Object found in parking lot ID'd as Civil War-era artillery shell

Star-Telegram ^ | 1-12-07 | DOMINGO RAMIREZ JR

[Dysart]

For those of you not familar with Euless, it's a small city just east of Fort Worth, betwixt Dallas-FW. One would think this was a shell somehow lost from a CW collector rather than some unexpected find from days gone by.

[Deguello]

“It could have just fallen from a wagon traveling this area"

Yes, that is how it ended up in the parking lot. ~sarc.

[Dysart]

I know, ridiculous speculation.

[battlegearboat]

Rock Hudson dropped it on his way to Matagorda.

[YouPosting2Me]

Old School WMD... I expect we will find the Iraq (Syria) WMD sooner than that...

[Pontiac]

A battery of Parrott guns at Fort Brady, Virginia. They are manned by the 1st Connecticut Heavy Artillery. 1864.

[Dysart]

Since the source didn't post a photo, I'll submit what it may lookm like

[stainlessbanner]

Dixie Ping

[Dysart]

lookm= look

[Constitution Day]

Neat stuff.
I had to chuckle at this, though:

No weapon was found with the shell.

[Drawsing]

An explosive team member then grabbed the shell and placed it in a container.

Are they referring to his temperament or his mutant super powers?

[Dysart]

Do you know why they were called Parrott guns?

[U S Army EOD]

Yes, it will still go boom.

[RightWhale]

Apparently there was Civil War fighting in Texas and what is now known as New Mexico. A collector would probably not want a live shell even if it was a dud. The wagon driver would have not been pleased if this fell off his wagon, so it was probably part of an ammo dump of small size.

[RebelBanker]

Thanks for the ping! I just hope the EOD team defusing this thing is VERY careful. There have been several serious injuries recently from people trying to get the powder out of WBTS era shells - experts on such ordnance. Apparently, there is a nasty chemical reaction possible if there was moisture in the shell when the old powder is exposed to air.

[Dysart]

Hard to say. I've been called an "explosive team member" before. But I quashed that sort of slanderous nonsense with a thorough butt-whipping.

[RebelBanker]

The guns and shells were designed by US Army Captain Robert Parker Parrott.

[Dysart]

I knew someone would have the answer. Thanks.

[sionnsar]

Interesting shape. Did it have a sabot?

[sionnsar]

Hard to say. I've been called an "explosive team member" before. But I quashed that sort of slanderous nonsense with a thorough butt-whipping.

And I'll bet you did that right quickly too. *\;-)