A virtual examination of artifacts of the American Civil War
| Ridgeway Civil War Research Center,
A virtual examination of artifacts of the American Civil War |
| Civil War Artillery | |
| by Harry Ridgeway |
| Rifled artillery projectile, Parrott design, Federal manufacture, bursting shell, long pattern with rivet, high band brass sabot with 10 rabbets, Parrott improved one part percussion fuze, Parrott 100 pounder rifle, 6.4in. Projectile was manufactured in the Federal arsenals following development of Parrott's patent. The sabot, referred to as "type II", utilized a thin wide brass band which was softer and more flexible than wrought iron, secured to the base with 10 rabbets. However performance was poor, the thin soft brass sabot either failed to take the rifling or had a tendency to separate on firing, resulting in shards of brass flying into the backs of the forward infantry. However for large caliber guns, fired from ships or forts, flying sabots was less of a problem and this pattern of sabot became the primary convention for siege guns. Bottom is plugged with a rivet protruding from the bottom. The shell was cast with an open hole in the base, through which a rod was placed to hold the core during casting. After casting the rod was removed, the rod was removed and replaced with a drive in plug, this while the casting was still hot. On cooling the hole would shrink thus securing the bottom plug. This "short" pattern may have been designed to be able utilize case shot, but it appears that most were configured with percussion fuzes and full powder charge. Fuze employed was Parrott zinc one part percussion fuze, "improved" design, edge of the fuze hole is milled flat, Jones pg. 81. Projectile measures: diameter 6.36in., length 18.5in. (excluding bottom rivet), weight 91lbs., with sabot. Research Center: Artillery4733-Parrott, Ref: Bell Heavy Ordnance, pg. 299.    Details click: http://relicman.com/artillery/Artillery4733-Parrott.html. |
A0720...Rifled artillery projectile, Parrott design, Federal manufacture, bursting shell, long pattern with rivet, high band brass sabot with 10 rabbets, Parrott improved one part percussion fuze, Parrott 100 pounder rifle, 6.4in.
    Projectile was manufactured in the Federal arsenals following development of Parrott's patent. The sabot, referred to as "type II", utilized a thin wide brass band which was softer and more flexible than wrought iron, secured to the base with 10 rabbets. However performance was poor, the thin soft brass sabot either failed to take the rifling or had a tendency to separate on firing, resulting in shards of brass flying into the backs of the forward infantry. However for large caliber guns, fired from ships or forts, flying sabots was less of a problem and this pattern of sabot became the primary convention for siege guns. Bottom is plugged with a rivet protruding from the bottom. The shell was cast with an open hole in the base, through which a rod was placed to hold the core during casting. After casting the rod was removed, the rod was removed and replaced with a drive in plug, this while the casting was still hot. On cooling the hole would shrink thus securing the bottom plug. This "short" pattern may have been designed to be able utilize case shot, but it appears that most were configured with percussion fuzes and full powder charge. Projectile measures: diameter 6.36in., length 18.5in. (excluding bottom rivet), weight 91lbs., with sabot. Sabot is marked "PATENTED 1861". High band sabot is not fired. Metal solid with some pitting. Parrott flanged time fuze has been fitted onto this projectile. Projectile is disarmed, casting is solid iron. Recovered: Portsmouth Virginia, a large number of shells were apparently recycled for metal during WWII, a few were saved. Ref: Bell Heavy Ordnance, pg. 299. |
A2298...Rifled artillery projectile, Parrott design, Federal manufacture, bursting shell, long pattern with rivet, high band brass sabot with 10 rabbets, Parrott improved one part percussion fuze, Parrott 100 pounder rifle, 6.4in.
    Projectile was manufactured in the Federal arsenals following development of Parrott's patent. The sabot, referred to as "type II", utilized a thin wide brass band which was softer and more flexible than wrought iron, secured to the base with 10 rabbets. However performance was poor, the thin soft brass sabot either failed to take the rifling or had a tendency to separate on firing, resulting in shards of brass flying into the backs of the forward infantry. However for large caliber guns, fired from ships or forts, flying sabots was less of a problem and this pattern of sabot became the primary convention for siege guns. Bottom is plugged with a rivet protruding from the bottom. The shell was cast with an open hole in the base, through which a rod was placed to hold the core during casting. After casting the rod was removed, the rod was removed and replaced with a drive in plug, this while the casting was still hot. On cooling the hole would shrink thus securing the bottom plug. This "short" pattern may have been designed to be able utilize case shot, but it appears that most were configured with percussion fuzes and full powder charge. Fuze employed was Parrott zinc one part percussion fuze, "improved" design, edge of the fuze hole is milled flat, Jones pg. 81. Projectile measures: diameter 6.25in., length 19.25in. (excluding fuze), weight 95lbs. approx. with sabot. High band brass sabot separated on firing. Threaded fuze is missing (percussion). Metal solid, areas of pitting. Projectile is disarmed, open fuze hole exposes empty interior and there are two drill holes on the side. Original white metal fuze was likely lost in restoration, which is why it has both drill holes and an open fuze hole. Recovered: not known.
Ref: Bell Heavy Ordnance, pg. 299. |
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