To: Sender
Frequently a cloth or fiber fuse that screwed into the hollow ball like a plug. Ignited by firing the gun. Could be cut to time the detonation to occur in the air over enemy troops.
BTW, the article mentions "rusty bullets"- Not possible.
7 posted on
05/02/2008 8:50:03 PM PDT by
AndrewB
To: AndrewB
15 posted on
05/02/2008 8:58:20 PM PDT by
fishhound
(Boycott the Olympics in China.)
To: AndrewB; Sender
Frequently a cloth or fiber fuse that screwed into the hollow ball like a plug. Ignited by firing the gun. Could be cut to time the detonation to occur in the air over enemy troops.Hence the "Star Spangled Banner" lyrics: "And the rockets' red glare; the bombs bursting in air"...
To: AndrewB
“BTW, the article mentions “rusty bullets”- Not possible.”
It depends on the metal used to form the “bullets” or “cannon balls”. Lead bullets - no. Cast iron cannon balls - definitely yes.
31 posted on
05/02/2008 9:28:18 PM PDT by
Buffalo Head
(Illigitimi non carborundum)
To: AndrewB; wastedyears; fishhound; tarheelswamprat
If it were a cloth or fiber fuse, it’s amazing that the powder inside was still dry after all these years. Maybe it was set for 140 year airburst? Yankee detector? Rebel proximity fuze? Trailerbuster?
52 posted on
05/03/2008 3:28:02 AM PDT by
Sender
("Why is it that I can't just eat my waffle?" - Barack Hussein Obama)
To: AndrewB
BTW, the article mentions "rusty bullets"- Not possible.
I saw that. Who knew that lead rusted in Virginia?
66 posted on
05/03/2008 8:41:28 PM PDT by
Antoninus
(Just a typical white guy.)
To: AndrewB
Some of the 30-40 Krag rounds were steel jacketed with a lead core. The only rusty bullets I know of...but they were well after the War Between the States.
The Krag Rifle (scroll down to the ammo section)
69 posted on
05/05/2008 11:07:32 AM PDT by
Smokin' Joe
(How often God must weep at humans' folly.)
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