• hector@lemmy.today
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    2
    ·
    3 days ago

    I’m pretty sure they fired chain shot from single barreled cannon. On ships, they have two cannonballs connected with a chain and they powder the barrel and load them both in the barrel, then when they fire it the balls spread out and it takes down rigging and masts on ships.

      • hector@lemmy.today
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        3
        ·
        3 days ago

        I never even knew about it thanks for the link will have to check it out. Seems if you didn’t fire at exactly the same time the gunner crew would get wasted, which was not uncommon back then in any case. Being a cannon gunner was not a great job. Early exploding shot was really dangerous too.

        • MeThisGuy@feddit.nl
          link
          fedilink
          arrow-up
          4
          ·
          3 days ago

          i would have been a great cannon gunner, as I’m not a stranger to early exploding shot meself.