February 6, 1861; The Charleston Mercury
The Petersburg Express described the shells lately sent through that city, en route for this State. The cavity in these bombs is six inches and three quarters in diameter, leaving a shell of 1 5/8 thickness. The explosive force must be tremendous. The shell is perforated by an inch and a half hole, which, when the shell is prepared for action, is closed with an iron plug, through which is a small fuse hole, and the plug is strapped down by a band of iron, which is secured to the ball by being clasped to two small apertures, one on each side of the ball, near the plug. The shell is then placed into the mortar, plug downwards, and when the mortar is fired the fuse is ignited, and the shell speeds on its way. The length of the fuse being regulated by the distance to which the shell is to be thrown, thus tends to prevent the premature explosion of the ball, leaving it to do its work when its journey is ended.