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

by Harry Ridgeway



Research Center: Artillery4381-Hotchkiss
Rifled artillery projectile, Hotchkiss design, Federal manufacture, solid bolt, pattern with flame grooves and rounded nose, lead band sabot, siege rifle, 4.5 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. Shell is solid casting, or "bolt" and was designed to be used against opposing cannon by striking the equipment. Nose of this pattern is rounded, this is experimental round tested at West Point and apparently rejected. Projectile measures: diameter 4.4in., length 9in., weight 29lbs.
Research Center: Artillery4381-Hotchkiss, Ref: Bell, Heavy Ordnance, pg. 245.

Details click: http://relicman.com/artillery/Artillery4381-Hotchkiss.html.



A1643...

Projectile measures: diameter 4.4in., length and weight not determined, nose only. Lead sabot is fired showing 9 lands and grooves, apparently both the gun and the shell were experimental as no guns of this caliber are known with this configuration. Iron base separated on firing and is missing. Metal solid, sabot intact, base cup missing. Projectile is disarmed, casting is solid iron. Recovered: West Point New York test range.


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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