12-pounder Howitzer Canister

Federal

Canister

DIAMETER: 4.42 inches
GUN: 12-pounder howitzer, 4.62 caliber
LENGTH: 8 3/4 inches
WEIGHT: 8 pounds 8 ounces
CONSTRUCTION: Canister
SABOT: Wooden cylinder
FUZING: None

12-pounder howitzer canister

This non-excavated canister was designed for use in the 12-pounder smoothbore howitzer. The canister's wooden cylinder was tapered to fit the howitzer's tapered powder chamber. It contains rows of iron balls packed in sawdust. The illustrated disassembled view is of this actual canister. The single wide groove in the wooden base was for the attachment of the cartridge bag. Standard canister are found with iron or lead balls stacked in tiers; the interstices are then filled with dry, sifted sawdust which is packed with a pointed stick so that the balls will hold by themselves. The wooden sabots found on field canisters usually have two grooves cut into them. The canister cylinder was commonly made of tin, which was dipped into a lacquer of beeswax dissolved in spirits of turpentine, to prevent rusting while in field service.