Database: The artillery of the siege

Cannons and mortars used on both sides during the Siege of Boston were made of brass or iron. Some were 3 meters long with a weight of 2 tons. These cannons shot projectiles of around 10 kilos over more than 3 km. A dozen highly trained men were required to use them at an average firing capacity of 4 projectiles per minute. Though having a notable destructive power, this kind of artillery was not accurate. During the evacuation of Boston in 1776, the British fired around 700 cannonballs, but only 4 victims were reported.