Thanks for the additional information. Mike, you were correct - I had not looked at the "Broun Body" shell on page 251, Dickey/George. I've been trying to figure out who made the various Deep South shells dug in VA. Many of those are copper-saboted Read-Parrotts, somewhat similar to your example. I had hoped that if I could determine the style sent by Macon Arsenal to Atlanta in 1864, then I could match them up with similar copper sabot Read-Parrotts from Cold Harbor, Bermuda Hundred, etc. Invoices and receipts available on the fold3.com website show Macon supplied thousands of 10 pounder Read-Parrotts to the embattled Army of Tennessee during the Atlanta Campaign. Far more than any other foundry. On April 26, 1864, shortly before the fighting began, Macon's superintendent Richard Cuyler wrote to Col. Wright at the Atlanta Arsenal: "...am in receipt of your requisition for 300 10 pdr. Parrott shells. I have just sent about 1,600 of them (to Atlanta or VA?) and have none remaining on hand." Then, Cuyler provided us with a glimpse of a new pattern prescribed by Richmond in early 1864. Macon's chief continued: "I am not casting any more at present for the reason I am not satisfied the kind we have made heretofore according to last drawings from Richmond do not make good practice. They are entirely too long & must capsize in their flight. Macon's Cuyler registered his complaint with Col. Gorgas in Richmond, and asked "if it would be better to make them like those made at Augusta, which were well spoken of." (i.e., copper sabots)
From excavated examples backed up by additional research, it seems likely that the 10 pounder Parrott pictured in "the last drawings from Richmond," was the "Tredegar Parrott" seen on Dickey/George (1993) page 247. Just as with the official Mullane drawings sent to all the Arsenals in Feb. 1862, every active arsenal was notified of new patterns around March-April 1864. Many variations were made with each arsenal reconfiguring the designs according to their own predelictions - most with a wide bourrelet (or enlarged nose) at the top and a narrow bourrelet at the bottom. As was the case with the earlier 10 pdr. smooth Read-Parrotts, a cone-shaped iron sabot was prescribed by Broun and employed by the VA foundries. Rigid, with little exposed bearing surface, it was the worst sabot put on a 10 pounder Read-Parrott during the war. Superior copper sabots were used on the limited number made in the Deep South. Apparently, your nose-flawed Read-Parrott that started this blog was Macon's response to the changes introduced in early 1864. This style is not found in VA. Is it frequently found around Atlanta? Is there another copper-saboted Read-Parrott without the bourrelet that has been excavated in quantity around Atlanta?
At the same time the "Tredegar Parrotts" were introduced, an official replacement for the standard 3 inch Read was announced - the long 3 inch Broun shell with rounded nose, single wide bourrelet at the top and cast-on copper band sabot. Evidently, these two new patterns represented the Richmond Arsenal's response to severe criticisms from the field of the current projectiles. The timing of their release corresponded with the last of the copper fuze plugs put into Rifle projectiles. Both the 10 ponder and 3 inch patterns were quietly withdrawn after about one month. The too-long 3 inch Broun shell was replaced by a shorter version just as copper fuze plugs gave way to wooden plugs. According to Macon, the flawed "Tredegar Parrott" was superseded by drawings showing the previous smooth-sided Read-Parrott introduced in 1861. Not surprisingly, Col. Broun neglected to mention this screw-up in his postwar writings and their relative rarity caused them to be considered variants.
The first 3 pics are views of the same shell from Kerksis collection. Maybe Dubose. Anyone know what the number represented? I photo'ed during late 1980s right after an 18-wheeler brought much of the DuBose/Kerksis collection to Gettysburg for sale. The last 10 pdr. Read-Parrott was handed to me by Tom Dickey when Pete and I began work on Thunderbolts. It looks like an earlier product of the Macon Arsenal when they were still using copper fuze plugs. Is this style frequently found around the Atlanta Campaign?
