Ridgeway Civil War Research Center, A virtual examination of artifacts of the American Civil War
	Civil War Artillery
	by Harry Ridgeway

Research Center: Artillery1851-Ball9in

Smoothbore artillery projectile, spherical ball, bursting shell, wood fuze, Confederate modified, 9in. The Confederates were not known to have had any 9 inch guns and the Federals would not have any reason to use these shells in their Naval Dahlgren guns without the watercap fuze. However a number of these wood fuzed 9 inch balls have been recovered from the trenches at Port Hudson, all missing the fuzes, too many to simply dismiss these as foreign or early. Research suggests that the Confederates may have either captured a supply of Federal Dahlgren shells, removed the watercap fuze, or manufactured this pattern cast for a wood fuze, the wood fuze could be ignited by hand, and then used them as a sort of very heavy hand grenade or modified land mine by rolling them over the parapets against the attaching troops at Port Hudson using a wooden slide. None of this is confirmed or proven however. Cast or modified for a wood fuze. Shell measures: diameter 8.9in., weight 70lbs. Research Center: Artillery1851-Ball9in, Ref: Bell, Heavy Ordnance, pg. 61, (wood fuzed). Details click: http://relicman.com/artillery/Artillery1851-Ball9in.html.

A2057...Smoothbore artillery projectile, spherical ball, bursting shell, wood fuze, Confederate modified, 9in. The Confederates were not known to have had any 9 inch guns and the Federals would not have any reason to use these shells in their Naval Dahlgren guns without the watercap fuze. However a number of these wood fuzed 9 inch balls have been recovered from the trenches at Port Hudson, all missing the fuzes. Research suggests that the Confederates may have either captured a supply of Federal Dahlgren shells, removed the watercap fuze, or manufactured this pattern cast for a wood fuze, the wood fuze could be ignited by hand, and then used them as a sort of very heavy hand grenade or modified land mine by rolling them over the parapets against the attaching troops at Port Hudson using a wooden slide. Cast or modified for a wood fuze. Shell measures: diameter 8.9in., weight 70lbs. Wood fuze is missing. Projectile is disarmed, open fuze hole exposes empty interior. Recovered: Port Hudson, Louisiana. Ref: Bell, Heavy Ordnance, pg. 61, (wood fuzed).

A1707...Smoothbore artillery projectile, spherical ball, bursting shell, wood fuze, Confederate modified, 9in. The Confederates were not known to have had any 9 inch guns and the Federals would not have any reason to use these shells in their Naval Dahlgren guns without the watercap fuze. However a number of these wood fuzed 9 inch balls have been recovered from the trenches at Port Hudson, all missing the fuzes. Research suggests that the Confederates may have either captured a supply of Federal Dahlgren shells, removed the watercap fuze, or manufactured this pattern cast for a wood fuze, the wood fuze could be ignited by hand, and then used them as a sort of very heavy hand grenade or modified land mine by rolling them over the parapets against the attaching troops at Port Hudson using a wooden slide. Cast or modified for a wood fuze. Shell measures: diameter 8.9in., weight 70lbs. Wood fuze is missing. Projectile is disarmed, open fuze hole exposes empty interior. Recovered: Port Hudson, Louisiana. Ref: Bell, Heavy Ordnance, pg. 61, (wood fuzed).

A2145...Smoothbore artillery projectile, spherical ball, bursting shell, wood fuze, Confederate modified, 9in. The Confederates were not known to have had any 9 inch guns and the Federals would not have any reason to use these shells in their Naval Dahlgren guns without the watercap fuze. However a number of these wood fuzed 9 inch balls have been recovered from the trenches at Port Hudson, all missing the fuzes. Research suggests that the Confederates may have either captured a supply of Federal Dahlgren shells, removed the watercap fuze, or manufactured this pattern cast for a wood fuze, the wood fuze could be ignited by hand, and then used them as a sort of very heavy hand grenade or modified land mine by rolling them over the parapets against the attaching troops at Port Hudson using a wooden slide. Cast or modified for a wood fuze. Shell measures: diameter 8.9in., weight 70lbs. Wood fuze is missing. Projectile is disarmed, open fuze hole exposes empty interior. Recovered: Port Hudson, Louisiana. Ref: Bell, Heavy Ordnance, pg. 61, (wood fuzed).

A2375...Smoothbore artillery projectile, spherical ball, bursting shell, wood fuze, Confederate modified, 9in. The Confederates were not known to have had any 9 inch guns and the Federals would not have any reason to use these shells in their Naval Dahlgren guns without the watercap fuze. However a number of these wood fuzed 9 inch balls have been recovered from the trenches at Port Hudson, all missing the fuzes. Research suggests that the Confederates may have either captured a supply of Federal Dahlgren shells, removed the watercap fuze, or manufactured this pattern cast for a wood fuze, the wood fuze could be ignited by hand, and then used them as a sort of very heavy hand grenade or modified land mine by rolling them over the parapets against the attaching troops at Port Hudson using a wooden slide. Cast or modified for a wood fuze. Shell measures: diameter 8.9in., weight 70lbs. Wood fuze is missing, there appears to be a shipping plug. Projectile is disarmed, drill hole through the bottom, powder was found inside this shell. Recovered: not known. Ref: Bell, Heavy Ordnance, pg. 61, (wood fuzed).

This is the "Ridgeway Civil War Research Center", a research tool for educational purposes only, and is provided at no cost to the reader. Some of the relics listed are retained in the author's collection, most reside in other collections and are not owned by the author. None of the items listed in this section are for sale, please refer to relicman.com sales listings for items offered for sale. This is a work in progress, I list items as I get to them, there are many patterns that are not listed yet, this list will be regularly updated as I get pictures and descriptions for more items. I will also correct mistakes, so if you see any please tell me. All items listed are believed to be authentic to the Civil War or as otherwise described. This information is available for research purposes, pictures may be used by permission only.
All excavated artifacts have been recovered from private property with owner's permission.
All projectiles listed have been disarmed.

Most information on this page is from:
Field Artillery Projectiles of the American Civil War, 1993 Edition. by Thomas S. Dickey and Peter C. George.
Civil War Heavy Explosive Ordnance, A Guide to Large Artillery Prjectiles, Torpedoes, and Mines, by Jack Bell.
Artillery Fuses of the Civil War, by Charles H. Jones.
Pictures are by the author, unless otherwise indicated.

Ridgeway Civil War Research Center, A virtual examination of artifacts of the American Civil War. Artillery Research center, artillery, click: http://relicman.com/artillery/Artillery0000-Index.html. Research center, artillery, click: http://relicman.com/artillery/Artillery0000-Index.html.

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