A virtual examination of artifacts of the American Civil War
by Harry Ridgeway
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Ridgeway Civil War Research Center, A virtual examination of artifacts of the American Civil War |
| Civil War Artillery | |
by Harry Ridgeway |
| Rifled artillery projectile, Hotchkiss design, Federal manufacture, bursting shell, pattern with flame grooves, rounded nose "case shot" iron balls packed in sawdust, iron separator bolt, lead band sabot, Hotchkiss lead time fuze, Ordnance rifle, 3in. Projectile was manufactured in the Federal arsenals following the invention of Andrew Hotchkiss. The pattern consisted of three parts, a nose section containing the explosive charge, a cast iron cup fitted on the bottom, and lead band sabot cast around the middle, on firing the cup would compress the lead band sabot expanding it into the rifling. Some of these shells were "common" or standard rounds, explosive charge only, or "case shot", filled with balls. This is "case shot", with a time fuze it was designed to be used against troops by spreading large volume of fragments and balls over the open field of fighting. Iron balls were packed in sawdust only. The nose is rounded to accomodate the extra load of balls and the casting in the nose is thin to encourage breakage forward in the nose. There are two chambers in the nose, all of the powder is in the lower chamber, all of the balls are in the upper chamber, there is an iron seperator bolt in the middle, with a hole and a narrow metal channel to allow the flame to pass from the fuze to detonate the powder in the lower chamber. On detonation, the exploding powder in the base was expected to push the seperator bolt and the balls forward and out the weak top section of the nose. The nose was cast as one part, the bottom is solid, the separator bolt apparently was precast and imbedded in the core, then positioned after casting once the core was removed, it is larger than the fuze opening. Three flame grooves were added so that flame from firing would pass through the sabot and ignite the fuze. Fuze employed was a Hotchkiss lead time fuze, with spanner holes, early pattern did not have a flange, Jones pg. 86. Hotchkiss patent date was cast, not stamped, into the base, "HOTCHKISS PATENT OCTOBER 9, 1855", and is typically very weak and may have been omitted entirely as the molds wore down or were replaced. Projectile measures: diameter 2.9in., length 7.0in unfired, 6.75in. sabot compressed from firing, excluding fuze, weight 9lbs., average. Research Center: Artillery4324-Hotchkiss, Ref: Dickey & George, Field Artillery (1993 Edition), pg. 164.   Details click: http://relicman.com/artillery/Artillery4324-Hotchkiss.html. |
| A2254... Projectile measures: diameter 2.9in., length 7.0in unfired, 6.75in. sabot compressed from firing, excluding fuze, weight 8lbs. Projectile is cut showing cross section. Lead band sabot shows seven lands and grooves, fired from the Ordnance rifle. Hotchkiss lead fuze intact. Projectile is disarmed, shell is cut open everything exposed. Recovered: Recovered: Fredericksburg, Virginia. Ref: Dickey & George, Field Artillery (1993 Edition), pg. 164. |
A2717...      Projectile measures: diameter 2.9in., 6.75in. sabot compressed from firing, weight 9.0lbs. Struck shell, base shows indentation and cracks, it appears that shell was stuck by another shell presumably after this one landed. Lead band sabot shows seven lands and grooves, fired from the Ordnance rifle. Hotchkiss lead time fuze intact. Projectile is disarmed, drill hole through the paper section of the time fuze. Recovered: Fredericksburg, Virginia. |
A2888...Rifled artillery projectile, Hotchkiss design, Federal manufacture, bursting shell, pattern with flame grooves, rounded nose "case shot" iron balls packed in sawdust, iron separator bolt, lead band sabot, Hotchkiss lead time fuze, Ordnance rifle, 3in.  Projectile was manufactured in the Federal arsenals following the invention of Andrew Hotchkiss. The pattern consisted of three parts, a nose section containing the explosive charge, a cast iron cup fitted on the bottom, and lead band sabot cast around the middle, on firing the cup would compress the lead band sabot expanding it into the rifling. Some of these shells were "common" or standard rounds, explosive charge only, or "case shot", filled with balls. This is "case shot", with a time fuze it was designed to be used against troops by spreading large volume of fragments and balls over the open field of fighting. Iron balls were packed in sawdust only. The nose is rounded to accomodate the extra load of balls and the casting in the nose is thin to encourage breakage forward in the nose. There are two chambers in the nose, all of the powder is in the lower chamber, all of the balls are in the upper chamber, there is an iron seperator bolt in the middle, with a hole and a narrow metal channel to allow the flame to pass from the fuze to detonate the powder in the lower chamber. On detonation, the exploding powder in the base was expected to push the seperator bolt and the balls forward and out the weak top section of the nose. The nose was cast as one part, the bottom is solid, the separator bolt apparently was precast and imbedded in the core, then positioned after casting once the core was removed, it is larger than the fuze opening. Three flame grooves were added so that flame from firing would pass through the sabot and ignite the fuze. Fuze employed was a Hotchkiss lead time fuze, with spanner holes, early pattern did not have a flange, Jones pg. 86. Hotchkiss patent date was cast, not stamped, into the base, "HOTCHKISS PATENT OCTOBER 9, 1855", and is typically very weak and may have been omitted entirely as the molds wore down or were replaced. Projectile measures: diameter 2.9in., length 7.0in unfired, 6.75in. sabot compressed from firing, excluding fuze, weight not meaningful. Projectile is cut showing cross section. Note gap between bottom cup and bottom of the nose, this is the space that is compressed on firing. Lead band sabot is not fired. Hotchkiss lead fuze intact. Projectile is disarmed, shell is cut open everything exposed. Recovered: Recovered Virginia campaign.Ref: Dickey & George, Field Artillery (1993 Edition), pg. 164. |
A2906...    Projectile measures: diameter 2.9in., length 7.0in unfired, excluding fuze, weight 8.9lbs. Lead band sabot is not fired. Hotchkiss lead time fuze intact. Projectile is disarmed, drill hole through the paper section of the time fuze. Recovered: Richmond Petersburg Virginia campaign. |
| 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. |
| Civil War Relicman, Harry Ridgeway, Civil War artillery, Relicman sales catalog. Click here: http://relicman.com/artillery/RelicmanSalesArtillery1.html.     Artillery for sale: http://relicman.com/artillery/RelicmanSalesArtillery1.html. |