Marshall Texas Enfields

[ETEX]

I acquired a handfull of MTE's from a distinguished forum member and am curious if anyone has dug any of these with the same markings. I have photographed 3 bullets with the half moon on the front side and a push/dish/impression on the back side. These are located in the same spot on all of the bullets. These were also dug at the Marshall Texas Powder Mill and after speaking with another forum member the best we come up with is the bullets were stuck in the mold during manufacturing and removed with some type of tool or utensil. If anyone has dug any looking like this or has information I would appreciate you responding to this post.


Michael

[tom buckley]

Are these the ultra rare Trans-Mississippi Smiley Face Enfields?

[ETEX]

Tom,

They are the one and same

[Bill Ewing]

I have a thought on these.  I wonder if they were cast and attempted to be removed from the molding process while the lead was still somewhat soft due to the heat from the liquid pour.  It would seem that the cut side (smily face) was the pushed against side and the longer indention was the counter or extractor for taking it off the press.  They were likely observed to be deformed and thus discarded for future remelt and somehow misplaced in the weeds.  Having not seen the bullet making process there I can only speculate that it was something different than hand casting 1-5 bullets in a mold.

Just my engineering mind at work.

Bill

[ETEX]

Bill, Thanks for the response. I am not familiar with the production method used at the Marshall Texas Powder Mill either and being deformed or stuck has been my thoughts. The lead being soft makes perfect since with the indentions on the back side. Hope to hear from others on this topic.


Michael

[coonboy]

I would like to add to Bill's reply. Many of these smiley enfields did leave the arsenal as we have dug quiet a few behind our home in dropped condition and more down the road at Double Bridges. When I have a chance I will look through my fired enfields as I am sure I have dug some fired ones also. In April of 1864 the Johnnies did not discard a whole lot. If anyone would like to have an example & pay postage I can sure send you one or two that I dug out of Walkers campsite at Kingston where the rebs camped before and after the Battle of Mansfield.   Coonboy

[tom buckley]

Whatever the cause of the "smiley face", it may not have been limited to Marshall Texas Enfields. I have a crude nose cast Enfield drop from Perryville, KY that also has a "smile".
Smiley Enfields. Did we name a new type??  

[SoArk]

I have found one of these (in the top photo) with the slash near the shoulder..... thought it was just a whittled-on bullet til now.  It came from Marks Mills.

[Big Lefty]

I dug one of these at a pre-Red River Campaign campsite in Arkansas.  This was the only one out of approx. 60 recovered.  Mine, however, has two smiley faces—one under the other.  It also has the longitudinal "gouge" on the reverse. Without reading this post, I would have thought these were merely carve marks on the bullet.  Very strange.  Cool, but strange.

[acwbullets]

They kind of resemble extraction marks like the ones on CRR bullets

[R. J. in LA]

Going back through the forum posts, I came upon this one and wanted to confirm that I have excavated 3 such dropped Enfields in northwest Louisiana. I've attached photos of the three I've found.  Thanks.

R. J.

[ETEX]

R.J.

Thanks for posting the photos.

Terry, do you have any of the fired ones left, if so can let me know?

[Bryan]

My Mom was borned and raised in Marshall and as a kid back in the 60s we would go back to Marshall to visit family.  I remember my dad telling stories that the Rebs dumped tons of lead in wells to keep it out of the hands of the Union. I didn't get started in collecting till the last few years so I didn't know annthing about the Powder Mill and what they made there.  Wished we could of explored it back in the 60s.

I know the post is old, but CoonBoy I'd be interested in some of the bullets if you have any left. Fired or unfired

[Lazouave]

I have attached a pic of examples that I dug years ago at Walker's Camp near Mansfield(the two short variants) and a .54 varient dug near Prairie D' Ann, AR.
The .54 variant lacks the cupping on the reverse from the cresent moon mark.

[ETEX]

Lazouave, thanks for posting the photos. I have looked through my 54 Caliber MTE's and don't have any with the crescent and for that matter the indented side.

Terry by any chance you dig any 54 Caliber size with the markings?

Not only Terry but everyone that has posted on thread any 54 Caliber with the markings on both sides?