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Anonymous
10/02/13(Sat)22:35
No. 8572
In 1862 John Gilleland, dentist, builder and mechanic, designed the double-barreled cannon. It was cast in Athens, Georgia, for a cost of $350. The two barrels have a divergence of 3 degrees, and the cannon was designed to shoot simultaneously two cannon balls connected with a chain to "mow the enemy down like scythe cuts wheat".
Gilleland's invention was a failure. First tested on 22 April 1862, and aimed at a target of two upright poles, uneven detonation of the powder and casting imperfections in the barrels gave the connected balls a spinning movement in an off-center direction, with witnesses reporting that on it first firing it "plowed up about an acre of ground, tore up a cornfield, mowed down saplings, and then the chain broke, the two balls going in different directions."
On its second firing the chain shot across the horizon and into a thicket of pine. "[The] thicket of young pines at which it was aimed looked as if a narrow cyclone or a giant mowing machine had passed through", reported another witness.
On its third firing the chain snapped immediately and one ball tore into a nearby cabin, knocking down its chimney, the other spun off erratically and struck a nearby cow, killing it instantly. Gilleland considered the test-firings a success.
Gilleland tried to promote his invention to the Confederate States Army's arsenal in Augusta, Georgia, where it was found unfit for its purpose. He continued to try to promote his invention to other military leaders around Augusta, but failed to interest anyone. Finally his contraption was used as a signal gun in Athens to warn against advancing Yankees.
On 27 July 1864, the cannon was fired after a report was heard of several thousand Union soldiers approaching Monroe, Georgia. However, this report turned out to be false. The cannon disappeared in 1891 and was found again ten years later under a rock pile by a boy looking for lizards.