Civil War Bullets Found- News Story
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surfaceone
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Thanks for that story, Lauren.
Rockhounder55
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Great story Laur. I've been to Gettysburg twice. In 1968, when I was a mere lad, and again in 1992. Oddly enough, when I was there in 1968, we went to Culp's Hill. I brought home a rock from there, and I still have it to this day. [
] ~Mike
] ~Mikecoreya
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shouldn't the bullet have been deeper in the tree since the war was 150 + years ago when the bullet was fired that hit that tree, and the tree grows from the outside 1 inch or so which makes the rings ever expanding? I've cut down my fair share of old oaks and one 150 + years old would be a bit larger around than that one. Just an observation!
surfaceone
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Hey Corey,
It's a Sycamore. They're pretty slow growing. Not quite as hard as an oak. A possible trajectory of that ball could'a had it a hand an a half deep.
Here's some WWII shrapnel in a relatively immature pine.
From.
It's a Sycamore. They're pretty slow growing. Not quite as hard as an oak. A possible trajectory of that ball could'a had it a hand an a half deep.
Here's some WWII shrapnel in a relatively immature pine.
GuntherHess
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ya there a few things wrong with that picture. As you mention the bullet is in the outside of the tree. The tree would have had to have died not too long after the bullet hit and would have rotted in all that time. The bullet has a white oxidized lead patina. Bullets get this from being in the ground for 100 years. One in wood isnt likely to have this. If they cut that with a chain saw and exposed that much of the bullet its likely they would have scraped the patina off it on the cut side. You should be seeing bare lead. Finallly, unjacketted lead civil war bullets deform a lot when they hit something hard like an oak tree. That bullet looks pretty much intact like a dropped round.
cool story, maybe its true
It is possible to find civil war bullets in old wood. I have found a couple and there are many well know examples.
bostaurus
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From the way the rotting is on the outside of the tree it looks as if the tree was doing poorly for awhile before it fell or was cut. There seems to be a few inches of the tree missing from the rot. That would place the bullet deeper than it seems. Still not as deep as you would expect though. I wonder if the tree has been down for a long time and they are just getting around the removing it?
It does seem odd that cutting the tree did not leave bare lead showing.. Did they have bullets made of some sort of ceramic or stone like material?
It does seem odd that cutting the tree did not leave bare lead showing.. Did they have bullets made of some sort of ceramic or stone like material?
Interesting questions, guys. I don't know enough about this type of thing to chime in, but I didn't think they would just make up a story. I wish they would have shown more close-ups, as Surface was able to do. I couldn't find a link with a good picture.
I was just thinking about what Gunth said, and I know the type of bullet they made then, pretty much exploded when it went inside the body, destroying a lot (can't think of the name of that effect besides the term mushrooming). When it hit something hard, compared to the soft human body, I guess the result would be different. Then you have to think about how old the tree was back then. Why don't they just count the rings and see?
I was just thinking about what Gunth said, and I know the type of bullet they made then, pretty much exploded when it went inside the body, destroying a lot (can't think of the name of that effect besides the term mushrooming). When it hit something hard, compared to the soft human body, I guess the result would be different. Then you have to think about how old the tree was back then. Why don't they just count the rings and see?
cc6pack
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I agree with Matt, if the log had been cut as said the bullet would show signs of the cut. If the bullet was fired into a living tree the tree would have sealed the wound and the bullet would not have been exposed to the air and oxidized. It takes about 60 years for lead to oxidize to the point pictured.
Surface
Not trying to start anything but technically you have shell fragments from WWII. Although the term shrapnel is used interchangeably with shell fragment it is not correct. The link below will exlpain it in more detail.
http://www.history.army.mil/faq/shrapnel.htm
Surface
Not trying to start anything but technically you have shell fragments from WWII. Although the term shrapnel is used interchangeably with shell fragment it is not correct. The link below will exlpain it in more detail.
http://www.history.army.mil/faq/shrapnel.htm
GuntherHess
Well-Known Member
just lead for small arms. No doubt a few CSA solders tried rocks or marbles but they dont make good projectiles.
I'd like to see a close up too.
Here is a Williams cleaner bullet in a peice of wood. You can see its smashed pretty well.
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