What is a charge of grape?

Asked by: Josh Evans

Why is it called grapeshot?

In artillery, a grapeshot is a type of ammunition that consists of a collection of smaller-caliber round shots packed tightly in a canvas bag and separated from the gunpowder charge by a metal wadding, rather than being a single solid projectile. When assembled, the shot resembled a cluster of grapes, hence the name.

What is civil war grapeshot?

grapeshot, cannon charge consisting of small round balls, usually of lead or iron, and used primarily as an antipersonnel weapon. Typically, the small iron balls were held in clusters of three by iron rings and combined in three tiers by cast-iron plates and a central connecting rod.

What is the definition of grapeshot?

Definition of grapeshot
: an antipersonnel weapon consisting of a cluster of small iron balls shot from a cannon.

How big is a grapeshot?

They are about 2 inches in diameter. Small iron (C) and lead (D) balls that are 1 to 1.5 inches in diameter came from the ship. They probably were used as grape or canister shot. Grape shot is a cluster of several small balls tied or wrapped with canvas in a bundle.

Who created grapeshot?

Invented by a British officer during the Napoleonic Wars, it is a fused explosive shell filled with many small balls or iron/lead bits. When the shell bursts the small bits scatter in a more or less spherical pattern with usually fatal force.

Was grapeshot used in the Revolutionary War?

In the Revolutionary War, they were used both on ships and on land as an anti-personnel weapon. Swivel guns typically fired grapeshot or other small caliber shot. While they were small caliber with a short range, they were most effective in facing an infantry attack or men attempting to forcibly board a ship at sea.

What is grape and canister shot?

Similar multi-projectile ammunition
Grapeshot was a geometric arrangement of round shot packed tightly into a canvas bag and separated from the gunpowder charge by a metal disk of full bore diameter. Grapeshot used fewer larger projectiles than were contained within canister or shrapnel shells.

What is in a cannonball?

Allegheny Arsenal continued producing four types of cannonballs: Solid iron balls (solid shot), clusters or cans of small iron or lead balls (known as case shot, grapeshot or canister), exploding iron balls filled with lead shrapnel (spherical case shot) and hollow iron exploding balls (shells).

How many balls are in a canister shot?

48 iron balls

For close-in work they were loaded with canister—a metal can the size of the cannon-bore and filled with 48 iron balls, each 1 1/8th inch in diameter. When fired, these guns were like huge shotguns, the iron balls flying off in a wide arc of death and destruction.

What caliber is a cannonball?

Explosive shells

Did cannonballs explode at Waterloo?

Like a giant shotgun shell, the canister would explode and fire out these iron balls in a devastating blast. These canister shot balls were dug up from the battlefield in the aftermath of Waterloo. Complete canister shots are very rare, because they were destroyed by being fired.