Cannon balls in Charleston ?

[Digger]

Seems the storm has uncovered some interesting items ...
link:
http://www.live5news.com/story/33350502/bomb-squad-called-in-after-civil-war-cannon-balls-found-on-folly-beach

[Boaz]

Interesting ! Thanks for posting .

[funnyjim014]

Very cool. Our old junk from times past seems to pop up all the time. Hope they deem them safe and put them on display for everyone to enjoy

[richhodg66]

I grew up near there and went to school there for four years. I don't really care for the place, but it is a historically fascinating place, all kinds of things have happened there over the years. I really want to get back soon and see the Hunley.

[jonp]

I"m glad that story has it right. One I read today called them "bombs" with the same picture

[Plate plinker]

The piece I read it seems the Bomb Squad was planning to blast'm.

[thegatman]

Another piece of history up in smoke.

[speeddy]

Im about 2 hrs from Folly Beach the cap will be gone rusted away there want be any powder in them i across river from Augusta Ga in Augusta they use to be a cannon ball factory the Savannha River is loaded with them if you know where to hunt I scuba dive .

[Chili]

Nice to see the guys in my unit get some press. Per usual, they did an amazing job.

[Ballistics in Scotland]

That looks like the kind of beach which would shift and change its nature, and the disposition in two groups suggests a load jettisoned from a beached or sinking boat. They may have been some that sank into the sand and were overlooked as the others were salvaged.

As to danger, there couldn't be much, but it isn't entirely to be excluded. It isn't unknown for usable powder to be found in excavated Civil War shells. The fuse would probably be a tapered wooden plug, and it is possible that a waxed or greased bung was used in transit to warships. That probably wouldn't preserve powder you wanted preserved, but it once in a while might if you didn't. Then there were such goodies as Short's Solidified Greek Fire, and I don't think anybody knows what is in that, even if deteriorated. I know Levi Short proposed the addition of some unspecified noxious ingredient, though I don't know if they let him do it.