Minnie Ball
Both the conical shape of the minnie ball and the ridges at its base that fit into the grooves of the rifled musket allowed this bullet to be fired at a much faster speed. The minnie ball would spiral through the air and upon contact could shatter the bone of the unlucky soldier who met its path. By late war, when the fighting came to Petersburg, rifled muskets and minnie balls were predominately used by the soldiers.