A virtual examination of artifacts of the American Civil War
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Ridgeway Civil War Research Center, A virtual examination of artifacts of the American Civil War |
| Civil War Artillery | |
| by Harry Ridgeway |
| Rifled artillery projectile, Sawyer design Research Center: Artillery5200-Sawyer   Details click: http://relicman.com/artillery/Artillery5200-Sawyer.html. |
| Rifled artillery projectile, Sawyer design, Federal manufacture, solid bolt, lead sabot with lead sleeve, smooth sided, Sawyer rifle, 3.67 in. Projectile was manufactured in the Federal arsenals, following the design of Addison M Sawyer. The sabot system was designed with a massive lead sabot covering the entire base and the sides. The design apparently proved unsatisfactory because the excessive lead consumed would gum up the bore on the cannon, and the elasticity of the lead probably lessened the dispersion of fragments, it was tested at Port Hudson, and then apparently abandoned. This pattern was cast without flanges, bottom is tapered, sides are smooth. Base is stamped "PATENTED NOVEMBER 13, 1855". Sabot if fired will show six weak lands and grooves, a pattern unique to the Sawyer rifle. The massive lead sabot tended to soften or melt in firing, hence the rifling is usually obscured. Projectile measures: diameter 3. 6in., length 7in., weight 16lbs. Research Center: Artillery5211-Sawyer, Ref: Dickey & George, Field Artillery (1993 Edition), pg. 294.    Details click: http://relicman.com/artillery/Artillery5211-Sawyer.html. |
| Rifled artillery projectile, Sawyer design, Federal manufacture, bursting shell, lead sabot with lead sleeve, smooth sided, Sawyer combination fuze, Sawyer rifle, 3.67 in. Projectile was manufactured in the Federal arsenals, following the design of Addison M Sawyer. The sabot system was designed with a massive lead sabot covering the entire base and the sides. The design apparently proved unsatisfactory because the excessive lead consumed would gum up the bore on the cannon, and the elasticity of the lead probably lessened the dispersion of fragments, it was tested at Port Hudson, and then apparently abandoned. This pattern was cast without flanges, base is tapered, sides are smooth. Base is stamped "PATENTED NOVEMBER 13, 1855" and number "14 1/2" is stamped near the nose. Fuze employed was the Sawyer combination fuze, sometimes referred to as the "candlestick" fuze, Jones pg. 34. Sabot if fired will show six weak lands and grooves, a pattern unique to the Sawyer rifle. The massive lead sabot tended to soften or melt in firing, hence the rifling is usually obscured. Projectile measures: diameter 3.58in., length 7.6in., weight 15lbs. Research Center: Artillery5212-Sawyer, Ref: Dickey & George, Field Artillery (1993 Edition), pg. 295.   Details click: http://relicman.com/artillery/Artillery5212-Sawyer.html. |
| Rifled artillery projectile, Sawyer design, Federal manufacture, bursting shell, lead sabot with lead sleeve and pre-cast flanges, Sawyer combination fuze, Sawyer rifle, 3.67 in. Projectile was manufactured in the Federal arsenals, following the design of Addison M Sawyer. The sabot system was designed with a massive lead sabot covering the entire base and the sides. The design apparently proved unsatisfactory because the excessive lead consumed would gum up the bore on the cannon, and the elasticity of the lead probably lessened the dispersion of fragments, it was tested at Port Hudson, and then apparently abandoned. This pattern was cast six flanges cast into the shell. Base is stamped "PATENTED NOVEMBER 13, 1855". Fuze employed was the Sawyer percussion fuze, Jones pg. 33. PSabot if fired will show six weak lands and grooves, a pattern unique to the Sawyer rifle. Projectile measures: diameter 3.6in. approx, length 7in. (excluding fuze), weight tbd. Research Center: Artillery5213-Sawyer, Ref: Dickey & George, Field Artillery (1993 Edition), pg. 296.    Details click: http://relicman.com/artillery/Artillery5213-Sawyer.html. |
| Rifled artillery projectile, Sawyer design, Federal manufacture, bursting shell, lead sabot with lead sleeve and pre-cast flanges, Sawyer percussion fuze, Sawyer rifle, 4.2 in. Projectile was manufactured in the Federal arsenals, following the design of Addison M Sawyer. The sabot system was designed with a massive lead sabot covering the entire base and the sides , including six flanges cast into the shell, it apparently proved unsatisfactory because the excessive lead consumed would gum up the bore on the cannon , and the elasticity of the lead probably lessened the dispersion of fragments. This experimental pattern was cast with flanges, covered with a lead sleeve, the government bought 250 shells of this caliber, this shell was not fired. Fuze employed was the Sawyer percussion fuze, Jones pg. 33. Marks on bottom : "15 14/16" , this refers to the weight of the bursting charge. Shell measures: diameter 4.15in. (from the grooves), length 8.5in. (excluding fuze), weight 16lbs. Research Center: Artillery5221-Sawyer, Ref: Bell, Heavy Ordnance, pg. 355.    Details click: http://relicman.com/artillery/Artillery5221-Sawyer.html. |
| Rifled artillery projectile, Sawyer design, Federal manufacture, bursting shell, lead sabot with lead sleeve and pre-cast flanges, Sawyer percussion fuze, Sawyer rifle, 5 in. Projectile was manufactured in the Federal arsenals, following the design of Addison M Sawyer. The sabot system was designed with a massive lead sabot covering the entire base and the sides , including six flanges cast into the shell, it apparently proved unsatisfactory because the excessive lead consumed would gum up the bore on the cannon , and the elasticity of the lead probably lessened the dispersion of fragments. These large caliber Sawyers were field trialed at Mobile Bay, but were judged to be unsatisfactory, the lead sabot had a tendency to partially peel off on firing causing directional instability, the soft lead would gum up and damage the bore of the guns, and the percussion fuze was ineffective in soft dirt fortifications. Fuze employed was the Sawyer percussion fuze, Jones pg. 33. Mark on nose, "27" is probably an indication of the powder bursting charge. Projectile measures: diameter 5.17in. from the outer lead grooves, 4.95in. from the inner lead grooves, length 9.75in. (excluding fuze), weight 25.5lbs. Research Center: Artillery5231-Sawyer, Ref: Bell, Heavy Ordnance, pg. 356.     Details click: http://relicman.com/artillery/Artillery5231-Sawyer.html. |
| Rifled artillery projectile, Sawyer design, Federal manufacture, bursting shell, lead sabot with lead sleeve and pre-cast flanges, Sawyer percussion fuze, Sawyer rifle, 6 in. Projectile was manufactured in the Federal arsenals, following the design of Addison M Sawyer. The sabot system was designed with a massive lead sabot covering the entire base and the sides , including six flanges cast into the shell, it apparently proved unsatisfactory because the excessive lead consumed would gum up the bore on the cannon , and the elasticity of the lead probably lessened the dispersion of fragments. These large caliber Sawyers were field trialed at Mobile Bay, but were judged to be unsatisfactory, the lead sabot had a tendency to partially peel off on firing causing directional instability, the soft lead would gum up and damage the bore of the guns, and the percussion fuze was ineffective in soft dirt fortifications. Shell is equipped with the Sawyer percussion fuze, Jones pg. 33. Mark on nose, "42" is probably an indication of the powder bursting charge. Bottom is marked with Sawyer patent date. Shell measures: Diameter 5.96in. from the outer lead grooves, 5.7in. from the inner lead grooves, length 11.75in. (excluding fuze), weight 38lbs. Research Center: Artillery5241-Sawyer, Ref: Bell, Heavy Ordnance, pg. 357.    Details click: http://relicman.com/artillery/Artillery5241-Sawyer.html. |
| 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. |
| 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. |