Do Civil War Cannonballs Explode?

Cannonballs were solid, round objects that would ricochet off the ground and often used to target fortifications and enemy artillery. ... Caisson carriages, which carried extra black powder, were also prone to explode if hit by an enemy shell, as one Confederate gunner who fought at Gettysburg attests.

Can Civil War cannon balls still explode?

Contrary to Hollywood films and popular lore, these cannonballs did not explode on contact. ... These shells and spherical case shot were designed to explode only when a flame reached the interior charge. Another widely held misconception is that black powder becomes unstable over time.

What causes a cannonball to explode?

The cannonballs and other artillery shells of this period were filled with a mixture of potassium nitrate, sulfur, and charcoal, commonly known as black powder. Black powder does not explode easily, and it needs a combination of friction and extremely high temperature – 572°F to cause it to detonate.