Ridgeway Civil War Research Center,
A virtual examination of artifacts of the American Civil War
Civil War Artillery

by Harry Ridgeway



Research Center: Artillery2522-Canister
Rifled artillery projectile, Hotchkiss design, Federal manufacture, canister, pattern with thin iron can, iron top, lead balls, lead cup sabot, Ordnance rifle, 3 in.
The canister was the artillerist's weapon of last resort. Once the enemy got close to the battery, the gunners would load these rounds, and the flimsy can would burst on firing sending the contents in scatter fashion against the troops charging the cannon. The fire was devastating against the troops but the enemy would be so close that options to reload and shoot would have been limited. The can was constructed of sheet iron shaped into a cylinder, sides are brazed, bottom of the can, also made of sheet, was recessed leaving a lip that was crimped around the sabot. The sabot is cast lead, inscription is also cast with raised letters, "HOTCHKISS 3 in., JAN,Y 7, 1862 " PATENT". The can was filled with balls, usually lead, packed in sawdust, once filled, the can upper lip was then folded around the top plate. Projectile measures: diameter 2.9in., length 8.0in. (excluding fuze), weight 7.1lbs.
Research Center: Artillery2522-Canister, Ref: Dickey & George, Field Artillery (1993 Edition), pg. 60.

Details click: http://relicman.com/artillery/Artillery2522-Canister.html.


A0022...Rifled artillery projectile, Hotchkiss design, Federal manufacture, canister, pattern with thin iron can, iron top, lead balls, lead cup sabot, Ordnance rifle, 3 in.

The canister was the artillerist's weapon of last resort. Once the enemy got close to the battery, the gunners would load these rounds, and the flimsy can would burst on firing sending the contents in scatter fashion against the troops charging the cannon. The fire was devastating against the troops but the enemy would be so close that options to reload and shoot would have been limited. The can was constructed of sheet iron shaped into a cylinder, sides are brazed, bottom of the can, also made of sheet, was recessed leaving a lip that was crimped around the sabot. The sabot is cast lead, inscription is also cast with raised letters, "HOTCHKISS 3 in., JAN,Y 7, 1862 " PATENT". The can was filled with balls, usually lead, packed in sawdust, once filled, the can upper lip was then folded around the top plate. Projectile measures: diameter 2.9in., length 8.0in. (excluding fuze), weight 7.1lbs. Nondug canister, fully intact. Projectile is disarmed, contents are packed in sawdust, there never was an explosive charge. Recovered: surplus stocks.
Ref: Dickey & George, Field Artillery (1993 Edition), pg. 60.
Ridgeway collection, Old Court House Civil War Museum, Winchester, Virginia

A0265...Rifled artillery projectile, Hotchkiss design, Federal manufacture, canister, pattern with thin iron can, iron top, lead balls, lead cup sabot, Ordnance rifle, 3 in.
The canister was the artillerist's weapon of last resort. Once the enemy got close to the battery, the gunners would load these rounds, and the flimsy can would burst on firing sending the contents in scatter fashion against the troops charging the cannon. The fire was devastating against the troops but the enemy would be so close that options to reload and shoot would have been limited. The can was constructed of sheet iron shaped into a cylinder, sides are brazed, bottom of the can, also made of sheet, was recessed leaving a lip that was crimped around the sabot. The sabot is cast lead, inscription is also cast with raised letters, "HOTCHKISS 3 in., JAN,Y 7, 1862 " PATENT". The can was filled with balls, usually lead, packed in sawdust, once filled, the can upper lip was then folded around the top plate. Projectile measures: diameter 2.9in., length 8.0in. (excluding fuze), weight 7.1lbs. Nondug canister, fully intact. Projectile is disarmed, contents are packed in sawdust, there never was an explosive charge. Recovered: surplus stocks.
Ref: Dickey & George, Field Artillery (1993 Edition), pg. 60.

A1042...Rifled artillery projectile, Hotchkiss design, Federal manufacture, canister, pattern with thin iron can, iron top, lead balls, lead cup sabot, Ordnance rifle, 3 in.
The canister was the artillerist's weapon of last resort. Once the enemy got close to the battery, the gunners would load these rounds, and the flimsy can would burst on firing sending the contents in scatter fashion against the troops charging the cannon. The fire was devastating against the troops but the enemy would be so close that options to reload and shoot would have been limited. The can was constructed of sheet iron shaped into a cylinder, sides are brazed, bottom of the can, also made of sheet, was recessed leaving a lip that was crimped around the sabot. The sabot is cast lead, inscription is also cast with raised letters, "HOTCHKISS 3 in., JAN,Y 7, 1862 " PATENT". The can was filled with balls, usually lead, packed in sawdust, once filled, the can upper lip was then folded around the top plate. Projectile measures: diameter 2.9in., length 8.0in. (excluding fuze), weight 7.1lbs. Projectile measures: diameter 2.9in., length 8.0in. (excluding fuze), weight 7.1lbs. Nondug canister, some rust, this was apparently stored in a barn. Projectile is disarmed, contents are packed in sawdust, there never was an explosive charge. Recovered: surplus stocks.
Ref: Dickey & George, Field Artillery (1993 Edition), pg. 60.

Rifled artillery projectile, Hotchkiss design, canister, 3 in., fragments.
A0195.. Rifled artillery projectile, Hotchkiss design, canister, 3 in., base fragment from Hotchkiss canister.
Two lead sabots from fired rounds, showing the expected distortions, fragment of the bottom of the can remain. Note that the bottom of the can is sheet iron and not iron plate. Recovered: Battle Cedar Creek, Virginia by Harry Ridgeway.
Ridgeway collection, Old Court House Civil War Museum, Winchester, Virginia

A0196...Rifled artillery projectile, canister, 3 in., canister plates
Plates were positioned top and bottom of the canisters, the can was crimped around the plates. Thin plates generally were top, thick plates bottom. However Hotchkiss and Dyer canister did not use bottom plates, so the thick bottom plates were probably used in canister with wood sabots. Recovered: Battle of Cedar Creek, Virginia, by Harry Ridgeway.
Ridgeway collection, Old Court House Civil War Museum, Winchester, Virginia


This is the "Ridgeway Civil War Research Center", a research tool for educational purposes only, and is provided at no cost to the reader. Some of the relics listed are retained in the author's collection, most reside in other collections and are not owned by the author. None of the items listed in this section are for sale, please refer to relicman.com sales listings for items offered for sale. This is a work in progress, I list items as I get to them, there are many patterns that are not listed yet, this list will be regularly updated as I get pictures and descriptions for more items. I will also correct mistakes, so if you see any please tell me. All items listed are believed to be authentic to the Civil War or as otherwise described. This information is available for research purposes, pictures may be used by permission only.
All excavated artifacts have been recovered from private property with owner's permission.
All projectiles listed have been disarmed.

Most information on this page is from:
Field Artillery Projectiles of the American Civil War, 1993 Edition. by Thomas S. Dickey and Peter C. George.
Civil War Heavy Explosive Ordnance, A Guide to Large Artillery Prjectiles, Torpedoes, and Mines, by Jack Bell.
Artillery Fuses of the Civil War, by Charles H. Jones.
Pictures are by the author, unless otherwise indicated.


Ridgeway Civil War Research Center,
A virtual examination of artifacts of the American Civil War.
Artillery
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