In the movies, cannon balls explode on contact with the man o war in a burst of flame. In reality, cannon balls are brought up intact from the sea bed. What was their real effect?
2007-11-05 13:35:23 · 6 answers · asked by Harriet 5 in Arts & Humanities ➔ History
The size of gun on the line of battle ships was up to 24 pounder, firing heavy iron balls or chain and link shot designed to wreck rigging. Trafalgar was a close fleet action. Ships manoeuvred up to the enemy and delivered broadsides at a range of a few yards. To take full advantage of the close range guns were “double shotted” with grape shot on top of ball. It is said that the crews in some French ships were unable to face this appalling ordeal, closing their gun ports and attempting to escape the fire.
Ships manoeuvred to deliver broadsides in the most destructive manner, the greatest effect being achieved by firing into an enemy’s stern, so that the shot travelled the length of the ship wreaking havoc and destruction and possibly dismasting the ship. The first broadside, loaded before action began, was always the most effective.
Collingwood’s Royal Sovereign fired its first broadside at Trafalgar into the rear of the Spanish ship Santa Anna causing massive damage.
Ships carried a variety of smaller weapons on the top deck and in the rigging, from swivel guns firing grape shot or canister (bags of musket balls) to hand held muskets and pistols. With these weapons each crew sought to annihilate the enemy officers and sailors on deck.
Wounds in Eighteenth Century naval fighting were often terrible. Cannon balls ripped off limbs or, striking wooden decks and bulwarks, drove splinter fragments across the ship causing great injury. Falling masts and rigging inflicted crush injuries. Sailors stationed aloft fell into the sea from collapsing masts and rigging and were drowned. Heavy losses were caused when a ship finally succumbed and sank or blew up.
The ultimate aim in battle was to lock ships together and capture the enemy by boarding. Savage hand to hand fighting took place at Trafalgar on several ships. The crew of the French Redoubtable, living up to the name of their ship, boarded Victory but were annihilated in the brutal struggle on Victory’s top deck.
Canister:
Close-range, anti-personnel ammunition for artillery. Made up of a tin container filled with musket balls, canister was designed to break apart on leaving the cannon's muzzle.
Case-shot:
Similar artillery ammunition to canister.
Fixed Ammunition:
Artillery shell with wooden sabot still attached.
Grapeshot:
Another close-range artillery shot made of a bag filled with large metal balls.
Roundshot:
A solid metal cannonball of varying sizes and weights.
Shrapnel:
Fused explosive shell filled with musketballs and pieces of metal that would rain down on troops when it burst in the air.
2007-11-05 23:30:17 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Cannon balls would splinter the wood as they hit the ship. Often large jagged pieces of wood would kill and injure sailors. Cannon balls were not really intended to sink a ship most of the time. Just do enough damage to force a surrender. Cannon were often fired at the mast and sails to disable a ship and force it to give up.
2007-11-05 14:01:43 · answer #2 · answered by old-bald-one 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
They had different cannon balls for different things cannons were also packed with small shot which sprayed the deck ,chain shot to break masks , plain cannon balls to smash below decks to sink the ship , fire shot to set masks on fire exploding shot was not invented until most sailing ships were out of date
2007-11-05 19:59:01 · answer #3 · answered by ? 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If they are solid, they make holes in sides of ship, knock down masts and spars. If they are filled with powder, they explode ideally after hitting the enemy ship. If they are two chained together, they take down sails and masts. If they are filled with smaller projectiles (grape shot) they spread out and kill many people at once.
2007-11-05 13:40:14 · answer #4 · answered by Howard H 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Solid shot and canister shot were both used in naval battles in the 17th and 18th centuries. Solid shot will fly toward a target and knock a big hole in it. Canister shot will fly out and send bits of metal flying into the people nearby.
2007-11-05 13:42:11 · answer #5 · answered by william_byrnes2000 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
They were solid shot. They destroyed by breaking up the ship or sailors
2007-11-05 16:24:41 · answer #6 · answered by brainstorm 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋