At the Siege of Vicksburg , General US Grant reported making such mortars `` by taking logs of the toughest wood that could be found , boring them out for six or twelve-pound shells and binding them with stong iron bands .
At the Siege of Vicksburg , General US Grant reported making mortars `` by taking logs of the toughest wood that could be found , boring them out for six or twelve-pound shells and binding them with strong iron bands .