Also known as: bomb, mortar bomb.
| Class | Explosive shell |
|---|---|
| Weapon | Mortar |
| Trajectory | High-angle |
| Typical form | Spherical in 18th- and 19th-century service |
Service form
Mortars fired shells on steep trajectories against fortifications, troops, and targets behind cover. Service manuals specify shell dimensions, charges, fuzes, packing, and handling procedures by mortar caliber.
Sources & further reading
- United States Army, Ordnance Department. The Ordnance Manual for the Use of the Officers of the United States Army. 2nd ed. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott, 1862.
- Gibbon, John. The Artillerist's Manual, Compiled from Various Sources and Adapted to the Service of the United States. New York: D. Van Nostrand, 1860.
- Gillmore, Quincy A. Official Report to the United States Engineer Department, of the Siege and Reduction of Fort Pulaski, Georgia, February, March, and April, 1862. New York: D. Van Nostrand, 1862.
- Hackley, Frank W. Civil War Explosive Ordnance. Revised November 10, 1960. U.S. Naval School, Explosive Ordnance Disposal.