This is the case-shot version of the standard 3-inch Hotchkiss projectiles fired in 3-inch cannons. Three-piece construction consists of a nose portion containing the bursting charge and case-shot balls, a lead band, and a base cup. The patent information is very clearly cast into the bottom. The lead sabot shows rifling and a moderate amount of nick and dents from years of handling. There are three flame grooves along the sides of this shell indicating it once employed a paper time fuse. The fuse is now gone, leaving the interior of the nose portion is open to inspection. The top layers of case shot have also been removed leaving the bottom tier of shot and an iron tube visible. This tube was to transmit the flame from the fuse to the bursting charge. This specimen has been fired and was obviously an early battlefield pick-up. This originated from an old Virginia collection and has an old reference number “542” painted on the side of the base cup. There is old surface rust on the iron but no pitting.

This is a nice display shell typical of those souvenirs picked-up on the battlefields and displayed in G.A.R. Posts.  [jet]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THIS ITEM, AS WITH ALL OTHER ITEMS AVAILABLE ON OUR WEB SITE,

MAY BE PURCHASED THROUGH OUR LAYAWAY PROGRAM.

FOR OUR POLICIES AND TERMS,

CLICK ON ‘CONTACT US’ AT THE TOP OF ANY PAGE ON THE SITE,

THEN ON ‘LAYAWAY POLICY’.