03/06/2025
CS side loaded 12pdr case shots. Later in the War, the confederacy began using iron balls on case shot rather than the usual lead. The standard way of making case shot was to fill the case cavity with lead balls and pour in a sulphur matrix to hold them in place. The cavity for the bursting charge was then drilled through the fuse opening. With iron balls, this was very difficult. As a result the side loader method was used. A rod was inserted into the fuse hole then through the side loading port, the iron balls and Matrix were inserted. After it solidified the rod was pulled, leaving the bursting charge cavity. The side loading port was then closed. Three types of plug were used. Iron plug, brass plug, and lead plug. Here is an example of each the iron and brass plugs were constructed from the under plugs of bormann time fuses. The lead plug. Was simply molten lead melted into the port then filed as smooth. These examples were recovered at Petersburg, and Bermuda Hundred in Virginia.
