Not A Todays Find But...

[Getty]

I found this item in my front yard last year.I thought it was some kind of big ball bearing.My town was established in 1875 and there was some CW movement through this area.After showing this to a few people on this site ,I would like to hear some other opinions.The first pic is as it was found. The second pic is after only 5 days in olive oil.What do you think?? ?

? ? ? ? ? ? ?Thanx for lookin ,jimmy

[Bavaria Mike]

Looks like a grapeshot, nice find, might be more around there or fragments of cannonballs. HH, Mike

[Southcacalaky]

Possibly grapeshot, HH Art...

[goldencoin]

Search the area again, there is probbly more
they can be worth 40 dollars if profesionally cleaned and documented

[TheCannonballGuy]

"Guess-timating" by the photo with the quarter, the mystery-ball seem to be a little bit under 1.25 inches in diameter. If that is accurate, the closest match from the US Ordnance Department "Shot Tables" at:
http://www.civilwarartillery.com/shottables.htm
the closest match for your iron ball is a 6-pounder Canister ball (at 1.14-to-1.17 inches in diameter.

So get hold of a precision Caliper/Micrometer and get an exact measurement of your mystery-ball's diameter, to see if is the proper size to be a canister-ball.

By the way, grapeshot and canister are NOT the same thing. Grapeshot ammo was for Navy use, and canister was for Army use. Grapeshot contained nine large-sized iron balls, in order to tear up an enemy ship's masts, rigging, and sails. Canister contained dozens of smaller iron balls, to "shotgun" massed-infantry attacks.

Before closing this post I should mention that even civil-war soldiers themselves very frequently mis-named grapeshot balls and canister balls. For example, Gettysburg eyewitness combat reports say "the air was filled with a storm of grape and canister." But in actuality, the official Ordnance Department Reports show that no grapeshot ammunition was used at Gettysburg.

Nonetheless, because infantry-soldiers so often mis-named grape and canister balls, modern civil-war buffs (and relic-hunters) continue to confuse grape and canister balls. So here's a rule-of-thumb:
Army cannon (6, 12, and 24-pounder) canister-balls tend to be from 1.14" to 1.87 inches in diameter, and
Navy cannon (24, 32, 42-pounder and up) grapeshot-balls tend to be 2.6" diameter (and up).

Regards,
TheCannonballGuy (Pete George)

[Michigan Badger]

Well, now from my very extensive experience I can say it's a metal ball.

M. Bad-ger

[Getty]

Thanx for the info cannonballguy.I will get a micrometer and check it.Your guidance and tips have been very helpful.Maybe I can ID this item now.

[trk5capt]

jimmy, I am not an Artillery expert, I was in the Infantry, But I Have Been Digging CW Relics for 35yrs and have come to believe that the location and History of an area play an important Roll in Helping to ID a Relic. If you find Cannon Ball Fragments, Shells or Solid Shot in a Known Battle site The Chances are Pretty Good That any Small Round Iron Balls are Grape, Canister or Case Shot. Just My 2 Cents. trk5capt...