Special Artillery Projectiles | San Diego Shipwreck

This week’s #MaritimeMonday presents the special artillery projectiles including “chain shots” and “bar shots” from the San Diego shipwreck. A previous #MaritimeMonday post highlighted chain shots from the San Diego shipwreck: https://bit.ly/nmp_cshot01. 

Chain shots and bar shots are special artillery projectiles specifically designed to destroy ship riggings and masts to demobilize enemy ships. These projectiles are comprised mainly of two or more lead round shots, half-sphere, and/or hollowed half-sphere cannonballs attached by a short length of either metal chain or metal bar. The San Diego yielded various naval ordnances, artillery pieces, and ammunition including special artillery projectiles such as chain shots and bar shots. The chain shots from the previous #MaritimeMonday post were solid half-sphere cannonballs, while today’s chain shots are hollowed half-sphere shells. The shots were cast from lead with diameters ranging from 8.29 cm to 9.29 cm. The bar shots, on the other hand, were also cast from lead materials with diameters ranging from 6.29 cm to 9.29 cm. There were no actual metal chains or metal bars found at the site. However, the iron concretions on the cannonballs were indicative of the corroded materials that were used to connect the shots. 

There are no explicit comparisons in terms of effective range and impact between the round, half-sphere, and or hollowed half-sphere chain shots. Interestingly, chain shots were thought to be originally designed for two cannons to be fired simultaneously. In 1862, a bizarre cannon was invented by John Gilleland of Athens, Georgia, in the USA. The cannon was forged with two barrels, each with its own touch hole, that was later deemed ineffective. Firing a solid ball chain shot from a common single-barreled cannon would be similar to firing a “double shot” which is comprised of two round shots loaded and fired in one gun. This, also, has been proven ineffective, as double-shooting would lower the gun’s effective range and accuracy. The half-sphere chain shots, on the other hand, can be loaded similar to a single solid round shot, thereby resolving the gun’s accuracy and effectiveness. Lastly, the hollowed chain shots might have been the most refined version, as they can be fired as a single shot, as well as an incendiary grenade. The space created between the two hollowed spheres could be added with explosives or keep the chain from being a drag.  

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Poster and text by the NMP Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage Division

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