Models of shot bundles (grapeshot)

A cannon could be loaded with a single cannonball or bundles of smaller projectiles, such as this ‘grapeshot’. Grapeshot consisted of a canvas bag filled with iron balls or metal slugs, tied together so that it resembled a bunch of grapes. It was used to hit living targets – horses and soldiers – at close range. The Dutch word for machine gun (mitrailleur) comes from the French term for grapeshot (boîte à mitraille).