Cannonball ID? (Found IVO Dobbs Ferry, NY)

[bong003]

Finally cleaned up a possible cannonball belonging to deceased father-in-law. Wife says that he found it while deer hunting around Dobbs Ferry, NY in the 90s. Apparently just found it on the surface of the ground in the woods. Looked like a strange rock with some roundedness and was surprised on how heavy it was when he picked it up.

Removed many layers of rust with electrolysis and now working to preserve it for display. No obvious flat spots but a lot of divots and pitting all around.

Measurements:
Weight: 7lb, 14 oz (food scale)...Regular bathroom scale says 7lb, 12 oz
Circumference: 12.25"
Diameter: 3.88" (eyeballed as calipers jaws don't have enough length but the math checks out based on circumference)

 

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[TheCannonballGuy]

Bong003 wrote:
> Cannonball ID?
> Measurements:
> Weight: 7lb, 14 oz (food scale)...Regular bathroom scale says 7lb, 12 oz
> Circumference: 12.25"

First... welcome to Treasure Net and the "What Is It?" forum, the best place on the internet to get unknown objects identified CORRECTLY. identified. (Beware of what Ebay and Worthpoint sellers say.)

My credentials for answering your question:
Multi-published author of books and historical-magazine articles on civil war (and earlier) artillery projectiles.
The US National Park Service has used me as a consultant on that subject for about 40 years.

Sorry to have to tell you, the balls precise diameter and weight measurements do not match up even close to any Artillery ball in the historical artillery projectile (cannon balls, grapeshot balls, canister-ammo balls) size-&-weight charts. Therefore, it is definitely not an Artillery ball of any kind.

You can read those Historical Artillery Balls precise diameter-&-weight charts for yourself, here, for free:
Cannon bore, shot, and shell diameters for smoothbore guns

Sidenote:
Its weight is "close" to what was called an 8-Pounder caliber Solid Shot. But the "8-Pounder" in that title refers to the French livre/pons-de-Paris, which is not the same as British/American pound-weight. Eight French "pounds" weighed a little bit less than 9 British/US pounds. A French 8-Pounder Solid-Shot cannonball's diameter was about 4.03-inches. Your ball's diameter of 3.88" excludes it from being an 8-Pounder.

 

[bong003]

@TheCannonballGuy

Thank you for your response. I was doing quite a bit of research before I posted here and was hoping that you would be the one answering.

I did come across the French 8-pounder during my research and did see that it was 8 "French pounds" or about 8lbs, 10 oz by today's standards.

The "cannonball" in question was encased in a lot of rust and debris. I was very careful in removing it (it would flake off with some force). The rest was done with electrolysis. How must does rust change the diameter/weight of a cannonball over time? 12 oz seems like a lot to lose to corrosion...And so equally from all around the cannonball in order for it to keep it's spherical shape?

 

[desertexplorer]

It is possibly a mill ball. Westchester County (where Dobbs Ferry is located) was known for a lot of mining operations... silver, copper, lead, gold, iron and even uranium just to name a few.

 

[desertexplorer]

Just came across this web site showing the location of mines in Westchester County. Looks like there's a processing mining operation located in Dobbs Ferry.

https://thediggings.com/usa/new-york/westchester-ny119

I'm not saying your find isn't a cannonball, just opening up other possibilities.

 

[bong003]

Wow! That’s really interesting! It’s a little disappointing that this might not be a cannonball, but what you provided is a very logical explanation. The wife and I were brainstorming non stop trying figure out what this was if it wasn’t a cannonball.

I’m going to email the company there in Dobbs Ferry come Monday (probably sounding like a crazy person) to ask about their ball mill history and what sizes they used.