green beanie | 24 Jan 2021 6:40 a.m. PST |
I know the coastal forts had ovens to heat up Hot Shot cannon balls to burn wooden ships hulls & decks. I always wondered how the gun tubes did not explode when the hot cannon ball went into the gun tube and hit the powder? |
14Bore | 24 Jan 2021 6:52 a.m. PST |
One of the other fairly current threads this was discussed, and though Patrick O'Brian used it many seemed to think it was impossible at sea. As long as a sabot was between powder and hot shot should be ok for a short time. |
Artilleryman | 24 Jan 2021 7:52 a.m. PST |
There was a 'wet wad' followed by a 'dry wad' which acted as barriers between the heated cannonball and the powder. The trick was to fire the shot before it burned through to the powder. It was not tried much at sea because of the danger of a dropped ball on a rolling ship contacting loose powder or dry, tarred timber with catastrophic results. Anecdotally the French tried it in the 18th Century. It did not end well. |
Major Mike | 24 Jan 2021 7:52 a.m. PST |
If the heated cannon ball set off the charge, the gun would most likely fire while crew were in front of the muzzle. The chance of bursting the barrel is no different than having the heated ball loaded and then firing the cannon. |
79thPA | 24 Jan 2021 8:05 a.m. PST |
A wet wad was used. A hot shot might cause the cannon to fire prematurely, but nothing about it would make the cannon explode. The US purchased shot furnaces for all frigates, but the were never used in combat. The French seemed to have tried the idea, and then given up on it. Did the British use it at Trafalgar? |
advocate | 24 Jan 2021 3:03 p.m. PST |
I'd guess the danger wasn't in the final stages of loading the gun, but heating the shot in close proximity to powder, and transferring the shot to the gun in very confined and unstable circumstances. These problems may indeed have been overcome, but I rather doubt it could have been used regularly in battle. |
Dn Jackson | 24 Jan 2021 3:34 p.m. PST |
I've read that the CSS Virginia used hot shot on the first day of Hampton roads. That's the only time I can recall reading about it. |
Charles BTB | 25 Jan 2021 9:58 a.m. PST |
The Royal Navy burned Charlestown with hot shot during the battle of Bunker Hill. The ships were at anchor in the harbor so not underway. So it was possible but rockets seem to be the preferred method by the Napoleonic/War of 1812 time. |
Vincent the Librarian | 25 Jan 2021 8:42 p.m. PST |
I know that "hot shot" was used during the siege of Gibraltar by the British (to great effect) against the Spanish bombarding fleet. I agree it was too risky for ships at sea to do, that is why various navies tried exploding shells. |