Hi Jake, and the rest of the world:
     Just curious, how do we recognize "Brown Bess"  musket balls as
opposed to all the other national muskets from the same time period?
     Also, have you considered that manipulation of the surface texture of
these projectiles might have been to insure clothing debris was drawn into
the wound and thus improve the lethality of the shot.
     Love to talk guns and ammunition with anyone,    "chuck" Adkins




Jake Ivey <[log in to unmask]> on 01/10/2000 06:13:58 AM

Please respond to HISTORICAL ARCHAEOLOGY <[log in to unmask]>



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 cc:      (bcc: Charles Adkins/NFO/AK/BLM/DOI)



 Subject: Re: Manipulated Munitions on Revolutionary War
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     Excavations at the 1836 battle of the Alamo, where a variety of small
     arms were used dating from the late 1700s on, have found a number of
     altered lead balls for musket and rifle.  Rifle balls were frequently
     cut in half, or quarters, leaving the last bits still attached to hold
     them together until fired, and musket balls (about half of them Brown
     Bess) cut in half.  Literally cut -- knife striations visible on the
     cut facrs.  Also, of course, the usual other uses, hammered flat for
     button replacements and the like.  One peculiar use we found
     frequently was the use of a musket or rifle ball soldered onto the end
     of the cone-shaped sleeve covering the point of a bayonet scabbard,
     replacing the brass knob that had apparently been broken off.

     Jake.