What is the difference between grapeshot and canister?
Here is a list of the various ammunitions used in the war. The main division is between shot (did not carry its own explosive charge) and shell (carried an explosive charge). For shot: 1. solid shot– the standard cannon ball (or bullet shape in the in case of a rifled gun) 2. canister– smaller shot placed in a sheet iron cylinder. The cylinder disintegrated when the gun was fired. 3. grape– smaller shot layered between iron plates and held together by a central bolt. Presumably the bolt broke when the gun fired allowing the shot to scatter. Examples of grape shot can be seen in [2] pp. 76, 76, and 191. 4. quilted grapeshot– small shot covered in canvass and tied up with rope which a gave it a quilted look. An example of quilted shot can be seen in [2], p. 177. 5. chain shot– two shot joined by a chain. Used to destroy rigging of sailing ships. 6. bar shot– two shot joined by a solid bar (like a dumbbell). Used to destroy rigging to sailing ships. 7. red hot shot– shot heated bef
