The types of rounds fired out of the 6-pound field gun were solid shot,
spherical case, and canister. All three rounds were fixed ammunition.
This means that the ball and black powder charge, a flannel bag filled
with powder, were connected with metal straps.
Solid
Shot is what is classically known as a cannonball. The weight
of the solid shot that a gun would fire determined whether a cannon
was a 6-pounder, 12- pounder, etc. Solid shot did serve as an antipersonnel
weapon, but its main purpose was to batter down walls, buildings, and
other fortifications.
Spherical
Case, or Case Shot was the same size as the solid shot. The
one major difference was it was hollow in the middle. Inside the hollow
case or round was black powder filled with iron balls. Initially, when
the powder bag was ignited, the fire would encircle the round inside
the cannon tube, igniting a paper fuse that was inserted into a wooden
plug at the top of the round. As the ball traveled down range, the fuse
would burn until it reached the inside of the round and the black powder
would be ignited. The case would burst in the air and above the enemy
causing fragments of iron and balls to reign down upon the unlucky foe.
Canister
was also an antipersonnel weapon. The size of a large orange juice can,
it was packed with layer upon layer of 1 inch diameter iron balls and
sawdust. When fired, it was basically a gigantic shot gun shell as the
powder charge disintegrated the can and it would mow down anyone by
spraying out iron balls 400 yards down range within a width of 25 yards
as it was being propelled out of the tube.
The information for this section was written by staff
at Fort Scott NHS.
