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

Research Center: Artillery5054-Read

Rifled artillery projectile, Read design, Confederate manufacture, bursting shell, short pattern with bourrelet rings, copper ring thin sabot not milled, wood time fuze, Confederate rifle, 3in. Projectile was Confederate manufactured during the war following John Read's design. The sabot system utilized was a copper ring sabot, 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, ring was thin cast, and was generally not milled or was lightly milled. This pattern utilized two bourrelet rings, as a labor saving device, only the rings had to be accurately machined, the rest could be left rough. A lathe dimple in the base, and a casting sprue on the nose are usually prominent. Fuze employed was a wood time fuze, Jones Fuzes pg. 2, fuze hole is smooth and tapered, the simple to make fuze could easily be hammered into place. Projectile measures: diameter 2.95in., length 7.25in. unfired sabot, 7.0 in fired sabot, weight 7lbs , (typical). Research Center: Artillery5054-Read, Ref: Dickey & George, Field Artillery (1993 Edition), pg. 257. Details click: http://relicman.com/artillery/Artillery5054-Read.html.

A1104... Projectile measures: diameter 2.95in., length 7.25in.unfired sabot, 7.0 in fired sabot, weight 7lbs, (typical), not verified. Fired copper sabot intact shows 7 lands & grooves. Part of wooden fuze is present, small area missing from nose. Metal solid. Shell is disarmed, drill hole through paper section of the time fuze. Recovered: Bentonville, North Carolina.

A1541... Projectile measures: diameter 2.95in., length 7.25in.unfired sabot, 7.0 in fired sabot, weight 7lbs, (typical). Fired sabot is intact, rifling is weak. Wood time fuze is partial. Metal quality solid with some areas of pitting. Projectile is disarmed, drill hole through the paper section of the time fuze. Recovered: Richmond Petersburg Virginia campaign.

A1890... Projectile measures: diameter 2.9in., length 7.25in. (excluding fuze), weight 7.9lb. Copper sabot shows seven lands and grooves, fired from a Confederate rifle. Wood time fuze is partial. Metal is solid. Projectile is disarmed by open fuze hole exposing empty cavity. Recovered: Cold Harbor, Virginia.

A1893... Projectile measures: diameter 2.95in., length 7.25in.unfired sabot, 7.0 in fired sabot, weight 7lbs, (typical), not verified. Sabot is fired, rifling is weak. Wood time fuze is mising. Metal is solid. Projectile is disarmed by open fuze hole exposing empty cavity. Recovered: Cold Harbor, Virginia.

A2335... Projectile measures: diameter 2.95in., length 7.25in., weight 7lbs. Copper sabot shows seven lands and grooves, fired from a Confederate rifle. Wood time fuze missing. Metal is solid. Projectile is disarmed by open fuze hole exposing empty cavity. Recovered Fredericksburg, Virginia.

A2454... Projectile measures: diameter 2.95in., length 7.25in., weight 7lbs. Copper sabot shows seven lands and grooves, fired from a Confederate rifle, rifling is weak bore was worn but rifling is definite. Wood time fuze is partial. Metal is solid. Projectile is disarmed by open fuze hole exposing empty cavity. Recovered: Cold Harbor, Virginia.

A2914... Projectile measures: diameter 2.94in., length 7.25in. (excluding fuze), weight 7.9lb. Copper ring sabot shows seven lands and grooves, fired from 3in. rifle. Wood fuze intact. Metal is solid. Projectile is disarmed by drill hole through the paper section of the time fuze. Recovered Williamsport, Maryland, by Dan Keim. Ridgeway collection, Old Court House Civil War Museum, Winchester, Virginia

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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