Suspected Civil War-Era Relic Found By Metal Detectorist—'American History'

A metal detectorist was stunned when he stumbled upon a cannonball at a beach in North Carolina.

Tentis Moore, also known as Moe, was searching at Fort Caswell, Oak Island, North Carolina, in September 2022 when he found the spherical projectile.

While pursuing his metal-detecting hobby on the beach in North Carolina, Moore was thrilled with the discovery: "I was very excited and happy because it was my very first and only as of now, I still have it but haven't done anything with it yet," he told Newsweek.

A cannonball, also called a round shot, is a non-explosive projectile launched from a large-caliber gun or cannon.

Cannons were first developed in the 1300s when solid stone balls were fired from the weaponry. In the following century, hollow balls containing gunpowder were developed that would be lit just before firing. Their use is perhaps most commonly linked to the Civil War when both exploding and solid shot projectiles were used, but the solid shot was used well into the 1850s.

Fort Caswell, where the cannonball was discovered, played a significant role in the Civil War. Originally built to protect the entrance to the Cape Fear River, it served as a major defense point for the Confederate forces.

As part of defensive measures, Fort Caswell employed various types of artillery, including cannons that have fired cannonballs, and many would have been left in the area. Moore believed that his cannonball find could even be older than the Civil War, calling it a "1700s cannonball."

In a video with over 30 million views on TikTok, Moore shared the moment he stumbled on the old piece of ammunition.

First running the metal detector in the water, he then honed in on the area before fishing the incredible find out of the sand.

Metal detecting is a popular hobby, with the first metal detector prototype being created in 1874 by Gustave Pierre Trouvé.

But it wasn't until 1925 when Gerhard Fischer created the first hand-held metal detector that was available to the wider market. By the 1930s, metal detecting had become the well-loved hobby it is today.

Detectorists have discovered incredible things with the tools, from lost jewelry to ancient coins. In 2022, a metal detectorist in England made the day of an 85-year-old woman when he found her lost engagement ring hidden in her own yard.

In comments on Moore's video, other fans of metal detecting shared their reactions to the incredible cannonball find.

"That's awesome" wrote one reply, while another wrote: "That's so cool, great find!"

One TikToker said that the discovery was part of "American history."

With over 2 million followers on TikTok, Moore's treasure-hunting adventures have lots of fans as he has previously uncovered gold, rings and even diamonds.

"I first started metal detecting back in January 2013," he said. "I've been hard at it ever since, I go every chance I can."