Hot Shot Furnace
This replica Hot Shot Furnace stands on the foundation of Fort Macon's original Hot Shot Furnace, built in 1836. Hot Shot Furnaces were used in forts to heat non-explosive cannonballs red hot for use against the unarmored wooden enemy warships of the period. Once heated to red heat in the furnace (about 1077°), the cannonballs were loaded into cannons and fired into enemy warships to set them afire.
This furnace, and another used on the fort's outer wall, stood until the advent of armored warship in the War Between the States made them obsolete. They were dismantled by 1867.
How the Furnace Works
Cold cannonballs are placed on the shot rails from the high end of the furnace. They roll down over the firebox. When those directly over the firebox are heated to red heat, they are removed, allowing the next cannonballs to roll into their place over the fire to begin heating.
How do you handle red hot cannonballs?
These implements were used to remove the red hot cannonballs from the furnace and carry them up to the cannons for loading. In loading hot shot into a cannon, gun crews placed wads of clay or wet hay between the cannon's gunpowder charge and the red hot cannonball to prevent a premature discharge of the cannon.
Marker is on Fort Macon Road, on the right when traveling east.
Courtesy hmdb.org
