One Big Ball ? ? ?

[Randy1944]

I have this solid ball that I need help with. It doesn't appear to have a seam or a fuse or plug of any kind. It measures 5 5/8" in diameter and I had it weighed 23 pounds and 14 ounces at the Post Office. Just what is it?

 

[redbob]

It appears that you have a 24# solid shot.

 

[Randy1944]

Can someone tell me what type of artillery would have used this size of solid shot? I acquired this shot in 1970 and have just hung on to it. Thanks

 

[redbob]

A smoothbore 24# gun or howitzer.

 

[UCVRelics]

Yep 24lber for the smooth bore and not a mill ball

 

[Crazy Delawares]

Could it possibly be a naval shot? Rev War?

 

[UCVRelics]

Could it possibly be a naval shot? Rev War?

Could be but he did not post where it came or where it was found so its origin is lost to time.

 

[Randy1944]

I bought this item along with some other smaller items from a friend of mine that I am distantly related to. I bought them about 1970 from Ray Denton. He lived in Knoxville, Tn. during the 1930's and that is where he recovered them. He called it scavenging that he and some friends did. I have written notes regarding these items, but now the notes are lost. My memory is that this cannonball came from the Civil War site at Fort Sanders. I remember asking him if it was live and he said that he didn't mess with "that live stuff". He had lots of smaller items that he had already sold to one of our local Doctors (Dr. Hickey) that collected Civil War items. It was a great time to buy stuff, but I was a young working man with very little money.

 

[lelliott19]

Moody's Battery aka Madison Light Artillery (Louisiana) Battery (of Alexander's battalion) was at Knoxville and they had four bronze Austrian 24-pounder howitzers. I posted a bunch more info about Capt. Moody in your Fort Sanders thread. He has a really interesting story - left behind sick on the retreat from Knoxville and captured; his brother was Col of the 74th Ohio and got him paroled; and then he was captured again in May 1865 at Irwinville GA while serving as part of Jeff Davis' escort. Check it out here

 

[Randy1944]

Many thanks to all and especially lelliott19 for all of the information. I wish that I had similar information on the 5" cannonball that I recently purchased. It came from Cowpens, but doesn't fit the information that I have found as I researched it. It is still in the mail and I hope to discover more when it arrives. As I said, it has a 5" diameter and weighs 15 pounds. I had ancestors that fought in that battle and that may have clouded my judgement in buying and paying so much. Of course, others valued it as well as there was vigorous bidding. (Ouch).

 

[Randy1944]

I believe my best two items are the 24 pound cannonball and the 5 pounder from Fort Sanders as well. The fact that I knew the person that recovered them, leaves me with no doubt of their history. I can't say the same about my other cannonballs. I hope the information that I got with them is correct, but who knows. Anyway, very interesting to have them.

 

[FarawayFriend]

Yep 24lber for the smooth bore and not a mill ball

@48th Miss. have a look! Maybe then the ones you showed me aren't mill balls either?!

 

[48th Miss.]

@48th Miss. have a look! Maybe then the ones you showed me aren't mill balls either?!

Not sure how to tell the difference in a mill ball and a cannon ball. When we salvaged the 1794 cabin the owner was finding these balls all over in the road area. We thought it was an impact area from Camp Green or Chantilly from ww1 training area. The road is Range road but I was told that was based on a national guard rifle range. They picked up 20 or so in different sizes

 

[FarawayFriend]

Not sure how to tell the difference in a mill ball and a cannon ball. When we salvaged the 1794 cabin the owner was finding these balls all over in the road area. We thought it was an impact area from Camp Green or Chantilly from ww1 training area. The road is Range road but I was told that was based on a national guard rifle range. They picked up 20 or so in different sizes

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Can't wait what our experts here will have to say to your find!