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

Research Center: Artillery5211-Sawyer

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.

A0754...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 15.6lbs. Lead sabot is fired, and shows 6 lands and grooves and distortion from firing. Patent date in base is partly readable. Projectile is disarmed, casting is solid iron. Recovered: Port Hudson, Louisiana. Ref: Dickey & George, Field Artillery (1993 Edition), pg. 294.

A1132...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. Lead sabot is fired, shows 6 lands and grooves. Patent date in base is readable. Projectile is disarmed, casting is solid iron. Recovered: Port Hudson, Louisiana. Ref: Dickey & George, Field Artillery (1993 Edition), pg. 294.

A1481...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. Lead sabot is fired, shows 6 lands and grooves. Patent date in base is readable. Projectile is disarmed, casting is solid iron. Recovered: Port Hudson, Louisiana. Ref: Dickey & George, Field Artillery (1993 Edition), pg. 294.

A1535...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. Lead sabot is fired, shows 6 lands and grooves. Patent date in base is readable. Projectile is disarmed, casting is solid iron. Recovered: Port Hudson, Louisiana. Ref: Dickey & George, Field Artillery (1993 Edition), pg. 294.

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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