A virtual examination of artifacts of the American Civil War
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Ridgeway Civil War Research Center, A virtual examination of artifacts of the American Civil War |
| Civil War Artillery | |
| by Harry Ridgeway |
| Smoothbore artillery projectile, spherical ball, 15 in. Research Center: Artillery2200-Ball15in,   Details click: http://relicman.com/artillery/Artillery2200-Ball15in.html. |
| Smoothbore artillery projectile, spherical ball, solid shot, Rodman smoothbore gun, 15 in. Projectile was manufactured in the Federal arsenals for the 15 inch Rodman, the heaviest of the smoothbores. This solid ball was mainly used as test round to stress test the heavy Rodman guns. Ball has two small holes on either side to be lifted with tongs for loading. Projectile measures: diameter 14.85in., weighs about 450 pounds. All have been recovered from West Point test range. Research Center: Artillery2211-Ball15in, Ref: Bell, Heavy Ordnance, pg. 83.  Details click: http://relicman.com/artillery/Artillery2211-Ball15in.html. |
| Smoothbore artillery projectile, spherical ball, bursting shell, thick walled, three Navy watercap time fuzes , Rodman smoothbore gun, 15 in. Projectile was manufactured in the Federal arsenals for the 15 inch Rodman , the heaviest of the smoothbores, and was used as the main gun on the monitor class of ironclads. There were several of them built, these ships with their ironclad protection would move close to the target delivering these heavy balls to degrade the dug in defending fortifications. Fuze employed was the Federal Navy watercap fuze, "ORD. D (anchor) / (date)", there were three of them each having different burn times, Jones pg. 10. Projectile measures: diameter 14.85in., weighs about 330 pounds. Research Center: Artillery2221-Ball15in, Ref: Bell, Heavy Ordnance, pg. 88.  Details click: http://relicman.com/artillery/Artillery2221-Ball15in.html. |
| Smoothbore artillery projectile, spherical ball, bursting shell, thick walled, single fuzed Navy watercap time fuze, Rodman smoothbore gun, 15 in. Projectile was manufactured in the Federal arsenals for the 15 inch Rodman, the heaviest of the smoothbores, and was used as the main gun on the monitor class of ironclads. There were several of them built, these ships with their ironclad protection would move close to the target delivering these heavy balls to degrade the dug in defending fortifications. Fuze employed was a single Federal Navy watercap fuze , "ORD. D (anchor) / (date) " , Jones pg. 10 . Projectile measures: diameter 14.85in., weighs about 330 pounds. Research Center: Artillery2222-Ball15in, Ref: Bell , Heavy Ordnance, pg. 87.  Details click: http://relicman.com/artillery/Artillery2222-Ball15in.html. |
| Smoothbore artillery projectile, spherical ball, bursting shell, thick walled, Army use, wood fuze, Rodman smoothbore gun, 15 in. Projectile was manufactured in the Federal arsenals for the 15 inch Rodman , the heaviest of the smoothbores, this was the army version intended to be used in land forts in defense of Washington and Fort Monroe but no credible Confederate attack ever threatened either of these forts. Fuze employed was a wood time fuze, Jones Fuzes pg. 2, fuze hole is smooth and tapered, the simple to make fuze could easily be hammered into place Projectile measures: diameter 14.85in., weighs about 330 pounds. Research Center: Artillery2231-Ball15in, Ref: Bell , Heavy Ordnance, pg. 85.  Details click: http://relicman.com/artillery/Artillery2231-Ball15in.html. |
| Smoothbore artillery projectile, spherical ball, bursting shell, thin walled "case shot", Army use, wood fuze, Rodman smoothbore gun, 15 in. Projectile was manufactured in the Federal arsenals for the 15 inch Rodman , the heaviest of the smoothbores, this was the army version intended to be used in land forts in defense of Washington and Fort Monroe but no credible Confederate attack ever threatened either of these forts. This version is thin walled, and was intended to be filled with case shot. Fuze employed was a wood time fuze, Jones Fuzes pg. 2, fuze hole is smooth and tapered, the simple to make fuze could easily be hammered into place Projectile measures: diameter 14.85in., weighs about 380 pounds, (empty of case shot). Research Center: Artillery2232-Ball15in, Ref: Bell , Heavy Ordnance, pg. 86.   Details click: http://relicman.com/artillery/Artillery2232-Ball15in.html. |
A0107...Smoothbore artillery projectile, spherical ball, Rodman smoothbore gun, 15 in., fragments.  Fragment 15 in. Ball, bombardment by the Monitors The 15 in. Rodman gun was installed as the main gun on the Federal Monitor class of ironclads. Using the protective covering, these ships would sail as close to the defending forts as possible, fire these heavy balls into the masonry or earthern defenses attempting to degrade degrade them, all the while that rifled projectiles would be firing overhead. The explosion of these biggest of the Civil War balls would have been spectacular. They were employed primarily against the North Carolina and South Carolina defenses in 1864 and 1865. 35 pound fragment with remains of a fuze hole Recovered: bombardment of Fort Fisher NC.Frag weighs 34lbs. |
A2803...Smoothbore artillery projectile, spherical ball, Rodman smoothbore gun, 15 in., fragments.  Fragment 15 in ball two fuze holes, 58lbs. |
A2804...Smoothbore artillery projectile, spherical ball, Rodman smoothbore gun, 15 in., fragments.  Fragment 15 in ball 30 lb. |
A2805...Smoothbore artillery projectile, spherical ball, Rodman smoothbore gun, 15 in., fragments.  Fragment 15 in ball, 17lbs. |
| Ridgeway Civil War Research Center, A virtual examination of artifacts of the American Civil War. Artillery Research center, artillery, click: http://relicman.com/artillery/Artillery0000-Index.html.     Research center, artillery, click: http://relicman.com/artillery/Artillery0000-Index.html. |
| Civil War Relicman, Harry Ridgeway, Civil War artillery, Relicman sales catalog. Click here: http://relicman.com/artillery/RelicmanSalesArtillery1.html.     Artillery for sale: http://relicman.com/artillery/RelicmanSalesArtillery1.html. |