Iron Musket Ball?!

[skb8721]

I finally got permission from a landowner to metal detect in a sugarcane field used briefly as an encampment by the US 19th Army Corps (according to a hand-drawn Federal map from the period). Besides a couple small unidentifiable metal pieces, and a shell from a .38 Special, I did find the below ball, which measures .56 caliber . . . a common enough Civil War caliber. But this thing is made of iron, not lead. So I'm thinking it's actually a ball bearing. But what do you all think?

 

[alan polk]

Very likely an iron Case shot ball. Search nearby for iron fragments to help confirm. Congrats!!

 

[skb8721]

Very likely an iron Case shot ball. Search nearby for iron fragments to help confirm. Congrats!!

Well, the spot where I found the ball, besides being in an encampment, is about 700 feet from the site of an April 1863 skirmish. I only got to search a very small section of the field in question, but I hope to go back shortly (maybe tomorrow). It's literally about 5 minutes from my house.

 

[skb8721]

I was trying to be skeptical by writing off this ball as "probably a ball bearing" so I'm pleasantly surprised by the suggestion it could be case shot. Is there anyone else who thinks it could be case shot, or, conversely, a ball bearing?

 

[JOHN42768]

I agree with Allan. Canister shot

 

[alan polk]

Like I said, it is very likely. You're going to have to get back out there and search for fragments. If you find fragments to a Case shot projectile, not just regular shell fragments, then you can state with reasonable confidence that it is a Case shot ball and not a ball bearing.

 

[skb8721]

So today in less than 45 minutes I found three more iron balls, all .56 caliber, in the same location. . . .

 

[JohnW.]

Definitely canister

 

[alan polk]

I think the items are much too small to be canister. I'm gonna stick with Case shot. Skb, your on a good spot. Now just dig every signal!

 

[UCVRelics]

Case shot defiantly

 

[skb8721]

I plan to go back to the spot on Sunday, unless it rains. Last evening I spent 45 minutes in that hot spot, but by no means did I search the entire hot spot; then I switched for another 45 minutes to a different field owned by the same landowner but that's closer to the skirmish site (as I understand the skirmish to have happened) and there I found nothing CW-related. But I need to keep looking there, too.

 

[JOHN42768]

Well case or canister doesn't matter as long as you found it. Good luck in your searching.