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

by Harry Ridgeway



Research Center: Artillery4221-Harding
Rifled artillery projectile, Harding design, Confederate manufacture, bursting shell, Girardey wood percussion fuze, copper ring sabot, Confederate rifled 42 pounder, 7in.
Projectile is Confederate manufacture, apparently following the design of "Harding", although at this point we really do not know who this designer was. The Harding sabot is very similar to the Federal Parrott sabots, it is a copper ring cast onto the shell and secured by notches. Shells are short and appear to have been manufactured for use in 42 pounder smoothbores, reconditioned and banded with rifling. Bolt has smooth sides, pointed nose. Fuze employed was a wood sleeved Girardey percussion fuze, Jones pg. 66, usually only the wood sleeve is recovered. All recoveries have been from Charleston, South Carolina. Projectile measures: diameter 6.8in., length 11.4in., weight 57lbs.
Research Center: Artillery4221-Harding, Ref: Bell, Heavy Ordnance, pg. 231.
 
Details click: http://relicman.com/artillery/Artillery4221-Harding.html.


A0576...Harding shell, brass band sabot, wood fuze, rifled 42 pounder 7in. 
 Projectile measures: diameter 6.8in., length 11.4in., weight 45lbs.  Sabot separated on firing, wood fuze is partial.  Shell disarmed by drill hole through the paper section of the time fuze.  Projectile is not restored, it has been stored in water since it was dug.  Recovered: Charleston, South Carolina.

A0757...Harding shell, brass band sabot, wood fuze, rifled 42 pounder 7in.
Projectile measures: diameter 6.8in., length 11.4in., weight 52lbs.  Sabot separated on firing, wood fuze is in tact, rare to get a fuze this good.  Shell disarmed by drill hole through the paper section of the time fuze.  Projectile is not restored, it has been stored in water since it was dug.  Recovered: Charleston, South Carolina.

A0803...Harding shell, brass band sabot, wood fuze, rifled 42 pounder 7in.
Projectile measures: diameter 6.8in., length 11.4in., weight 59lbs.  Sabot separated on firing, wood fuze is partial.  Shell disarmed by drill hole through the paper section of the time fuze.  Projectile is not restored, it has been stored in water since it was dug.  Recovered: Charleston, South Carolina.

A0813...Harding shell, brass band sabot, wood fuze, rifled 42 pounder 7in.
Projectile measures: diameter 7in. length 11in. weight 49lbs., no sabot.  Copper band sabot separated on firing.  Projectile is disarmed, drill hole through paper section of time fuze.  Projectile is un-treated and has been stored in water since its recovery.

A0814...Harding shell, brass band sabot, wood fuze, rifled 42 pounder 7in.
Projectile measures: diameter 6.8in., length 11.4in., weight 46.7lbs.  Sabot separated on firing, wood fuze is partial.  Shell disarmed by drill hole through the paper section of the time fuze.  Projectile is not restored, it has been stored in water since it was dug.  Recovered: Charleston, South Carolina.

A1069...Harding shell, brass band sabot, wood fuze, rifled 42 pounder 7in.
    Projectile measures: diameter 6.8in., length 11.4in., weight 49.6lbs.  Sabot separated on firing, wood fuze is partial.  Shell disarmed by drill hole through the paper section of the time fuze.  Projectile is not restored, it has been stored in water since it was dug.  Recovered: Charleston, South Carolina.

A1070...Harding shell, brass band sabot, wood fuze, rifled 42 pounder 7in.
 Projectile measures: diameter 6.8in., length 11.4in., weight 56.6lbs.  Sabot separated on firing, wood fuze is partial.  Shell disarmed by drill hole through the paper section of the time fuze.  Projectile is not restored, it has been stored in water since it was dug.  Recovered: Charleston, South Carolina.

A1071...Harding shell, Giradey fuze, rifled 42 pounder 7in, with sabot

Projectile measures: diameter in., length 11in. (excluding fuze), weight 63lbs.

A1075...Harding shell, Giradey fuze, rifled 42 pounder 7in, with sabot

Projectile measures: diameter 6.9in., length 11in. (excluding fuze), weight 51lbs.

A1227...Rifled artillery projectile, Harding design, Confederate manufacture, bursting shell, Girardey wood percussion fuze, copper ring sabot, Confederate rifled 42 pounder, 7in.
 
Projectile is Confederate manufacture, apparently following the design of "Harding", although at this point we really do not know who this designer was. The Harding sabot is very similar to the Federal Parrott sabots, it is a copper ring cast onto the shell and secured by notches. Shells are short and appear to have been manufactured for use in 42 pounder smoothbores, reconditioned and banded with rifling. Bolt has smooth sides, pointed nose. Fuze employed was a wood sleeved Girardey percussion fuze, Jones pg. 66, usually only the wood sleeve is recovered. All recoveries have been from Charleston, South Carolina. Projectile measures: diameter 6.8in., length 11.4in., weight 57.6lbs. Sabot is fired, showing 10 lands and grooves and is intact.  Fuze is remnant. Projectile recovered from wet ground and has been treated. Projectile is disarmed, drill hole through the open section of the fuze. Recovered: Charleston South Carolina, bombardment of Long Island.
Ref: Bell, Heavy Ordnance, pg. 231.


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
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