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


Civil War Artillery
by Harry Ridgeway


Research Center: Artillery5021-Read
Rifled artillery projectile, Read design, Confederate manufacture, solid bolt, pattern with rounded nose and bourrelet rings, thick copper ring sabot, Confederate rifle, 3in.
Projectile was Confederate manufactured during the war employing John Read's design , probably at Selma Arsenal. This pattern utilized two bourreletrings, as a labor saving device, only the rings had to be accurately machined, the rest could be left rough. The nose is relatively rounded, and the width of the bourrelet rings varies considerably, presumably this is operator variance in the finishing process. A lathe dimple in the base, and a casting sprue on the nose areusually prominent. Read developed this copper ring sabot, it was more flexible than the earlier wrought iron sabot, sabot is tapered at the top and seated in a deep groove well inside of the iron base. Copper ring sabot was cast thick and not milled , this was entirely too stiff to take the rifling. Shell is rounded nose bolt with no explosive charge, for use against enemy cannon. Upper bourrelet ring is usually stamped "14", meaning is not known. Projectile measures: diameter 2.96in., length 6.0in. (excluding fuze), weight 8.2lb.
Research Center: Artillery5021-Read, Ref: Dickey & George , Field Artillery (1993 Edition), pg. 252.

Details click: http://relicman.com/artillery/Artillery5021-Read.html.


A0362...

Projectile measures: diameter 2.96in., length 6.0in. (excluding fuze), weight 8.2lb. Thick brass band sabot unfired. Metal solid, sabot intact. Projectile is disarmed, solid iron casting without cavity. Recovered: Snyder's Bluff Mississippi ammo dump.

A1528...

Projectile measures: diameter 2.96in., length 6.0in. (excluding fuze), weight8.2lb. Thick brass band sabot unfired. Metal solid, sabot intact, mark "14" is crisp. Projectile is disarmed, solid iron casting without cavity. Recovered: Snyder's Bluff Mississippi ammo dump.

A1894...Rifled artillery projectile,Read design, Confederate manufacture, solid bolt, short pattern with rounded noseand bourrelet rings, thick copper ring sabot, Confederaterifle, 3in.

Projectile measures: diameter 2.96in., length 6.0in. (excluding fuze), weight 8.2lb.T hick brass band sabot unfired. Metal solid, sabot intact. Projectile is disarmed, solid iron casting without cavity. Recovered: Snyder's Bluff Mississippi ammo dump.


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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