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

Research Center: Artillery4667-Parrott

Rifled artillery projectile, Parrott design, Federal manufacture, bursting shell, short pattern "case shot", with lead balls packed in asphalt matrix, narrow ring brass sabot, Parrott time fuze with a flange, Parrott 20 pounder rifle, 3.67in. Projectile was manufactured in the Federal arsenals following the invention of Robert Parrott. The sabot system utilized was a narrow brass ring secured to the base with internal rabbets, referred to as "type III", more flexible than wrought iron and more narrow than the high band, this took the rifling much better than the earlier designs. Some of these shells were configured as case shot, (approx. 17.5lbs to 19lbs. with balls, short, 9.25in.), or as "common" (approx 15lbs. to 17lbs. without balls, long 10.25in.). This shell is "case shot", explosive charge with lead balls, and with a time fuze was designed to detonate above the heads of troops in the open field. The lead balls are rough cast around .69 cal, packed in black asphalt matrix near the top of the shell, powder packed in a long channel which expands near the bottom, on detonation the concentrated powder at the bottom was designed to burn the matrix and propel the balls and fragments forward. Fuze employed was a Parrott zinc time fuze, typically the pattern with a long stem and flat top with a flange, an innovation to prevent gas leaks around the fuze causing premature detonations, Jones, Fuzes, pg. 77 upper right, edge of the fuze hole is milled flat. Bottom of shell usually shows a casting sprue which was rough milled, there will often be casting flaws near the base. Projectile measures: diameter 3.6in., length 9.25in. (excluding fuze), weight 17.5lbs to 19lbs. Research Center: Artillery4667-Parrott, Ref: Dickey & George, Field Artillery (1993 Edition), pg. 231. Details click: http://relicman.com/artillery/Artillery4667-Parrott.html.

A2095... Projectile measures: diameter 3.6in., length 9.25in. (excluding fuze), weight 19lbs. Cut shell, shows cross section, note fuze hole has no flanges, powder cavity is centered, top of fuze hole is milled flat, and there are significant casting flaws in the base. Sabot is fired showing 5 lands and grooves and is intact. Time fuze is partial. Metal is solid, with areas of minor pitting. Projectile is disarmed: cut shell, everything is exposed. Recovered: Port Hudson, Louisiana. Cut shell shows cross section.

A2468... Projectile measures: diameter 3.6in., length 9.25in. (excluding fuze), weight 18.5lbs. Sabot is not fired and is intact. Time fuze is partial. Metal is solid, minor areas of pitting. Projectile is disarmed: cut shell, everything is exposed. Recovered: not known. Cut shell shows cross section.

A2585... Projectile measures: diameter 3.6in., length 9.25in. (excluding fuze), weight 17.9lbs. Cut shell, shows cross section, note fuze hole has no flanges, powder cavity is badly off center, top of fuze hole is milled flat, and there are significant casting flaws in the base. Sabot is fired showing 5 lands and grooves and is intact. Time fuze is partial. Metal is solid, with areas of minor pitting. Projectile is disarmed: cut shell, everything is exposed. Recovered: north Georgia campaign. Cut shell shows cross section.

A3033... Projectile measures: diameter 3.6in., length 9.25in. (excluding fuze), weight 18.5lbs to 19lbs. Projectile is fired, low band sabot seperated on firing. Shell is cut shows case shot balls packed in black asphalt. Note that the balls melted during firing and became pressed flat against the bottom, this left a void in the top under the fuze which is why it failed to detonate. Projectile is disarmed, cut shell exposes interior. Recovered: not determined. Cut shell shows cross section.

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.

and now a word from our sponsor.....

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.