The only battle in the area was the engagements collectively known as the Battle of Round Mountain in Nov 1861. I'm not aware of any artillery being there. The eastern most location of the known fighting would have been around the south end of Keystone Dam. There were fords there where some of Opothleyahola's band was crossing. Troops did pass through the area and did or might have had artillery with them. Foreman was in the area in 1864 with the 3rd IHG and Co. L, the artillery company, was probably with him. Watie and Gano came this way after 2nd Cabin Creek and had artillery with them. So, just brainstorming, these units may have fired their artillery for practice or some other reason.

Other ideas: During the early oil boom, when an oil tank caught on fire, they drained the tank by shooting holes in it with a cannon. There is one such cannon in Johnstone Park in Bartlesville and one in front of the Oil Museum in Seminole. Perhaps someone was firing one of these at an oil tank or just for fun?

I've seen all kinds of things in trees. I have a tree with a piece of sucker rod in it that the tree grew around. Makes me wonder if this "ball" got there other than by being fired from a cannon and the tree grew around it.

There was a posting some years ago about balls that were assumed to be cannon balls but were determined to be from another source. For the life of me I can't recall what they were but their sizes and weights closely resembled cannon balls but they were from industrial source -- perhaps drilling??? Someone help me out here!

As a friend of mine always asks me, "Is that the same answer as 'I don't know'?"