Confederate 12-pounder artillery shell fragment, dug just off Taneytown Rd., Gettysburg, ex-Rosensteel collection

This is another piece coming out of the large Gettysburg collection I acquired.  It is a shell fragment from a Confederate 12-pounder shell, measuring 2 ¾” x 2 ¾”. This piece was recovered by Iva Rosensteel just off the Taneytown Road, Gettysburg. This is the area behind Little Round Top (see map).

Iva was the sister of George Rosensteel, who was the founder of the Gettysburg National Museum and the famous Electric Map. John Rosensteel opened his “Round Top Museum” of Gettysburg artifacts in 1888 (see pictures). This is one of the items they had in their collection.

The Rosensteels were, of course, the most famous artifact collecting family in Gettysburg and the bulk of the relics on display today at the Gettysburg National Park Visitor Center and Museum came from the Rosensteels.

In my book “Battle of Gettysburg – The Relics, Artifacts & Souvenirs”, I show similar pieces that were recovered at Gettysburg and go into more details on the Rosensteels (see pictures).  This piece is very clean with no chipping or flaking, indicative of an early recovery. A certificate of authenticity will be provided with this artifact.