What is this? Impacted Civil War bullet

[kcox418]

Found this while detecting Confederate lines near Resaca. It's a William cleaner bullet I can tell. The item lodged isn't iron (I checked with magnet) … wondering if anyone has a guess?

 

[RedRover]

The embedded object looks like it has perhaps a threaded end with a nut on it?

 

[tmorr]

Looks like someone might have fired their rifle with the tampon still in the muzzle. Or, some bored soldier decided to make some "art"

 

[RedRover]

Looks like someone might have fired their rifle with the tampon still in the muzzle. Or, some bored soldier decided to make some "art"

By jove I think you might have it!

Here's a repro of an Enfield pattern tompion's brass interior for comparison...

 

[kcox418]

The embedded object looks like it has perhaps a threaded end with a nut on it?

View attachment 495594

Possible , bc it's only the end had any rust on it.

 

[kcox418]

By jove I think you might have it!

Here's a repro of an Enfield pattern tompion's brass interior for comparison...
View attachment 495596

Most William cleaners we find are type three. So this is definitely way more lead than a single bullet so this definitely may be the culprit

 

[kcox418]

Most William cleaners we find are type three. So this is definitely way more lead than a single bullet so this definitely may be the culprit

View attachment 495600

So it would seem that the larger rounded end would be at the opposite end of the bullet??

 

[RedRover]

So here's the impacted ball... the zinc cleaner tail at bottom.

The object impacted by the head of the ball, appears to be the brass part of a British Enfield pattern bore tompion, kept in the muzzle to keep out wet, mud, etc., as if, as was previously mentioned, the ball was fired while the tompion was in place. Some images of the tompion parts. The threaded end with the nut is the top of the tompion. The wider brass part, which in the present case is impacted by the lead of the ball, is the bottom of the tompion.

 

[kcox418]

So here's the impacted ball... the zinc cleaner tail at bottom.

View attachment 495603View attachment 495604

The object impacted by the head of the ball, appears to be the brass part of a British Enfield pattern bore tompion, kept in the muzzle to keep out wet, mud, etc., as if, as was previously mentioned, the ball was fired while the tompion was in place. Some images of the tompion parts. The threaded end with the nut is the top of the tompion. The wider brass part, which in the present case is impacted by the lead of the ball, is the bottom of the tompion.

View attachment 495605View attachment 495606
View attachment 495607

Super awesome!!!! I appreciate the time and effort. And after I placed another shot one beside it, it makes better sense on the bullet size.
Again, I appreciate it greatly

 

[R. Porter]

Super awesome!!!! I appreciate the time and effort. And after I placed another shot one beside it, it makes better sense on the bullet size.
Again, I appreciate it greatly

View attachment 495612

I think "super awesome" is appropriate! It could have been a reaction to a surprise attack Or an engagement in the rain. Do you know anything about the place you found it?

 

[kcox418]

I think "super awesome" is appropriate! It could have been a reaction to a surprise attack Or an engagement in the rain. Do you know anything about the place you found it?

Yes, it's on the confederate lines just in the shadow of a hill that had cannons. It's an open flatland that runs straight a half mile or so and there's another large hill and the Yankee cannons were up there. So it was kind of like a bowl.
It's down in Resaca.