Identification Requested

[Reconstructed Rebel]

The three bullets on the right were taken from a creek embankment on Campbellsville Road just outside Lebanon, Ky in the 1960s. A new bridge was being built and "thousands" of these were found when excavation started. Minnie balls were said to be on both sides of the creek bed. My grandad drove out and picked these better looking ones out for me since he knew I liked history.

The bullet on the left came from his backyard. His house was built on what, at the time of the battle, would have been a hill overlooking the Lebanon Ky Depot where John Hunt Morgan trapped a small Union garrison on July 5, 1863. My grandparents had a large garden in their backyard and mom said they often turned up these bullets when hoeing weeds. They were so numerous they were thrown away and considered an annoyance as much as anything.

My question is: is there any way to know if these bullets were made by Confederates or Federals? My grandson would really like to know!

 

[UCVRelics]

If you could post photos of the bottoms and measure them across the bottom id would be very helpful in Iding them. Looking forward to see just what they are.

 

[Reconstructed Rebel]

They all look to be 1/2 inch wide and one inch high. The three from the creekbed have a cone shaped interior. The one from the garden has a ridge inside the top of the interior. It looks misshapen a bit, but I think that is from the plow or hoe. I have three pictures but I may have to post them one at a time. Thanks for your help.

 

[Reconstructed Rebel]

Maybe they are 9/16 of an inch in diameter.....at least the three from the creek bed.

 

[UCVRelics]

The 3 on the right a dropped 3 ring yankee minnie balls. The on on the left appears to have been fired. There were over 400 different types of bullets used during the CW.

 

[Reconstructed Rebel]

The 3 on the right a dropped 3 ring yankee minnie balls. The on on the left appears to have been fired. There were over 400 different types of bullets used during the CW.

Thanks again. Grandson will be thrilled, I think, to have one that was actually fired!

 

[UCVRelics]

Thanks again. Grandson will be thrilled, I think, to have one that was actually fired!

If you really want to give them a thrill, get a metal detector and take them to where to family garden was and have them dig up some.

 

[Reconstructed Rebel]

If you really want to give them a thrill, get a metal detector and take them to where to family garden was and have them dig up some.

Sadly, it is now a parking lot for the new Marion County Courthouse.

 

[Noonanda]

those remind me of the hollow base burnsides which were around .561 diameter

 

[Reconstructed Rebel]

those remind me of the hollow base burnsides which were around .561 diameter

If you don't mind my asking - was hollow base the standard? Was there a specific reason they were called Burnsides? Could these minies be fired in a period rifled musket today? (Not that I would try doing that.....)

 

[Noonanda]

If you don't mind my asking - was hollow base the standard? Was there a specific reason they were called Burnsides? Could these minies be fired in a period rifled musket today? (Not that I would try doing that.....)

The bullets I am saying they remind me of were used in the Burnsides Carbine. There were 2 types that Im familiar with, the Solid base (most common) and the hollow base.
Those Could be fired in the correct musket, but really you can buy cast bullets ready to shoot in a Reproduction or original CW Firearm

 

[Reconstructed Rebel]

The bullets I am saying they remind me of were used in the Burnsides Carbine. There were 2 types that Im familiar with, the Solid base (most common) and the hollow base.
Those Could be fired in the correct musket, but really you can buy cast bullets ready to shoot in a Reproduction or original CW Firearm

Thanks! Assuming someone wanted to try using these old minies today.... I see from the Wikipedia post quoted below that the bullets had grease on them. Would you happen to know what kind of grease?

"The Minié ball is a cylindro-conoidal bullet with grease-filled cannelures on its exterior and a conical concavity in its base."

Minié ball - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

 

[Reconstructed Rebel]

Sadly, it is now a parking lot for the new Marion County Courthouse.

Correction: a parking lot for the new City Hall

 

[Package4]

Thanks! Assuming someone wanted to try using these old minies today.... I see from the Wikipedia post quoted below that the bullets had grease on them. Would you happen to know what kind of grease?

"The Minié ball is a cylindro-conoidal bullet with grease-filled cannelures on its exterior and a conical concavity in its base."

Minié ball - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

The European version had grease as did the Enfield round; US versions did not employ grease, they had a thinner skirt and were designed so that the gas from ignition would expand the ball to engage the rifling. Yours are standard 3 ring minie or Burton balls.

those remind me of the hollow base burnsides which were around .561 diameter

The Burnside carbine has a .54 caliber bore and fired one of three known rounds:

1) Two grooved/ring ball with either a dished or solid base (the majority found are this type) .564 caliber
2) A variant approved in 1864 with one groove and a solid base
3) Same as above but a pointy nose and shallow cone cavity
4) Same as #1 but has a punch in the base and is said to have been machine pressed (two grooves)

The Burnside ball was made oversized due to it being a breach loading weapon (most carbine or breach loading weapons had a slightly oversized ball and most were solid based as there was no need to push the skirt into the rifling), the lip or bulge in the unusual brass cartridge did hold grease.