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


Civil War Artillery
by Harry Ridgeway


Research Center: Artillery5111-Read
Rifled artillery projectile, Read design, Confederate manufacture, bursting shell, long pattern with smooth sides, pointed nose, wrought iron sabot, wood time fuze, Confederate 20 pounder rifle, 3.67in.
Projectile was Confederate manufactured following the prewar invention of Robert Parrott and John Read working together. The sabot system utilized was a wrought iron ring, the Confederate version developed by Read is generally thinner than the Federal pattern. Both sides produced a smooth sided long shell, this Confederate version is distinguished by a lathe dimple in the base, a casting sprue on the nose, and the smooth sides were finished by turning on a lathe. Although the wrought iron sabot was cast much thinner than the Federal counterpart, it still did not take the rifling satisfactorily, five lands and grooves were precast into this sabot. 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 intoplace. Projectile measures: diameter 3.63in., length 10.25in., weight 18lbs.
Research Center: Artillery5111-Read, Ref: Dickey & George, Field Artillery (1993 Edition), pg. 280.
A1490.jpg (11772 bytes) A1490B.jpg (16182 bytes) A1490C.jpg (20419 bytes) A1490D.jpg (31023 bytes)
Details click: http://relicman.com/artillery/Artillery5111-Read.html.


A1490...
A1490.jpg (11772 bytes) A1490B.jpg (16182 bytes) A1490C.jpg (20419 bytes) A1490D.jpg (31023 bytes)
Projectile measures: diameter 3.63in., length 10.25in., weight 18lbs. Shell is marked: "Z", meaning unknown. Sabot intact. Wood fuze missing. Metal is solid, with light pitting, shell has not been cleaned. Projectile is disarmed by open fuze hole exposing empty cavity. Recovered: Gettysburg campaign, not confirmed.

A2159...

Projectile measures: diameter 3.63in., length10.25in., weight 18lbs. Sabot intact. Wood fuze missing. Metalis solid. Projectile is disarmed by open fuze hole exposing empty cavity. Recovered: not known.


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
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