Hotchkiss rounds

[Pete George]

Emike123 wrote:
> Pedro, Redbob has asked a question about the flattop Hotchkiss rounds.
> I think some are found in late war sites like Nashville.  If I recall correctly,
> those have a flattened bottom as well and the rounded bottom ones are post war.
> Are my recollections correct?

  Incorrect. The flatnose-with-flattened-bottom ones are postwar. Rounded-bottom ones are wartime. (Have you misplaced your copy of the Dickey-&-George 1993 book?)

  I have to lean toward the Combination-fuzed ones not having been used before May 1865. Although one has been dug at Petersburg, we know with absolute certainty that postwar artillery testing was done at Petersburg. Another one has been reported to be from Bentonville NC, but despite trying for more than 20 years I've been unable to find any verification of that report.  Seems like if the Combination-fuzed version got used in combat during the war, even if only in its final months, we would know of significantly more than one fired excavated specimen (or supposedly, two). Also, some quantity of those shells' very-different version of Hotchkiss Percussion fuze should have been dug at battlesites, because although the shell blows to bits, the fuze tends to survive. Does anybody here know (with CERTAINTY) of some of those fuzes having been dug at a battlesite, instead of a yankee test-range?

Regards,
Pete

[emike123]

Happy to play the fool to showcase your brilliance, Pete.  If I dangled the right info, you'd probably remain in lurker status and not help poor old redBob out though ;-)

Dave, that is a canister shot from a 6pdr lodged in the sabot.  The struck shell is from Vicksburg and I probably posted it before because it is a pretty cool item.  One of Carl's friends dug it a long time ago so its not been monkeyed with.

I got the flattop Hotchkiss fuse from Corkey Hughey, John, and any further info he has taken to the grave with him.  That specific piece is shown in Jones' fuse book, but I as Pete has noted, I am away from my books now and cannot look it up for you to see if there is further info about it in the book.

[Selma Hunter]

All -

Wow.  Neat thread.

Carl -

No we won't leave Selma until the 21st but it would be nice to see what the Vicksburg show had to offer.  We wanted to leave on Sunday but that particular Sunday being Easter we had to adjust our travel days.  It will be a 9 day road trip for me and likely leave me gasping for energy.  Catesby has been wanting to go there for a long time and this will fill a "bucket list" void for both of us.  I am scheduled to speak to our SCV Camp there Thursday night - for the 8th or 9th year in a row. Friday night will probably find us at the Gordon's "Porch Party" across the street from the annual BOS Ball at Sturdivant Hall. 

Cuz'n Bart -

Superb renderings as usual.  Many thanks for your continuing contributions to our community of interest.

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

Mike, one of my earlier drawings of the Hotchkiss fuzes.
Thanks Cuz Bill for the nice remark.
BTW Redbob the time fuse is pressed into the shell nose, not screwed in. I read or was told that this fuzing arrangement was to make unloading of the powder a bit safer after a shell detonated when at attempt was made to unsrew a standard Bormann fuse from a smoothbore shell.  Any comments on this one.
Regards,
John
P.S. The shell and fuze combination was patented by B.B. Hotchkiss, Pat No 72,494 on December 24, 1867.  Merry Christmas Redbob.

[CarlS]

Redbob,

I think the type of flat topped Hotchkiss you possess is like the 2nd to last image in John's first batch of images posted in this thread.  This is the type that a number of which have been found at Nashville.  In my opinion for it's rarity and that it is definitely war time used it is not appreciated. 

[CarlS]

Bill,

Sorry you won't make the show.  I haven't decide for sure too either.  I still have taxes to do, a large list of house chores and a lot of cleaning of iron (much of it Mike's) to do before Mansfield so will be hard to take that weekend off.  It is a very small show; maybe he smallest one around.  I think the table count is less than 30.  But there is a lot to see in Vicksburg and I have a number of friends in the area that I like to visit with so if I can I might.