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 without flame grooves, pointed nose "common" (standard), lead band sabot, Hotchkiss iron percussion "West Point" style fuze, rifled 6 pounder gun, 3.67in. 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 shell is a "common" shell, (standard), it does not contain balls, and with a percussion fuze it was designed to be used against enemy cannon. The nose section is pointed, containing an open cavity for the explosive charge only, without a separator bolt. Nose section contains a plugged hole centered on the bottom, presumably this hole was used to secure the core on casting, then a plug was installed to seal the bottom. Hotchkiss patent date was cast, not stamped, into the base, "HOTCHKISS PATENT OCTOBER 9, 1855 / MAY 14, 1861 ", and is typically very weak and may have been omitted entirely as the molds wore down or were replaced. Flame grooves were not used on this pattern, with a percussion fuze the flame groove was not needed. Fuze employed was a Hotchkiss iron percussion fuze, "West Point style" which means anvil and slider operated independently, Jones pg. 92 . Projectile measures: diameter 3.6in., length 6.5in. (excluding fuze), weight 12.0lb. Research Center: Artillery4352-Hotchkiss, Ref: Dickey & George, Field Artillery (1993 Edition), pg. 174.     Details click: http://relicman.com/artillery/Artillery4352-Hotchkiss.html. |
A1634.   Projectile measures: diameter 3.6in., length 6.5in. (excluding fuze), weight 12.0lb. Sabot shows faint signs of 15 lands and grooves, fired from a James rifle, this is 3.67 caliber so it was fired from the wrong gun of slightly larger caliber which is why it barely took the rifling! Hotchkiss iron percussion fuze intact. Projectile is disarmed, drill hole through the side. Recovered: Vicksburg, Mississippi campaign. |
A1635...   Projectile measures: diameter 3.6in., length 6.5in. (excluding fuze), weight 12.0lb. Sabot shows 7 lands & grooves, fired from rifled six pounder. Hotchkiss iron percussion fuze intact. Projectile is disarmed, drill hole through the side, (not photographed). Recovered: Vicksburg, Mississippi campaign. |
A2761...   Projectile measures: diameter 3.6in., length 5.5in., weight 6lb. Nose section only, sabot separated on firing, bottom rivet is visible. Hotchkiss iron percussion fuze is partial, top is missing. Projectile is disarmed by drill hole through the damaged center of the fuze. Recovered: Shepherdstown, West Virginia. |
| 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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