Canister Shot

I got to thinking about the effects of canister shot on the troops....both the side that was being shot at as well as the side that was doing the shooting. There had to be some sort of psychological effect on the men.

Before I get into that, I should explain what canister shot is: its a cylindrical tin can (picture a coffee can) filled with 27 cast iron balls (around the size of a golf ball) and packed with saw dust. When this is shot out of a cannon, the tin can would disintegrate and the balls would spread out like a shotgun blast. This was usually used when the troops were within 100 yards of the guns. This is basically an antipersonnel weapon.

So here are some things that I found in the Official Records about canister shot. Because these are from the O.R.'s it doesn't contain the emotions that a letter or diary would contain but it does show a bit of what was happening and what the men were feeling when being shot at or shooting with these shots.

Capt. James A. Hall.....2nd Maine Battery
"...I ordered the right and center sections to open upon this column with canister, and kept the left firing upon the enemy's artillery. This canister fire was very effective, and broke the charge of the enemy...." O.R. XXVII, Pt. 1, Pg. 359-60

Brig. Gen. J. B. Kershaw.....McLaw's Division
"...The numerous fences in the way, the stone building and barn [Rose Farm], and the morass, and a raking fire of grape and canister, rendered it difficult to retain the line in good order...." O.R. XXVII, Pt. 2, Pg. 368

Capt. James E. Smith.....4th NY Battery
"...Then I used canister with little effect, owing to numerous large rocks, which afforded excellent protection to their sharpshooters..." O.R. XXVII, Pt. 1, Pg. 588-9

Brig. Gen. J.B. Robertson......Hood's Division
"...As we aadvanced through this field for half a mile we were exposed to a heavy and destructive fire of canister, grape, and shell...." O.R. XXVII, Pt 2, Pg.404-5

Col. Edward L. Bailey.....2nd NH Infantry
"...experiencing a terrific fire of spherical case and canister from batteries in my front and on my right...." O.R. XXVII, Pt. 1, Pg. 573-4

Brig. Gen. Cadmus M. Wilcox.....Wilcox' Brigade
"...from the batteries on the ridge [Cemetery], ....grape and canister were poured into our ranks..." O.R. XXVII, Pt. 2, Pg. 618

Col. David Lang....8th FL
"...I moved forward, being met at the crest of the first hill with a murderous fire of grape, canister, and musketry...." O.R. XXVII, Pt.2, Pg. 631-2

Brig. Gen. A. R. Wright.....Wright's Brigade
"...the enemy rushed to this abandoned guns as soon as we began to retire, and poured a severe fire of grape and canister into our thinned ranks as we retired slowly down the slope into the valley below...." O.R. XXVII, Pt. 2, Pg. 623-4

Lieut. Freeman McGilvery......1st Maine Light Artillery
"...I ordered canister to be used on the low bushes in front, which compelled them to retire...." O.R. XXVII, Pt. 1, Pg. 882-3

Lieut. Edwin B. Dow.....6th Maine Battery
"....I soon discovered a battle line of the enemy coming through and take possession of the road to Taneytown, directly in my rear. I immediately opened upon them with spherical case and canister, and assisted by a section of Captain Phillips' (5th MA) battery, drove them back into the woods...." O.R. XXVII, Pt 1, Pg. 897

Brig. Gen. Harry T. Hays.....Hays' Brigade
"...Here we came upon a considerable body of the enemy, and a brisk musketry fire ensued; at the same time his artillery, of which we were now within canister range, opened upon us, but owing to the darkness of the evening, now verging into night, and the deep obscurity afforded by the smoke of the firing, our exact locality could not be discovered by the enemy's gunners, and we thus excaped. Wat in the full light of day could have been nothing else than horrible slaughter." O.R. XXVII, Pt. 2 Pg. 480

Col. Charles S. Wainwright....I Corps Artillery Brigade
"...As their line became fully unmasked, all the guns which could be brought to bear were opened on them, at first with shrapnel and afterward with canister...." O.R. XXVII, Pt. 1, Pg. 358

Brig. Gen. Henry J. Hunt.....Chief of Artillery, AoP
"...The batteries of the Second Corps on our right, having nearly exhausted their supply of ammunition, except canister, were compelled to withhold their fire until the enemy, who approached in three lines, came within its range. When our canister fire and musketry were opened upon them, it occasioned disorder, but still they advanced gallantly until they reached the stone wall behind which our troops lay..." O.R. XXVII, Pt. 2, Pg. 238-9

Maj. Gen. W.S. Hancock.....2nd Corps Commander, AoP
"...mowed down by canister from Woodruff's battery, and by the fire from 2 regiments judiously posted by General Hays in his extreme front and right and by the fire of different lines in the rear, the enemy broke in great disorder, leaving 15 colors and nearly 2,000 in the hands of this division...." O.R. XXVII, Pt. 1, Pg. 373-4

Maj. Charles S. Peyton....19th VA
"....from the point it had first routed the enemy, the brigade moved rapidly forward toward the stone wall, under a galling fire from both artillery and infantry, the artillery using grape and canister." O.R. XXVII, Pt. 2, Pg. 385-6