Offered here is a very nice half of an excavated cannon ball; sectioned to show the contents.  This is an iron, 12-pounder case shot shell that was intended to be fired from the smoothbore “Napoleon” style cannon.

Lead shot in yellow sulfur matrix visible. This shell used a Bormann time fuse, which is missing. Visible are Williams, type III bullets used as case shot in place of the regulation round shot. In 1864, the Williams bullets were found to be unsatisfactory and all stores of such ammunition was ordered broken up to reuse the components. In this case, the lead bullets were recycled for use as case shot. Center of shell matrix shows cylindrical cavity where a bursting charge was placed.  [jet]

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