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James Shell from Cane Hill

November 28th, 1862, and US General James G. Blunt, found
himself approaching the Confederate Position at Cane Hill, Arkanas,
WITHOUT the majority of his Army. Fortunately, Captain John W. Rabb's,
2nd Indiana Battery was there to help Blunt keep the Southerners occupied,
until the First Division's arrival. Rabb's six-gun battery of "true" Jame's Rifles
shelled Marmaduke & Shelby's positions for almost two hours, eventually
joined by Hopkin's Kansas Battery.

October 13th, 1988, a "treasure hunter" long tired of
hunting for a pot of gold, ascended a hill just NW of the
original site of the Cane Hill College. Thinking that big
iron signal is just another plow point, a pleasant surprise
appears at about 19-20 inches deep !

Look at the birdcage construction of the bottom half
of a Jame's Shell, fired from a rifled piece. With those
slots, and the spin the rifling put on it, it may have
whistled like a WWI shell, as it came in. Most known examples
appear to be percussion fused, so it had to land
nose first, to explode. If it tumbled in flight, it may not go off.
A dud. Hmmmm, probably still be there if it
wasn't plowed up years ago. Thank Goodness !

Messages In This Thread

James Shell from Cane Hill
Re: James Shell from Cane Hill
LEAD SABOTS USED ON JAMES SHELLS..??
Re: LEAD SABOTS USED ON JAMES SHELLS..??