Item Number: A01711

Item Title: Wonderful Rare Cannon Ball: Side Loader 6 Pounder

Price: $1400

Shipping: Not included

Provenance: CS

Type: Cannon Ball

Size: 6 Pounder (3.67 Inch Caliber)

Sabot: Wood Cup (Missing)

Fuse: CS Copper Time Fuse Adapter

Book:
Dickey and George (1993 Edition) Page 32A

Location Recovered: Virginia - Possibly High Bridge

Description:I don't think we've offered more than one or two of these before and I know the one I offered was not nearly in this good of shape. It is not uncommon to see a CS 12 pounder cannon ball with a lead side loader plug. We've sold quite a few of them. But in calibers other than the 12 pounder they are uncommon especially in the 6 pounder size.

The side plug is a late war adaption by the Confederates to be able to use iron case shot balls and conserve lead for bullets and other uses. A dowel down the fuse hole kept a place for he powder while the iron case balls and matrix were loaded though the side plug which was then filled with either a lead, iron or brass plug.

This shell is from the Howard Alligood collection. He's had it a long time and remembers it was from Virginia but not exactly where. I've only known of them from Virginia and most of them were from High Bridge. He said this one might have been. When I purchased it, there was no side loader plug but I had a perfect dug one with white patina to add to it. The white on the side plug you see in the images is the natural patina. Nothing has been added. The iron is pretty good but there are a few spots that are more from late was CS iron than ground action. There is only one pop about the size of a finger nail opposite the side loader plug side so it is not on the display side. The rest of the ground action is pretty small. The mold seam is clear all the way around the circumference. The fuse has a wonderful dark patina on it with only one small edge ding from impact. This shell displays wonderfully.

The shell is inert, cleaned and coated.