Civil War Bullets Found- News Story

Just a little more thought on the subject, 1st, The person reporting this is a federal employee and we all know the federal govt doesn"t LIE, 2nd, lets say the tree was there in 1863 and took a bullet, the tree would have to have been large enough to take the hit and survive, say 12" around which would allow a 6" penetration (and would be aprox 6 years old). Now a live oak grows an average of 1/2 " around per year (see link ref live oak Taxonomy, http://www.sms.si.edu/irlspec/quercu_virginic.htm ) ( I use Live Oak because almost all other types of oaks do not live that long) after 150 years the tree would have a circumfrence of 75" or 6.25 feet and the bullet would be near the center of the tree 3 feet from the outside because the tree grows along the outside 1" or so under the bark.
This is just my personal observation and opinion and since we all know that you can believe everything you read in a paper, I must be mistaken!!

Hey Corey,

I just reread the article . It sez, "on a routine clearing of a fallen oak tree on Culp’s Hill, chain-sawed into minie balls imbedded in the trunk."

So, it's not a Syacamore but, also not a Live Oak, Quercus virginiana. They grow from Virginia, south to Florida. If it's really an Oak, it would be Northern Red Oak, Quercus rubra,

"In forests, the northern red oak grows straight and tall, to 28 m (90 ft), exceptionally to 43 m (140 ft) tall, with a trunk of up to 50-100 cm (20-40 in) diameter." From.

It's trashier sub-specie the Pin Oak, Quercus palustris "is a medium-sized deciduous tree growing to 18-22 m (60-70 ft) tall, with a trunk up to 1 m (3 ft) diameter." From.

Or a White Oak, Quercus alba "White oaks have been known to live up to six hundred years."

I can't tell from the picture what exact species. The Minie ball just looks white. So does that goofy lookin Ranger guy. There was very heavy fighting on Culp's Hill.




"Charge of the 2nd Maryland Infantry, CSA into the "slaughterpen" at Culp's Hill, Battle of Gettysburg, July 3, 1863. So severe were the casualties among the Marylanders that General Steuart is said to have broken down and wept, wringing his hands and crying "my poor boys". From.

That tree could be riddled with balls.

I useta work in a sawmill in the west. One area of timber that was cut had been the site of strafing practice by various 2nd War aircraft. If the head rig saw hit the steel cored .50 cal rounds it would peel the teeth off and "shoot" them around the mill floor. This would really get one's attention in a hurry.

Lesser rounds and buried barbed wire, spikes, and all the other tramp metal always had that fresh torn shivered metal look after a close encounter with the various saws. Kept the saw filer busy.

The growth of the tree around the bullet, or wound can take on a crazy burly kinda grain, as if mimicking shock waves from the injury.

Thats pretty cool! someone had a post too about insulators found embedded in trees.

On another note i read somewhere that civil war musket/minie balls were found lodged in old alligator snapping turtles down south, therefore allowing scientists to determine the lifespan of the turtles to be somewhere around 150 years.

ORIGINAL: Erik T

Thats pretty cool! someone had a post too about insulators found embedded in trees.

On another note i read somewhere that civil war musket/minie balls were found lodged in old alligator snapping turtles down south, therefore allowing scientists to determine the lifespan of the turtles to be somewhere around 150 years.

Click to expand...

I feel bad for the turtles, but that is wild.

cool topic...