A Mississippi man discovered more than 200 Civil War-era cannonballs and other historical artifacts while developing a plot of land in Booneville. Harold Knight found the relics on his property located along US Route 45.
Knight initially found a single cannonball exposed on the ground. After inviting others to use metal detectors on the land, the group uncovered approximately 200 projectiles. The recovered munitions included grape shot, canister shot, and case shot, all dating back approximately 160 years.
Experts at the Booneville Rails & Trails Museum suggested the cannonballs may be remnants of two Civil War battles that occurred in July 1862 near Booneville: the Battle of Blackland and the Battle of Booneville. However, further investigation is required to confirm the origin of the artifacts. Knight believes that additional cannonballs may still be buried on the property.