I have 2 balls and ones bigger than the other

[rootnuke]

Here are two cannon balls I have had since I was a kid. I did not dig them up from anywhere. The little one was picked up while on vacation sometime in the '70's (I don't know where) and the larger one I cannot remember where it came from.

The big one has a brass 1" plug in it with 2 little ~1/8" holes. It has "GILL" stamped in the brass. There is also a "2" stamped into the steel on the other side.

I guess "GILL" got hit by the no. 1 shot so the no. 2 shot was not needed. :crackup:

Anyway I digress... Does anyone know what the things are other than the obvious as cannon balls.? :hmm:

 

[musketman]

The holes are for a fuse, it would be cut to length and the ball would explode once the fuse burned in side...

Civil War field cannon balls used wodden plugs though, not brass... :hmm:

I suspect the brass one is a naval ordinance...

Cut away view:

 

[brian]

did you see the cannon ball rolling around in the helecopter
in sahara movie,
when hes arming it he sends the chick after a fuse that looks like a carrot stick, is that a propper naval fuse?

what do you think capn bragg?
:hmm:BB

 

[Stumpkiller]

That's about what they looked like. The North had a better fuse that could be twisted to mechanically calibrated settings to adjust the delay. The South relied on being cut to the proper length.