Civil War shell detonated after being hauled away

Vicksburg Post ^ | 11-dec-2003 | Laura Hough

[stainlessbanner]

[12/11/03]An artillery shell from the Civil War, still dangerous after 140 years, was detonated in south Warren County Wednesday night after law enforcement and a military team hauled it from downtown Vicksburg.

"A lady asked me to identify the cannonball and tell her if it was loaded," said Joe Gerache, 77, and owner of Corner Drug Store.

Gerache has collected Civil War-era items, including medicines and weapons, since he was a teen. The drugstore is filled with his collectibles and he's well-known as an expert. "I told her I can't tell just by looking at it," Gerache said, "but I would call someone with more expertise."

Gerache put the shell in a box of pecans in his vehicle.

Meanwhile, the owner of the cannonball, who was not identified, called L.W. Callaway III, director of the Warren County Emergency Management Office, who in turn called federal ordnance experts.

The cannonball, apparently still filled with black powder so it would explode after being fired, was moved from Gerache's SUV parked on Washington Street after precautions were taken.

The street was blocked for nearly an hour before a convoy including Warren County sheriff's deputies, Vicksburg police officers, rescue and Army officials traveled to south Warren County.

The shell was remotely detonated on privately owned land.

A captain who would not give his name said if the shell had exploded during handling, shrapnel could injure and even kill those standing 100 feet away.

After the explosion, which generated little light with a loud boom, only pieces of the cannonball, bits of pecan shells and fragments of the cardboard box remained.

Callaway said it is not uncommon for the shells to be found in the Vicksburg and Warren County area.

Most are remnants of the Siege of Vicksburg in 1863 when Confederate and Union forces traded fire for months.

[stainlessbanner]

Warren County Sheriff Martin Pace, left, and Investigator Mike Traxler pick up the remains of the Civil War-era shell exploded Wednesday night.

[Prof Engineer]

ancestor ping

[Stewart_B]

Its amazing that the thing still worked after all these years. It must have been really well made....which means it must have been Rebel ordinance and not a Union piece of junk ! :)

[4CJ]

After the explosion, which generated little light with a loud boom, only pieces of the cannonball, bits of pecan shells and fragments of the cardboard box remained.

They blew up the pecans!!! What kind of people are they?? Oh, the humanity!!

[Texas Deer Hunter]

Damn Yankees.

[Mike Darancette]

Most are remnants of the Siege of Vicksburg in 1863 when Confederate and Union forces traded fire for months.

Vicksburg surrendered on July 4 and didn't celebrate another Independence day until 1941.

Some of my people came from the area and wouldn't vote Republican because of Abraham Lincoln.

[Stewart_B]

Sen Tom Dashel is reported to be deeply saddened by the destruction of the pecan's.

[Dubh_Ghlase]

I (SCUBA) dove on a civil war wreck of a munitions-carrying steamboat off the coast of NC/SC a few years back. On the 1st dive, a number of artifacts were brought up (I got a part of rifle with brass pieces!). One diver took a large coral-encrusted piece of brass to the captain and asked what it was. The captain calmly explained it was a live munitions shell and it was to be dropped over the side immediately.

He (The captain) had a number of stories of civil war munitions to show that they were still quite dangerous even after all these years. A submerged shell, after drying out, could be as devastating as when it was new.

In one story, a person kept a retrieved cannonball on his back porch as an ornament. They were grilling one day and put the grill near the shell. They happen to have to go inside for a minute, and a loud explosion signaled the end of their back porch.

They don't call them explosives for nothing!

[ChefKeith]

I just wonder how long before the people that "found" this get a visit from the patriot act thugs?

[KO5A]

I wish they were more clear, did the actual shell explode, or did they blow it upwith some other explosive, and its unknown the thing itself blew up ornot?

[NormsRevenge]

good thing the earthquake in that neck of the woods didn't detonate this and other remaining projectiles from the war.

[scan59]

I confused about the difference between a shell and a cannonball. I always thought things shot out of cannons were just solid metal.

[ArrogantBustard]

In the 1860s, a smoothbore cannon could fire several types of ordnance:
1) Shot: a solid, iron ball of bore diameter
2) Shell: a hollow, iron ball of bore diameter filled with black powder and fitted with a fuze. In most cases, the fuze was to be ignited by the act of firing.
3) Grape shot: numerous small (approx 1" diameter) iron balls stacked between two or more wooden disks of bore diameter and bound together with iron rods. The act of firing would shatter the wooden disks. Think "major league shotgun"
4) Cannister: similar concept to grape, but the balls contained in a thin metal can.
5) Bar Shot: Two iron balls of bore diameter, connected by a short iron rod. Used against a sailing ship's rigging.
6) Chain shot: Similar concept to bar shot, with a chain instead of a bar.
7) Red Hot Shot: Solid iron ball heated in a fire prior to loading; the idea here was to set wooden ships on fire. The shot was wadded with wet rags to prevent setting off the powdet charge when loading.

Rifled cannon employed both shot and shell, but in a pointed cylinder shape.

[RightWhale]

I wish they were more clear

It was definitely pecans.

[labard1]

It was a bit later, after WWII. The celebration was for a visit by General Eisenhower to Vicksburg (I believe it was in the 1946-8 range). The city fathers thought it would not be hospitable to ignore the 4th on Eisenhower's visit.