Near-Mint Condition Unfired 3" US Parrott Shell From Famous City Point, Virginia Confederate Spy Sabotage Explosion

CS Secret Service Agent John Maxwell Bombing of Supply Barge at the Wharf August 9th, 1864

Over 30,000 Artillery Rounds, 75,000 Small Arms Rounds Destroyed, 43 killed, Over $2 Million in Destruction

This is the last of the batch I have from this historic and important event--and this one is the BEST bar-none!  It is nearly mint condition in every way, as you can tell in the photo's below.  There is a LOT of history packed with this Parrott shell, so I'm going to take my time to share it all with you: City Point (today known as Hopewell) was THE strategic supply depot source for Grant's Army of the Potomac during the Petersburg Siege, as City Point was fed by both the Appomattox and James Rivers.  Huge supply dumps were fed by boats and barges, with enormous wharfs with rail lines-- all utilized to feed Grant's war machine against Lee and the embattled Army of Northern Virginia.  Desperate to somehow find a way--any way--to stop the massive Union supply to the stranglehold Grant had on Lee, Jefferson Davis and the CS government employed every possible means to put the brakes on Grant's grinding away at the last defense of Richmond, and indeed the Confederacy.  John Maxwell, secret service agent to the Confederates, was given his mission by Davis himself, with the bombing device, to plant the explosive device at City Point, and wreak as much damage as possible.  The device itself was known as a "Horological Torpedo", meaning one that was a clockwork-fused mechanism with 12 pounds of powder, timed to explode, and was placed into a box marked as "candles".  Agent Maxwell left on July 26th from Richmond, and indeed was successful in planting the explosive...I'll let Agent Maxwell's own report help explain his famous role in this affair (found now within the Official Records War of the Rebellion):

"Sir: I have the honor to report that in obedience to your order, and with the means and equipment furnished me by you, I left this city on the 26th of July last, for the line of the James River, to operate with the Horological Torpedo against the enemy’s vessels navigating that river. I had with me Mr. R. K. Dillard, who was well acquainted with the localities, and whose service I engaged for the expedition. On arriving in Isle of Wright County, on the 2nd of August, we learned of immense supplies of stores being landed at City Point, and for the purpose, by stratagem, of introducing our machine upon the vessels there discharging stores, started for that point. We reached there before daybreak on the 9th of August last, with a small amount of provisions, having traveled mostly by night and crawled upon our knees to pass the East picket line. Requesting my companion to remain behind about half a mile, I approached cautiously the wharf with my machine and powder covered by a small box. Finding the captain had come ashore from a barge then at the wharf, I seized the occasion to hurry forward with my box. Being halted by one of the wharf sentinels I succeeded in passing him by representing that captain had ordered me to convey the box on board. Hailing a man from the barge I put the machine in motion and gave it in his charge. He carried it aboard. The magazine contained about twelve pounds of powder. Rejoining my companion, we retired to a safe distance to witness the effect of our effort. In about an hour the explosion occurred. Its effect was communicated to another barge beyond the one operated upon and also to a large wharf building containing their stores (enemy’s), which was totally destroyed. The scene was terrific, and the effect deafened my companion to an extent from which he has not recovered. My own person was severely shocked, but I am thankful to Providence that we have both escaped without lasting injury. We obtained and refer you to the enclosed slips from the enemy’s newspapers, which afford their testimony of the terrible effects of this blow. The enemy estimates the loss of life at 58 killed and 126 wounded, but we have reason to believe it greatly exceeded that. The pecuniary damage we heard estimated at $4,000,000 but, of course, we can give you no account of the extent of it exactly."

Grant himself that, "Every part of the yard used as my headquarters is filled with splinters and fragments of shell" and a staff officer wrote "Such a rain of shot, shell, bullets, pieces of wood, iron bars and bolts, chains and missiles of every kind was never before witnessed."

The shell is disarmed, and has been coated for its preservation and beautification.  The brass sabot (being "unfired" --though surviving an explosion!) is beautifully intact and complete.  This one may very well be a "pick-up", given it's beautiful condition--there's no pitting whatsoever, and no real ground action, which leads me to believe this never was outside too long.  You can seen the lathe marks and even see the mold seam CLEARLY on this one!  It's that pretty.  Many specimens have been recovered throughout the years, and this one comes through Jack Melton himself, so we know the history and provenance is good.  With all the history with this piece, it not only displays well, but is a highly educational and intriguing relic for your collection.  The shell alone is worth this price, without the incredible history...

Sale Pending

City Point Waterfront Photographed in 1865

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Original Field Artillery Lanyard -- Very Good Un-Issued Condition

There's also another piece of artillery equipment you need to operate a cannon--the lanyard to pull the friction primer and spark the charge!  To go along with the other outstanding artillery equipment, I offer you this nice original field lanyard, in un-issued condition (probably a Bannerman).  It is still in it's looped-knot configuration, and every piece is intact and present.  No wear, obviously, and one small chip in the wooden handle from the years.  The primer hook would be attached to the small twisted brass wire of the brass friction primer, which would be inserted into the breech.  Upon pulling the panyard, the top of the friction primer would snap, thus the friction would create a spark down into the breech, igniting the charge.  Another "must-have" for any artillery collector...

$550

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Excellent Excavated 3.8" Hotchkiss Shell From Vicksburg

Near Perfect "Dug" Condition, Complete Lead Sabot with DEEP Rifling, Patent Base, & Intact Iron Percussion Fuse

This is one of the finest dug specimens I've ever seen (which is why I couldn't pass it up!)  A beautiful example of the far-rarer 3.8" Hotchkiss Shell, with rarer iron-anvil percussion fuse, having the entire lead sabot intact, bearing the deepest and most pronounced 15 lands-and-grooves rifling of the 3.8" James Rifled Cannon.  The 3.8" James Rifled Cannon was actually deemed as "obsolete" by the Federal army, and they were mainly relegated to the Deep South or West for service by the middle of the War.  There were several batteries within Grant's army during the Vicksburg Campaign, with Capt. DeGolyer's 8th Michigan Battery being the most heavily engaged batteries during almost every battle of the Campaign (they fired more shells during the Campaign than any other US battery).  This shell offered here is in superb excavated condition, with no iron-oxide "crusting," active oxidation, or flaking whatsoever.  It hasn't been cleaned or coated--because it is so beautiful and stable, it doesn't need it.  Very little ground action, and virtually no pitting.  The patent base information is present, though feint, as to be expected on all dug examples.  The rare iron (and not brass) anvil-nosed percussion fuse is very-well intact and pronounced.  A splendid example of a rare projectile from the most historic Vicksburg Campaign.

Layaway

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