M&M 375

[AggieReb]

Removed

[Jim T]

What's #375?

[Roy A]

This one was listed here for sale and listed as SC.

http://www.bulletandshell.com/Items/item.php?id=B00056

[Pete George]

  The Thomas-&-Thomas "Handbook Of Civil War Bullets & Cartridges" shows it as bullet #170, saying "Southern manufacture, nose cast, cone cavity."

  I've seen some that were dug in early-to-midwar Virginia sites. Due to it being roundish-nosed and having a snipped-off nosecasting sprue, with three non-standard grooves, before it showed up in the T&T book local Virginia diggers/collectors called it a Confederate imitation of the so-called "US Harper's Ferry Pistol-Carbine minie" (which is now known as the US Willaims Regulation minie). Because of the Virginia finds, and the one listed at Bullet & Shell as being dug in Lowcountry SC, I can't say whether it was made in VA or SC. Seems like if it was made in SC, quantities of them would've been found in the Charleston siege lines and camps.

Regards,
Pete

[ETEX]

Pete and Wes,

I sold a spare I had that was dug in the Charleston area and the one I have kept in my collection came from Richmond, Virginia.

Jim the bullet is also #340 in RBTRF IV.

[Pete George]

AggieReb, just in case your question asking why you find them in Missouri/Arkansas CSA camps means you misunderstood my post... I said they are a Confederate bullet which long-ago Virginia diggers nicknamed after a similar-looking misidentified US bullet.

Regards,
Pete

[ETEX]

I wasn't aware the bullets had been found in the Trans-Mississippi in large numbers and in fact I believe you mentioning yours from Missouri is the first I have heard about or paid any attention to the dig site being TM.

Now my curiosity requires me to ask diggers and collectors to let us know all areas this bullet has been dug.

[emike123]

Mine is a Mac Mason marked bullet and still has the string around the bottom.  Recovery location: Gaine's Mill, VA

[ETEX]

I will trade you.

[Roy A]

I have one which was recovered near Marietta GA and then a few from the same sig site around Northern Arkansas/Southern Missouri area. The digger of those also sold me some nose cast three ringers and a few rough cast .69's which he said was near Rolla Missouri and which he said he related to a Union camp there.

[Jim T]

I think Dean found at least one here at Gettysburg.

[Skip]

In 1861 prior to the Battle of Oak Hills Sterling Price sent emmisaries to the governors of all the states that seceded asking them to send him arms and equipment for his army. The Patriot Army of Missouri had been stripped of their arms when Nathaniel Lyon had surrounded their camp at Saint Louis. We know that the governors of Mississippi, Tennessee and North Carolina sent military supplies. In lieu of sending small arms ammuntion it would have been more efficient to send bullet molds (Many of the molds in southern arsenals had been acquired from northern arsenals when bullet production was upgraded). As a result bullets are found in the TM that are generally associated with other theaters such as the NC Blind School bullets (Carcanos) and Tennessee Rifle Bullets. That is probably the case with this bullet.