Posted 11 years ago
DoubleEnve…
(6 items)
These are artillery round fragments I dug up in the Eastern Panhandle of WV. The one on the left is a Parrott Gun round fragment, the one on the rightis a Boremann. The Parrott fragment is in the state it was found. The Boremann on the right is cleaned up. The Boremann is about 1cm thick. It's frightening and sad to think these was used by our countrymen kill each other!
You're just full of surprises! I'm well acquainted with the Bormann fuse but was unaware of the projectiles. Is there a name other than maybe the fuse?
Blunderbuss2, you are correct. It's actually a Bormann infused shell. I'm not an artillery expert but the old timer I go out with calls them "Bormanns." I believe it is one of the 12-pounders listed here listed under Field Projectiles>SmoothBore.
http://www.civilwarartillery.com/
The spherical shell had been around for quite a while so couldn't be patented by Bormann. Bormann fuses were very reliable for the times & its design was used on both sides. It appears you have a shell fragment as I don't see a fuse. Where in W.V. were these found?
Jefferson County.
Just got thru reading up on the area. Quite a history & interesting situation today. I just didn't associate that small corner seeing much action after the Confederacy moved all the machinery from Harpers Ferry. Going to look a bit deeper. If it's still undecided? Go with VA.
What do you mean if it's still undecided?
The area was very divided politically, highly valued strategically and hotly contested. It's amazing no major(i'm talking more than a few division sized) battles took place on it's soil. There were several named engagements and likely hundreds of non-named ones as well. The most famous is likely the Battle of Shepherdstown, the final engagement of the 1862 Maryland or "Antietam Campaign". Antietam was right across the Potomac in Maryland maybe 10-15 miles away.
Harpers Ferry of course is where the famous John Brown raid occurred. He was brought to nearby Charles Town(the town founded by George Washington's younger brother) where he was tried and hung.
There were many people who opposed being part of the new state, in fact roughly half the states' counties were not even represented. Lincoln and the Unionists had to have the vital Harpers Ferry arsenal and the more important B&O railroad which dipped into the south in this area. It linked Ohio to DC (east and west). I could literally name off facts for hours and Ive only lived in the area for a few years!