Very Cool Relic

[CarlS]

Here is a very cool relic that Mike picked up at Franklin and left with me to clean.  It is a 3.8-inch Hotchkiss shell with a time fuse for the James rifle.  The used a good number of these in the Vicksburg Campain where this was found.  It has very nice rifles on the very white lead sabot except in one place.  That is due to an iron canister ball that impacted the shell and lodged in the leading edge of the sabot:



It's not clear if this happened in flight or if the ball impacted the shell which was on/in the ground.  Either way it hit it with quite a bit of force to lodge in the sabot.  This picture isn't one of my best and I'll try to get a better angle when I can that shows it better.

[emike123]

Thanks Carl.  The angle and force required led those of us who examined it to conclude the shell and the canister ball were travelling in opposite directions.  I was told that it was in a book, possible Charles Harris' one on Western Theatre relics, but I have not found it.  If anyone knows where this piece is published, please advise.

[ETEX]

Super relic Mike. I am a leadhead and that relic impresses the heck out of me.

[divedigger]

awesome relic!