A European Informational Website
learn more
Grapeshot is a type of anti-personnel ammunition used in cannons. Instead of solid shot, a mass of loosely packed metal slugs is loaded into a canvas bag. Grapeshot can also be improvised from chainlinks, shards of glass, rocks, etc. The balls assembled resemble a cluster of grapes (hence the name). On firing, the balls spread out from the muzzle at high velocity, giving an effect similar to a shotgun but scaled up to cannon size. Upon impact with a person, debris could go flying and become secondary projectiles. This effect was especially devastating against densely massed troops, where high-velocity bone fragments could greatly magnify the number of casualties.