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 Hot Shot Furnace - Fort Pulaski NM - Savannah, GA Posted by:  Lat34North
N 32° 01.654 W 080° 53.405
17S E 510379 N 3543496
This marker is located inside the fort on the ground level, at Fort Pulaski NM on Cockspur Island and the end of Fort Pulaski Rd, north of US 80, Savannah, GA.
Waymark Code: WMKQ97
Location: Georgia, United States
Date Posted: 05/15/2014
Views: 5
Hot Shot Furnace
Only the foundation remains of one of the fort’s furnaces which heated cannon balls. Used against wooden ships, the red-hot projectiles could start a disastrous fire – even after skipping on the water several times.
Loading a cannon with hot shot required special precautions. The paper powder bag, double thick, was inserted first. Hay wadding, first dry, then wet, served as a buffer between powder and cherry-red projectile. Wet clay was then often placed ahead of the shot.
( Above illustrations of a fork for hot shot and tongs )
Tools such as these were used to handle the hot cannon balls.
It took about thirty minutes to heat a 32-pounder shot in a hot furnace. More than 60 rounds could be prepared at one time.
The invention of the ironclad ship, along with the widespread use of exploding shells, made hot shot obsolete.
Erected by National Park Service.
More information:
NPS: Fort Pulaski NM
Wikipedia: Fort Pulaski National Monument
Civil War in GA: Federals attack Ft Pulaski
Type of Marker: Fort
Marker #: None
Date: None
Sponsor: National Park Service
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Visit Instructions:
Take a picture of the marker, yourself at the marker, your gps at the marker, or anything specific to the text on the marker. And don't forget to enjoy your visit.
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