Colonial or earlier cannon ball

Curious The George

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I found this cannon ball at the site of an old abandoned town here in North Carolina. The town was a county seat until the very early 1800's. The court house moved on and the down died.

It was about 16" down in the ground. I scaled the loose rust off, coated it with Naval Jelly and a spray coating of clear matt acrylic varnish.

It measures 2" across and weighs 18.5 oz. Roughly the size of a 1 lb. cannon ball. It could have been slightly larger in diameter and slightly heavier and the size and weight reduced by corrosion and rust.

It was examined a few days ago by NC's leading authority on the Revolutionary War in our state. His conclusion is that it looks to be a ball that would fit a swivel cannon. General Cornwallace used them during the Revolution and Lord Tryon also had swivel cannon used at the Battle of Alamance prior to the Revolution. Tryon paraded about the country side both before and after the battle. He ruled out it being a large case shot ball from the Civil War.
 

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:hello2: So few good iron hits, but you've sure found of of the best ones. Great job, excellent story too.
 
Gotta love the Early Artillery :thumbsup: Nice dig!!!
 
My new favorite iron find!!!
 
Looks like you had a ball! ::) Thats a way cool find. Good luck on your next dig. :headbang:
 
very inventive stand.
 
HCW said:
very inventive stand.
That is the stand I made in order to spray the acrylic varnish on it and not have a flat spot in one place and to not handle it to get to all sides.

There will be a display stand made as soon as the weather gets warm enough to get into my shop and work.
 
Curious The George said:
HCW said:
very inventive stand.
That is the stand I made in order to spray the acrylic varnish on it and not have a flat spot in one place and to not handle it to get to all sides.

There will be a display stand made as soon as the weather gets warm enough to get into my shop and work.

Great find there, alway nice seeing those suckers come out...nice idea on the stand to spray it... thanks
 

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