Ground-burst Artillery Shell

Battlefield recovered Ground-burst Artillery Shell. Click picture and "Detailed Description".

Exploded ten pounder Read/Parrot Shell. There are a total of 11 sections with the fuse (actually 12 if you count the brass sabot ring and attached fragment as two). It has a zinc time-fuse adapter which would have taken a paper fuse. Actually the hole is still plugged which could be the remnants of the fuse. All these sections were dug together in the same small area, which usually indicates a “ground-burst”, but there could be other pieces that landed in the same spot. It was dug several years ago on private property at the Kennesaw, Georgia Battlefield. 

On the morning of June 27, 1864, General Sherman sent his troops forward after an artillery bombardment. At first, they made some headway overrunning Confederate pickets south of the Burnt Hickory Road, but attacking an enemy that was dug in was futile. The fighting ended by noon, and Sherman suffered high casualties. Chances are that this shell was fired by Sherman’s men. This unique item has been in my private collection for many years, and I am now passing it along to another.