30 lb Parrott incendiary

[divedigger]

Mike a couple of years ago you posted a picture of a cross sectioned 30 lb Parrott incendiary. Do you still have access to that shot? I am boiling one now and all that tar is coming out the fuse hole . I would like to see the chambers again if possible, thanks, David

[emike123]

I don't think it was me, David.  I vaguely remember someone posting info on an incendiary Parrott shell on the old forum, but thats about all I recall. 

Does anybody else remember those posts? 

Perhaps Jack Melton or Col. Biemick have some information to share.

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

Digger,
   This is the only thing I have of your caliiber and it was drawn from Abbot's plates.
Regards,
John aka Bart

[Dave the plumber]

         Guys,       Do they all have a bolt in the base ? If not, is there any other way of identifying this feature ??                Does yours have a bolt Dave ??

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

Dave,
   Col. John Biemick reported that he had or has a 30 pdr Parrottt shell with no base bolt. On unloading it from the nose he discovered a partition much like my drawing with a stoppered access into the lower chamber which was filled with an incendiary mix.
    Evidently the lower chamber was filled the closed with some kind of stopper and the upper chamber filled with black powder. How is that one for a potential hazard?
Regards,
John

[scottfromgeorgia]

I had a 100 pound Parrott that I took to Sam White for disarming. He drilled the bottom, and found to his surprise that a quart of an oily liquid poured out. He saved the liquid in a glass jar for me. We talked a lot about the shell, which he concluded was an incendiary shell. I was going to have the shell cut to see the internal arrangement, and the liquid assessed.

A few weeks later, Sam had his tragic accident, and in the aftermath my shell was blown up by the bomb squad. I had understood that Wes Small had taken charge of the fragments, but I am not sure what happened to them after that. I do not know what happened to the glass jar with the incendiary liquid.

Whenever I hear of an incendiary device, I think back fondly to the discussions with Sam about these shells.

 

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

sCOTT,
    well yours would have looked like this one also drawn from Abbot's plates.
the drawing does not really show the bolt extending into the incendiary cavity, but it does.
Numerous incendiary Parrott shells were shot into the city of Charleston, SC.
Regards,
John aka Bart

[Dave the plumber]

      Scott,   that is a sad, unfortunate story.    Blow it up- protect the public.....bullshit.         I had a number of high quality shells blown up in Dalton, Ga. that were paid for by me [ over $ 4000.  ] and waiting for delivery that Lawrence had sold me. It was a very expensive lesson, a very sad day for everybody

[Dave the plumber]

     guys,       has there been an analysis on the incendry juice used during the war existing ??      Or is there an existing formula ??

[scottfromgeorgia]

As far as I know, the formula is unknown, and perhaps even proprietary. That is why I wanted the sample.

[emike123]

I have heard they used turpentine and had one shell with that definite scent once.

[scottfromgeorgia]

I don't think so, Mike. There was even a name for it - Johnson's Secret Formula, or something like that. It was a mix of chemicals.

[Dave the plumber]

     I have a 9 inch incendary round ball that the fella I bought it from, has some of the 'secret formula' from inside when he disarmed it. Said it stinks to high heaven.
       John B, do you know about the formula ??

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

Dave,
  An excerpt from Artillery Glossary:

"INCENDIARY SHELL: A hollow projectile with two compartments separated by a thin wall. The front compartment contained the bursting charge and the rear compartment held the flammable mixture. Valenciennes composition, composed of fifty parts nitre, twenty-eight of sulphur, eighteen of antimony, and six of rosin, was a common incendiary solution. The cotton, or other material, was soaked in the flammable fluid and loaded through a hole in the base of the projectile. A threaded bolt was used to close this opening. A Mr. Fleming and Mr. Alfred Berney were two pioneers in the development of other incendiary compositions. The purpose of this type shell was to set fire to buildings, powder magazines, shipping, and stockades. Incendiary Parrott projectiles were fired into Petersburg, Virginia, and Charleston, South Carolina."
Regards,
John

[John D. Bartleson Jr.]

Dave,
   Alfred Berney's formula for incendiary mixtures:

"The materials which I use as my filling composition are the following, and I employ them in about the proportions set forth, viz: For making, say, twelve pounds, I.take of benzole of good quality, four pounds; crude petroleum, two pounds; coal-tar, two pounds; turpentine, two pounds; residuum from distilled petroleum; one pound; coal-oil from coal-tar, one pound. These proportions may be.varied and some of the materials may be omitted; but the proportions I have given are the best, and each of the ingredients adds to the vahie of the compound. After the materials are thoroughly mixed, they may be kept in close barrels or tanks for use. When to be applied in filling shells, the shell is first filled with what is known as "cotton waste," or some similar fibrous material, and the composition is then poured into the shell and a tight plug put in to prevent leakage. The use of the cotton waste is to absorb the liquid and pre

vent its scattering too much on the explosion of the shell; and I would here remark that I have found by experience that cotton waste applied in the manner set forth is the best instrumentality for filling shells of any description with any kind of inflammable liquid."

Regards,
John aka Bart

P.s. the Parrott shels fired into the city of Charleston contained the cotten waste.