Lt.Arty Artillery Trailspike

[Jack7171]

My artillery trailspike appears to be stamped CONN, which means it could have belonged to 1st or 2nd Connecticut Artillery? I'm not sure what cannon the 3rd used, or if there were any other Connecticut ligjt artillery battery's. I'm guessing there were fairly low numbers of Connecticut trailspikes, (as opposed to rifles, pistols etc in the thousands). My imagination has me wishing it was one of the ones in this photo from an earlier post showing 1st Conn light artillery with trailspikes attached.
Thread 'THE FIRST CONNECTICUT LIGHT ARTILLERY AT DEEP BOTTOM, VA' https://civilwartalk.com/threads/the-first-connecticut-light-artillery-at-deep-bottom-va.140680/

 

[Dan Kohli]

It looks like there were three batteries of light artillery and two regiments of heavy artillery formed by Connecticut. Out of curiosity, do you have a full length picture of the spike? For some reason the shape is looking a little off to me, although I might just be tired and foggy brained at the moment of posting.

 

[Rhea Cole]

The handspike was made to fit the model of carriage it was used with. The obvious thing being the necessity of it fitting through the ring on the trail & providing proper leverage.

Link to the models of carriages:

Comparing the different Types of Civil War Artillery Carriages | Arms & Artillery - Terrible Tools of War

"No. 1" Field Carriage "No. 2" Field Carriage "No. 3" Field Carriage 1st & 2nd Model Prairie Carriages Carriage Weight 900 lbs. 1,125 lbs. 1,175 lbs. 363 lbs. Wheel Height 57" wheels 57" wheels 57" wheels 42" Wheels Distance between trunnion plates 9.6" 11.65" 12.15" 7.0"...

civilwartalk.com

The dimensions of the hand spike for each model of carriage was specified in the ordinance plans. This is a link to the plans for No. 1 Field Carriage—Cannon plans. It has measured drawings of the handspike.

Link:

Field Ordnance on No. 1 Field Carriage-Cannon Plans

Artillery for the Land Service of US 1849-1865- Fourth Edition

www.hansenwheel.com

 

[Jack7171]

It looks like there were three batteries of light artillery and two regiments of heavy artillery formed by Connecticut. Out of curiosity, do you have a full length picture of the spike? For some reason the shape is looking a little off to me, although I might just be tired and foggy brained at the moment of posting.

53" long. Excuse the mess in the background, I don't have enough room to get a better photo with all the clutter

 

[redbob]

53" long. Excuse the mess in the background, I don't have enough room to get a better photo with all the clutter
View attachment 542848

But, that's what I call some great looking clutter.

 

[FrankN]

Nice! Always room for more of that kind of clutter!

 

[Jack7171]

But, that's what I call some great looking clutter.

I need either an addition, or a bigger house!

 

[Jack7171]

Nice! Always room for more of that kind of clutter!

I tell my wife the same thing,,,luckily I provided her with a "craft" room which seems to keep her frustration at bay,, but she's gonna lose her mind when I build my saddle stand and bring my saddle in lol

 

[redbob]

I need either an addition, or a bigger house!

You are preaching to the choir my friend, we are like goldfish; we grow (or collect) to fit our environment.

 

[James Brenner]

You raise an interesting question that's been bothering me for awhile. How do you tell an original handspike from a repro? Wooden implements like trail handspikes, rammers, worms, etc. are hard to date. Items that were made for the CW Centennial now have some age to them and are almost indistinguishable from originals. To the best of my knowledge, original items were not marked in anyway.

I don't mean to cast doubt on your handspike; I inherited 2 sets of implements that I don't know if the original owner bought from Bannerman (like so much else) or made for the Centennial.

 

[Jack7171]

I

You raise an interesting question that's been bothering me for awhile. How do you tell an original handspike from a repro? Wooden implements like trail handspikes, rammers, worms, etc. are hard to date. Items that were made for the CW Centennial now have some age to them and are almost indistinguishable from originals. To the best of my knowledge, original items were not marked in anyway.

I don't mean to cast doubt on your handspike; I inherited 2 sets of implements that I don't know if the original owner bought from Bannerman (like so much else) or made for the Centennial.

It came to me from the Ray Ritchie collection, and I took their word for it, as they had it displayed in the Texas civil war museum as original. I'll buy your centennial artillery implements, to go with a repro display cannon,,,what would want for them?

 

[Rhea Cole]

You raise an interesting question that's been bothering me for awhile. How do you tell an original handspike from a repro? Wooden implements like trail handspikes, rammers, worms, etc. are hard to date. Items that were made for the CW Centennial now have some age to them and are almost indistinguishable from originals. To the best of my knowledge, original items were not marked in anyway.

I don't mean to cast doubt on your handspike; I inherited 2 sets of implements that I don't know if the original owner bought from Bannerman (like so much else) or made for the Centennial.

You could have the paint analyzed, just to answer your forensic question.

 

[Dan Kohli]

53" long. Excuse the mess in the background, I don't have enough room to get a better photo with all the clutter
View attachment 542848

It might have been the angle of the trailspike in the first picture that was throwing me off. It's definitely a nice example you have there.

 

[drezac]

regarding markings, While I don't know of any U.S. issued ones that were marked, If it was issued from a State Arsenal (Early in the war, the States provided the equipment for troops going into Federal Service) it could have been marked. The Ohio Arsenal would mark nearly everything that left the Arsenal with "OHIO". While I can't speak for other states, Ohio's arsenal would stamp nearly everything.