Revolutionary War buck and ball shots found in Granby dig
Through pit 154, we now have 36 balls (37 if you count the bitten lead piece in the above photo) found in 33 different pits. The following image shows you these 33 pits and how they are in a pretty straight line with the site of Friday's Ferry. The pit that is a little out-of-line (pit 40) had a ball that was about 40% flattened (it was fired and hit something).
Why is this significant?
On May 1, 1781: "South Carolina Patriot militia Lt. Col. Henry Hampton attacked the British detachment guarding Friday's Ferry. Hampton's men killed 13 of them. Hampton then attacked another small detachment on their way to Fort Granby. Another 5 were killed in this action and Hampton captured a number of horses and slaves."
Pit 17 - .27 Caliber Buck shot
Pit 20 - .36 Caliber Ball
Pit 20 - .18 Caliber Buck shot
Pit 21 - .18 Caliber Buck shot
Pit 25 - .27 Caliber Buck shot
Pit 40 - .27 Caliber Buck shot
Pit 48 - .27 Caliber Buck shot
Pit 52 - .27 Caliber Buck shot
Pit 53 - .60 Caliber Ball
Pit 56 - .27 Caliber Buck shot
Pit 56 - .20 Caliber Buck shot
Pit 58 - .27 Caliber Buck shot
Pit 61 - .39 Caliber Ball
Pit 65 - .27 Caliber Buck shot
Pit 70 - .18 Caliber Buck shot
Pit 71 - .31 Caliber Ball shot
Pit 74 - .25 Caliber Buck shot
Pit 76 - .26 Caliber Buck shot
Pit 85 - .19 Caliber Buck shot
Pit 87 - .27 Caliber Buck shot
Pit 88 - .27 Caliber Buck shot
Pit 105 - .20 Caliber Buck shot
Pit 110 - .40 Caliber Ball
Pit 112 - .28 Caliber Buck shot
Pit 113 - .19 Caliber Buck shot
Pit 120 - .25 Caliber Buck shot
Pit 120 - .25 Caliber Buck shot
Pit 123 - .27 Caliber Buck shot
Pit 130 - .18 Caliber Buck shot
Pit 134 - .25 Caliber Buck shot
Pit 140 - .20 Caliber Buck shot
Pit 141 - .26 Caliber Buck shot
Pit 143 - .31 Caliber Ball shot
Pit 146 - .32 Caliber Ball
Pit 149 - .25 Caliber Buck shot
Pit 154 - .38 Caliber Ball
Note: Ball sizes are determined by both diameter measurements and by weight where diameter size = 0.223304 x grams^(1/3)
Dring the period of Granby, British terms were used for the different shot sizes of balls. Below is a listing of the names and sizes:
