Confederate Adjutant General button	The Civil War Relicman, Harry Ridgeway
	Winchester, Virginia USA (changed hands 70 times in the Civil War!) I am a collector buying and selling authentic Civil War Relics
	This page updated   May 28, 2008

The Ridgeway Civil War reference archive 
Artillery shells, James (Federal)

This is a sampling of relics collected by Harry Ridgeway over the years.  This archive record is for educational purposes only.  Some of the relics listed may be on display at the Old Court House Civil War Museum, Winchester Virginia, some are no longer owned by the author.  None of the items listed in this section are for sale, please refer to the separate sales catalog for items that are currently offered.

All artillery items listed  have been disarmed and rendered inert. 

A1406 / A0431    James Canister, James 14 pounder rifle 3.8 in.
 
This canister is made of lead, balls are also lead, approx 1.14 inch diameter. Underneath was affixed a James Type I sabot. Canvass covered the base and the can. This apparently was an experimental piece, may have been field tested at Shiloh and then abandoned, only a small number of bases and pieces of cans have been recovered. 
This nearly intact can, damaged by a farmers plow was recovered with the top and most of the balls. The bottom is a separate lead casting and shows "BASE".   The James base has a flat top for this canister, this distinguishes it from the better known hot shot pattern. 
Recovered: Shiloh TN 
Diameter 3.8in canister length is 5.5in, base length is 3 in. 
Can is photographed "Shiloh Shells and Artillery Units" by George Whitham pg. 118 & 119. actual example published  
Ref: D & G pg. 61 

A1562     James bolt, sleeve sabot (Type I), rifled 6 pounder rifle, 3.67 in. 

The James Type I sabot system employed a hollow caged cavity covered by a thin lead and tin sleeve, the thin sabot would always be thrown after firing, which could be a problem for forward troops.  This shell was made for 3.67 inch gun, rare in this caliber.  Shell measures smaller and shorter than its 3.8 in counterpart, and has 8 vent holes in the bottom (versus 4 for the 3.8 caliber).
Sabot fully intact, non-fired example, metal quality good, light pitting.
Recovered: Vicksburg campaign
Diameter 3.65 in., length 6.5 in.
Ref: D & G pg. 187 (variant 3.67 in caliber)   

A1886     James bolt, sleeve sabot (Type I), rifled James 14 pounder rifle, 3.8 in. 
The James Type I sabot system employed a hollow caged cavity covered by a thin lead and tin sleeve, the thin sabot would always be thrown after firing, which could be a problem for forward troops.
Sabot fully intact, non-fired example, metal quality good, light pitting.
Recovered: Jenkins Ferry, Arkansas
Diameter 3.7 in., length 7.1 in.
Ref: D & G pg. 187 (3.8 in. caliber) 

A1557      James shell, sleeve sabot (Type I), James percussion fuse, James 14 pounder rifle, 3.8 in. 
   
The James Type I sabot system employed a hollow caged cavity covered by a thin lead and tin sleeve, the thin sabot would always be thrown after firing, which could be a problem for forward troops.  James brass anvil percussion fuse, "West Point" two part fuse. (Jones pg. 30)
Sabot intact on this non-fired example, percussion fuse intact.
Metal quality solid, slight pitting only.
Recovered: Shiloh, Tennessee
Diameter 3.7 in., length 6.75 in.
Ref: D & G pg. 188  

A1559     James shell, sleeve sabot (Type I), James percussion fuse, James 14 pounder rifle, 3.8 in. 

The James Type I sabot system employed a hollow caged cavity covered by a thin lead and tin sleeve, the thin sabot would always be thrown after firing, which could be a problem for forward troops.  James brass anvil percussion fuse, "West Point" two part fuse. (Jones pg. 30)
Sabot missing on this fired example, percussion fuse intact.
Metal quality solid, slight pitting only, outstanding example.
Recovered: Shiloh, Tennessee
Diameter 3.7 in., length 6.75 in.
Ref: D & G pg. 188 

A1560     James shell, sleeve sabot (Type I), tie ring base, James percussion fuse, James 14 pounder rifle, 3.8 in. 
 
Tie ring base was originally intended to hold a rounded firing cup. This is another example of an idea that did not work.  The cup was intended to direct the firing energy around the perimeter of the shell.  The energy needed to be in the center so as to spread the sabot so the cup was cut off, the bolts are still present, and the ring was used as a tie ring for securing the powder bag.
James brass percussion fuse, "West Point" two part fuse. (Jones pg. 30)
James percussion fuse intact, sabot fully intact, non-fired example,
metal quality solid, slight pitting only.
Recovered: Shiloh, Tennessee
Diameter 3.7in., length 7 in.
Ref: D & G pg. 189 

A1888      James shell, sleeve sabot (Type I), tie ring base, James percussion fuse, James 14 pounder rifle, 3.8 in. 
 
Tie ring base was originally intended to hold a rounded firing cup. This is another example of an idea that did not work.  The cup was intended to direct the firing energy around the perimeter of the shell.  The energy needed to be in the center so as to spread the sabot so the cup was cut off, the bolts are still present, and the ring was used as a tie ring for securing the powder bag.
James brass percussion fuse, "West Point" two part fuse. (Jones pg. 30)
James percussion fuse intact, sabot partially intact exposes wire reinforcement under the sabot, non-fired example, metal quality solid, moderate pitting.
Recovered: Gauley Bridge, West Virginia
Diameter 3.7in., length 7 in.
Ref: D & G pg. 189

A1889     James shell, covered sabot (Type II), James percussion fuse, James 14 pounder rifle, 3.8 in. 
 
Type II base, James removed the hollow center, replaced it with 8 vertical flanges on tapered solid tail, replaced the thin sabot  with a heavy lead sabot covered by tin sheet and linen.  This eliminated  the automatic blowout of the sabot from the type I design, but left a very heavy sabot that tended to significantly distort on firing, consequently this pattern was not particularly successful either.  
James brass percussion fuse, "West Point" two part fuse. (Jones pg. 30)
James percussion fuse intact, fired sabot shows rolled up on one side which is typical of fired examples, 15 lands and grooves from the 3.8 in. rifle are visible, metal is solid, light pitting.
Recovered:  Vicksburg campaign
Diameter 3.7 in., length 7.6 in.
Ref: D & G pg. 190  

A0152     James shell, sleeve sabot (Type I), James percussion fuse, rifled 24 pounder, 5.8 in. 
 
The James Type I sabot system employed a hollow caged cavity covered by a thin lead and tin sleeve, the thin sabot would always be thrown after firing, which could be a problem for forward troops.
James brass anvil percussion fuse, "West Point" two part fuse. (Jones pg. 30)
Unfired sabot intact, James percussion fuse is partial, slider is visible, anvil top is missing, metal solid light pitting.
Recovered: unknown
Diameter 5.75in., length 11 in.
Ref: Bell Heavy Ord, pg. 259, actual example photographed    

A2152     James shell, sleeve sabot (Type I), James percussion fuse, rifled 42 pounder, 7 in.  
These heavy James shells were supplied to the batteries at Fort Sumter at the start of the war, and were fired into the city during the initial siege.  Although the defenses of Charleston were tested continuously during the war, this is the only time that the Federal batteries were able to actually reach the city.  
James brass anvil percussion fuse, "West Point" two part fuse. (Jones pg. 30)
Fired sabot missing James percussion fuse is intact, metal solid with light pitting, ding on nose may be from impact.  
Recovered: Charleston, South Carolina  
Diameter 6.85in., length 12.25 in., weight 55 lbs.  
Ref: Bell Heavy Ord, pg. 262             To Do Post to Archive

A1999     Sabot fragments from 14 pounder James
 
The type I James used a thin lead sheet sabot covering the birdcage. The sabot tends to break in sections around the birdcage. Note also the remnants of wire that held the sabot in place.