OT-Virginia Man Killed In Civil War Cannonball Blast

Mich Hunter · Post by **Mich Hunter** » Sat May 03, 2008 12:45 am

Be carefull of what you collect fella's.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,353998,00.html

Jaguarundi · Post by **Jaguarundi** » Sat May 03, 2008 2:26 am

I would be very leery digging up a "cannon ball" as some spheroid castIron landmines were fielded during the civil war.

El Chivo · Post by **El Chivo** » Sat May 03, 2008 3:00 am

Now they'll have to revise the casualty total for the Civil War.

Post by **Ysabel Kid** » Sat May 03, 2008 6:27 am

Ram Hammer · Post by **Ram Hammer** » Sat May 03, 2008 6:53 am

A friend of mine once did some work at a decommissioned munitions facility. He brought back a hand grenade fuse because he thought I might want one

I politely turned him down and explained that explosives were made to go BOOM

On another note. My brother who is in Explosive Ordinance Disposal in the Marines, has given me tours of his shop wherever he might be stationed. There you can see the largest collections of military ordinance professionally rendered inert and put on display, often in cut away form. Way Cool!

gamekeeper · Post by **gamekeeper** » Sat May 03, 2008 7:21 am

I once had the job of unloading some matchlock muskets from India. Probably been loaded for more than 100 years.
Most of the powder came out a brown color and would not ignite but some came out black and very lively!

MikeNV · Post by **MikeNV** » Sat May 03, 2008 10:27 am

While stationed at Camp Lejuene NC I vividly remember being told that old civil war cannon balls wash up all the time on the river banks and beaches..especially after storms. DON'T TOUCH THEM....if the black powder on the inside is dry or has dried they are still very deadly...call EOD. I guess this story just confirms what I was told 26 yrs ago

WCF3030 · Post by **WCF3030** » Sat May 03, 2008 10:53 am

I bet that fella was a hell of a guy to know.
But given all his experice (which worked against him) way would someone take a grinder to a bomb, "defused" or not.
Not bright at all.

salvo · Post by **salvo** » Sat May 03, 2008 11:13 am

Thats a sad story, sounds like the guy new what he was doing too.
I would enjoy relic hunting civil war stuff. No battle fields out here in the West. I have found a few relics of the West while hunting and hiking though.

Here are a few rendered inert Japanese grenades/morter from WW2

Post by **Hobie** » Sat May 03, 2008 3:36 pm

Those "knee" mortars are interesting pieces.

Once upon a time you used to see many old shells resting right beside the fireplaces...

airedaleman · Post by **airedaleman** » Sat May 03, 2008 9:06 pm

I left a Model 1916 37mm AP shell tucked up into the floor joist spreaders in the "dirt cellar" part of the old house in Massachusetts. I often wonder if the new owner, a single fellow of delicate sensibilities, ever found it.