My First Cannon Ball at 1793 Battle Site!

[Full Metal Digger]

Hey Diggers,
I was looking at a German website for hiking trails in our area and stumbled across a reference to a French/Prussian battle in 1793. It's practically in the middle of nowhere and there is a hiking trail that goes across it. The website told hikers to be on the lookout for a large stone carved with the dates 1793/4. So off I went into the woods with my new dreams of finding tons of relics and buttons! I hiked forever to get there but stumbled across the carved rock by shear chance. I wanted to take a picture and realized to my horror I had left my camera in the car.

The battle site was a very pointed hilltop and you could see where the Prussians had created a "ring" fort of earth and stones around the crown of the hill (once again I would love to have taken a picture). I started swinging and was not getting any signals. Then I noticed large pieces of iron leaning against trees and on top of stumps. CRAP!

I changed my strategy and started swinging in hard to reach places. Bang, I got a nice looking blow hole button! Then a flat button. Then a couple musket balls. Then I got a very strange signal. It sounded like iron but the numbers were bouncing from iron up to foil! I dug down and at 8 inches found a cannon ball! (again no camera to record the wonderful moment) I put it in my pouch and it was so heavy I was walking at about a 10% angle! LOL.

I'm not sure what the valve looking thingy is. I'm not even sure it's from the battle. I welcome any ideas you may have.

Here's some pics. The cannon ball was quite rusty but I froze it overnight in the freezer and then just whacked it a couple time with a hammer and the rust just fell off. Thanks for looking and HH, Dave.

[Digger_O'Dell]

That's one "heavy" find! Lol, congrats on finding your first cannon ball! Great job on the cleaning, that's amazing! Wonder if that might work for that sword I found in Florida? Probably too fragile to risk it.
The valve thingy I think is the tap handle from a barrel (keg) tap.

[Tony Two-Cent]

After 20 hours in the freezer and whacked with a hammer!

Ooooh. Now I know what you meant by the "ball busting" comment you made in Bucknut's thread.

[del]

"Wacked it a couple of times with a hammer" glad it wasn't a fused ordinance ball as your days of "ball busting" would be over my friend !

Sounds like your having the time of your life there Dave , congrats on the cannon shot .

Dan

[Ill Digger]

20 hours in a freezer? Then wacked with a hammer? Where did you come up with that cleaning technique?
I guess I shouldn't laugh too hard. It looks like it worked pretty darn well! Nice cleaning job!

Congrats my man!

[Full Metal Digger]

Wonder if that might work for that sword I found in Florida?

Yah, I wouldn't try it!

Ooooh. Now I know what you meant by the "ball busting" comment you made in Bucknut's thread.

Sure, that's what I meant! LOL.

"Wacked it a couple of times with a hammer" glad it wasn't a fused ordinance ball as your days of "ball busting" would be over my friend !

That thought did cross my mind Del! It felt like a solid ball to me so I took a chance.

20 hours in a freezer? Then wacked with a hammer? Where did you come up with that cleaning technique?

Tim, first I soaked it in water for a bit so the rust was saturated. Then the water expands as it freezes and frost action shatters the rust away from the ball. A couple whacks with a hammer and the rust separates! One of the detectorists here told me about it.

[Bucknut]

Nice whack job!

[Lodge Scent]

Very cool find DD! Equally cool way to remove rust. I wonder if that method would work on crusty coppers ?

[Donnie B]

Amazing finds. Simply amazing.

[Digger Don]

I Love your confidence Dave, Not, I found a cannon ball today, but " My First Cannon Ball"
You know what? I bet you find several more while you're there!!

[aloldstuff]

Beautiful cannon ball. I think you have a lot of us over here wondering if that freezing method would work on some of our relics. Keep at it my friend...loving your posts.