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The Civil War Relicman,
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Winchester, Virginia
USA (changed hands 70 times in the Civil War!)
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This page updated May 29, 2008 |
The Ridgeway Civil War
reference archive
Artillery shells, Parrott Rifled 42 pounder
(7 in)
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.
This information is available for research purposes, pictures may be used by permission only.
All items listed are believed to be authentic to the Civil War or as otherwise described.
All artillery items listed have been disarmed and rendered inert.
Any excavated relics have been recovered from private property with owners permission.
Parrott rifled 42 pounder):
A2213
Parrott shell, high band brass sabot Type
II , wood fuse, rifled 42 pounder rifle, 7 in.
The 7 inch guns in the Federal arsenal were modified to add rifling and a
reinforcement band, the idea being to accommodate the equivalent of
a double smoothbore shot, hence the smoothbore 42 pounder became a "rifled
42 pounder". This 7 in. Parrott shell was a prototype to be used in the
converted smoothbore guns, subsequent development was for the rifled series of
Parrott guns, hence use of this weapon is rare and limited to the early war.
Fort Sumter in Charleston harbor was equipped with 7 inch guns, mostly using
the James series of 7 inch shells, and expended their ammunition against the
attacking Confederate batteries in the city. Once
Sumter fell to the Confederates, subsequent Federal sieges were out of
range of the city and employed the 100 and 200 pounder rifled series of guns,
rendering these old smoothbore conversions obsolete.
Cast for a wood fuse which is missing.
Sabot missing, non recovered with sabot, so we do not know which type of sabot
was actually employed, however based on the time of use it most likely employed
the Type II or high band sabot.
Metal quality solid with light pitting.
Recovered: city of Charleston, South Carolina which presumably means this was
from the initial siege of the Civil War!
Diameter 6.9 in., length 14 in., weight 78 lbs. (empty and missing sabot)
Ref: Bell Heavy Ord. pg. 305
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