6 pound confederate borman question

B

bnoll

Established Users
I was wondering if someone could help me. A friend of mine found a 6 lb. Confederate Borman cannonball last month and after cleaning it, it has 2 small letters stamped into it close to the fuse. An "O" and a "G" about two inches apart from each other. I have been told that it indicates an arsenal but no body I have talked to knows of one stamped twice. If any information please holler back. Thanks!
Brent
 
Letter Stamp

Brent -

There is much debate, and by inference, some disagreement over what many of the letter stamps signify on the various projectiles manufactured within the Confederacy. In this case, there is near universal agreement that a "G" stamp signifies that the projectile was produced in or near Selma, Alabama, and was purchased by (in this case because of the size) the CS Army. The practice was to contract for the castings and to have them delivered to the army arsenal there where they would be inspected, loaded, fused (in the case of the Bormanns) and packed for shipment. I have documentation from one such supplier indicating that the fee for tapping the raw casting for the fuse and the underplug was $0.35 per projectile.

There are other "letters" also attributed to Selma's numerous foundries, and certainly those to the north along the upper Cahaba ("Cahawba" in period writings) River basin - the source for virtually all of the iron, coal, and limestone used by the CS west of the Chattahoochee River after the losses of the iron, coal, and limestone deposits of western Tennessee by early 1862. Pete George is the best source for this one, but others are certainly knowlegable as well. A photo could add to our knowledge on this subject.
 
Selma Hunter has already given you most of the information you asked for. I applaud his very detailed listing of the historical facts about the origin of your friend's G-marked CS 6-pounder caliber Bormann shell. Pardon me, please, but I must correct one small error in it... fuzes were not inserted into shells until they were literally "on the field of battle." (They were not shipped from the manufacturer with fuzes in them, nor stored in the battery's ammunition chests with fuzes in them.)

In all my decades of closely observing civil war projectiles with so-called "Arsenal marks" (which are in actually an Ordnance-Inspector's mark), I have not previously heard of a specimen which had both a G and an O stamping. Does your friend know with certainty which particular battle it was used in? For Historical Data purposes, I'd like to know the date it was fired.

Regards,
Pete [P.C. George]
 
Pete,
Thanks again for your help on the subject. Also I would like to thank Selma Hunter for the initial response that identified the shell's origin. The shell was more than likely fired in The Battle of Stones River due to its proximity in the middle of the battle area. I would post some pictures of it but my friend is in talks with Steve Sylvia about having it showcased in North South Trader and doesn't want it posted anywhere on the internet until NST gets it first. I have seen it since electrolysis was performed and it is amazing on how slick it is almost pit free. This is probably why the stamps are visible but I will assure you, the G and O are very visible. What would the O signify anyway? Thanks again!
 
Get our curiosity up and let us down. I am a junior member and would like to see a pic. Let me know if I am out of line senior members
 
Curiousity killed the cat. I am still wet behind the ears....My ambition to learn gets me in trouble oh to often....
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top