Smashed Bullet

[Woods-walker]

I've been diggin' relics since 1961 and a Yankee three ring I dug today was the most destructive shot bullet I Ve found since I started over 60 years ago. So I had to share it with you-smashed nearly completely flat! (Also dug about 2/3 of a Sinkel shell and was able to fit it back together.)

 

[CheathamHill]

Was this on your property? Kevin and I want to come back up there to visit again and hunt with you! Thanks again for the tour in October. It was a blast. Also nice find on this bullet. It definitely smacked something

 

[Woods-walker]

It was. We've lived there since 1999 and I am just getting around to seriously hunt it.
I am doing a 90 minute walking tour at Bloody Angle on May 12th - the 160th anniversary of the Yankee breach; sponsored by the Spotsylvania Historic Association . Starting at NPS Tour Stop number 6 at Allegany Johnson's position following Hancock's left flank then picking up at John B Gordon's position and following the South's retaking of the works. Free to SHA members and donations from non members. If you know anyone up here that's interested, I am giving away a door prize to the highest donor ( similar but much better than the gift to Kevin's son)

 

[Brokenbear]

Well that flat projectile shows no signs of hitting rock or natural hard substance ..has excellent rifling so more than likely it was not tumbling and as flat as it is.. it would have been fairly close range to have had that much retained energy to "self" flatten ..and would have impacted something like an anvil, cannon barrel or similar such non yielding impact item ..

Nice find!

Bear

 

[JOHN42768]

Welcome, enjoy

 

[R. Porter]

I would say that it hit a rock. A big rock. Like a boulder. At close range and a very shallow angle. It looks like ones l have seen that were found at sites with a large rock face or boulder field. The flatness of the bullet and the striations on the impact side are clues. Are there exposed boulders left by a glacier, a rock wall either natural or man made or boulders exposed by a river or creek near by? If so, you may want to check them for small arms damage.

 

[bayonet]

Nah it probably hit someone in the Irish Brigade in the head and bounced off. You know how us Irish are thick headed!

 

[Joe Whitworth]

Many years (20-25) ago was I metal detecting on Maryland Heights with brother Steve. He found a 3 ringer smashed flat against a boulder and locked into place by the lead flowing into a crack on the rock. Rather than chew it up prying it out we left it there for posterity. It had been fired from the Yankee line towards the Confederates. Unfortunately a later relic hunter without the sense to leave such a relic for others to appreciate pried it out. The whole mountain top is rocky with thin soil and produced bullets much flatter than the example shown.

 

[Woods-walker]

Many years (20-25) ago was I metal detecting on Maryland Heights with brother Steve. He found a 3 ringer smashed flat against a boulder and locked into place by the lead flowing into a crack on the rock. Rather than chew it up prying it out we left it there for posterity. It had been fired from the Yankee line towards the Confederates. Unfortunately a later relic hunter without the sense to leave such a relic for others to appreciate pried it out. The whole mountain top is rocky with thin soil and produced bullets much flatter than the example shown.

Interesting. The person that removed it obviously didn't have the same degree of respect as you. I ve seen some diggers do stupid things.

 

[Tom Hughes]

I love smashed bullets like that. Thanks for sharing with us. It certainly makes you wonder what it impacted with to flatten it out so.

 

[Woods-walker]

I agree Tom. I dug it on my farm. There aren't any large boulders in that area and the CS artillery were 1/2 mile south of where I found it so it couldn't have hit anything like those
Clayborn Graves owned and farmed the land at the time of battle, so perhaps it struck a plow Graves left in the field. Fighting was May 10th, defeating planting season in Virginia