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

by Harry Ridgeway



Research Center: Artillery4372-Hotchkiss
Rifled artillery projectile, Hotchkiss design, Federal manufacture, bursting shell, pattern without flame grooves, pointed nose "common" (standard) , lead band sabot, Hotchkiss brass percussion fuze, Parrott 30 pounder rifle, 4.2 in.
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 configured as case shot , filled with balls, or as "common", without> balls. This shell is a "common" shell, (standard), it does not contain balls, and with a percussion fuze it was designed to detonate after striking enemy cannon or equipment. 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. Shell does not have flame grooves, these were not needed when a percussion fuze was used. Fuze employed was a Hotchkiss percussion fuze, cap secured by a single slot tightening groove, with flange, Jones pg 94. Hotchkiss patent date was cast, not stamped, into the base, two dates, "HOTCHKISS PATENT OCTOBER 9, 1855 / MAY 14, 1861", and is typically weak, and may have been omitted altogether as molds wore down or were replaced. Projectile measures: diameter 4.1in., length 10in., excluding fuze, weight 27lbs.
Research Center: Artillery4372-Hotchkiss, Ref: Bell, Heavy Ordnance, pg. 242.

Details click: http://relicman.com/artillery/Artillery4372-Hotchkiss.html.



A1641...

Projectile measures: diameter 4.1in., length 10in., excluding fuze, weight 27.2lb. Lead band sabot is un-fired. Hotchkiss percussion fuze intact and removable. Projectile is disarmed, removable fuze exposes empty cavity. Recovered: Vicksburg Mississippi.


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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