime in late 1862, the Confederates issued a cease and desist order in regards to Boremann fuses, meaning the CS government ordered them to no longer be made.

The problem, of course, was that many Boremann fused projectiles were still in the fields. Therefore, many continued to be used into 1863-64.

However, though CS arsenals were not allowed to produce them anymore, they still had Boremann fused projectiles stockpiled in wharehouses.

What many did (Selma, I think, in particular) were drill into the Boremann fuse (just like yours) and the under plug and into the powder cavity.

In this way, a papertime fuse could be inserted into it the projectile.

When I first saw your projectile, I was thinking that it might be one of those, but it seems that you inferred from the dealer that the drill hole was done simply to disarm the item. As well, the battle from which you say it was recovered would put it before the CS government's cease and desist order.

Nonetheless, I thought I'd pass that piece of information along for you to chew on!

Anyway, congrats!!!
 
Images:

View attachment 153261 View attachment 153262

I picked this up from a dealer today (owner was not there though) and had some questions if anyone can help. I sincerely appreciate it. Here's what I know:

• Case shot w/Bormann Fuse
• Confederate Artillery round based on timing tick marks (looked this up online)
• 4.52 inches wide, which is consistent with being fired from a 12 pounder cannon
• Found on Secessionville Battlefield (June 16th, 1862) near Charleston SC

1) Is there any danger of it exploding? The card said that there was no powder and only the case shot remained. When you move it slightly, you can hear the metal balls jangling around in there. I read that the powder was held in a space between the two halves with the balls, so since they're moving around... I'm hoping there's no powder?

2) Based on the case shot still being there, I assume this wasn't fired, but had a hole drilled to remove the powder. That's what it looks like anyway. Is that correct based on what you see?

3) If it wasn't fired, is there a way this could've been fired as a solid shot without using the fuse? Just wondering if there still a chance it was fired.

Thanks so much again for any help!
Welcome! I can't help, but I'm sure someone here can. It certainly is a beauty!
 
Great find and welcome!

You know, sometime in late 1862, the Confederates issued a cease and desist order in regards to Boremann fuses, meaning the CS government ordered them to no longer be made.

The problem, of course, was that many Boremann fused projectiles were still in the fields. Therefore, many continued to be used into 1863-64.

However, though CS arsenals were not allowed to produce them anymore, they still had Boremann fused projectiles stockpiled in wharehouses.

What many did (Selma, I think, in particular) were drill into the Boremann fuse (just like yours) and the under plug and into the powder cavity.

In this way, a papertime fuse could be inserted into it the projectile.

When I first saw your projectile, I was thinking that it might be one of those, but it seems that you inferred from the dealer that the drill hole was done simply to disarm the item. As well, the battle from which you say it was recovered would put it before the CS government's cease and desist order.

Nonetheless, I thought I'd pass that piece of information along for you to chew on!

Anyway, congrats!!!
Here is an example of what I'm talking about:

http://www.bulletandshell.com/Items/item.php?id=U00482
 
Hello Dave from 1 NG to another, not sure how big you are on youtube but theres a cat on there who posts vids under the name aquachigger, he has a ton of vids on ordinance he's personally pulled outta the ground, you might like his vids...
 
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