Also known as: grape shot, stand of grape.
In the Half Shell Book: This subject is treated in Civil War Artillery Projectiles: The Half Shell Book, pp. 52-60.
| Class | Antipersonnel and antimateriel projectile |
|---|---|
| Construction | A stand of iron balls between plates and a central bolt, or a quilted assembly |
| Comparison | Fewer, larger balls than canister |
| Wartime use | Chiefly naval and heavy-gun service |
Form and use
Grapeshot grouped several iron balls, larger and fewer than the load in a canister, into a single stand. The common patterns held the balls in tiers between iron plates on a central bolt, or bound them in a quilted cloth cover, so the assembly held together in the bore and broke apart in flight.
By the time of the Civil War, field batteries relied on canister for close defense, and grapeshot was largely confined to naval guns and heavier ordnance. Surviving stands and individual grape balls are distinguished from canister by their larger diameter and the remains of the stand hardware.
On this site
Sources & further reading
- Melton, Jack W., Jr. Civil War Artillery Projectiles: The Half Shell Book. Blue Ridge, GA: Historical Publications LLC, 2018.
- United States Army, Ordnance Department. The Ordnance Manual for the Use of the Officers of the United States Army. 2nd ed. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott, 1862.
- Gibbon, John. The Artillerist's Manual. New York: D. Van Nostrand, 1860.