1. The Double-Barreled Cannon
Invented by John Gilleland for the Confederate Army in 1862, the double-barreled cannon could fire two connected cannonballs at the same time – and they only and cost $350.00 to manufacture.
However, instead of flying out of the cannon simultaneously, the two cannonballs were rarely accurate, on either launch time or on impact. In fact, during a test run, the cannon clearly was off of its target, as it only mowed down trees, decimated a chimney and sadly killed a cow.
So, despite Mr. Gilleland’s endorsement of his weapon, the Confederate government considered the cannon a flop, and thereby decided not to adopt it for use in battle. The cannon was never used, and only stands outside of city hall in Athens, Georgia today instead.