Basla
Greenie
- Joined
- May 22, 2012
- Messages
- 11
- Reaction score
- 0
- Golden Thread
- 0
- Location
- Arlington, VA
- Detector(s) used
- None
- Primary Interest:
- Other
I found an unexploded Parrott Shell in a stream bed in Windy Run Park in Arlington, VA on Mother's Day last weekend. I took it home with me, looked up info on it on the internet, and contacted the Park Manager the next day to hand it over to him. He was really excited about it and emailed me later saying he thought it may have a tice fuse, which is very rare. An expert had not confirmed that though. I've seen one picture of a tice fuse and it is similar, but doesn't look like an exact match to me. Anyway, he's sending pics of the shell around to experts from the NPS, Manassas Battlefield, etc. to see if he can learn any info from them. In the mean time, I'm dying of curiosity and wanted to see if any of you may be able to give me any info about it?
Useful info:
The Park Manager said it's very mysterious because apparently you can tell from the bottom of the shell that it has been fired, yet there weren't any battles close by. He said that while the area is close to several forts, they should have only been firing test shots, not live ones. Was it shot from one of the area forts anyway? Was it transported there from somewhere else? Also, he and the other folks he's showed it to thus far had not been aware that there were shells with the fuse off-center like the one I found. Anyway, I am SUPER curious! Does anyone have any ideas about it? If you know anything about the components of the shell or why it was where I found it please let me know.
Useful info:
- I found it in a stream bed (not submerged)
- The area where I found it is close to Fort Strong, Fort C.F. Smith (the Park Manager said at about 1/2 mile away it's too close to have been fired from there though), and is just over the river from DC.
- It's about 9 inches by 3 inches
- I didn't weigh it, but the Park Manager said it's a "10 Pounder Parrot Shell"
The Park Manager said it's very mysterious because apparently you can tell from the bottom of the shell that it has been fired, yet there weren't any battles close by. He said that while the area is close to several forts, they should have only been firing test shots, not live ones. Was it shot from one of the area forts anyway? Was it transported there from somewhere else? Also, he and the other folks he's showed it to thus far had not been aware that there were shells with the fuse off-center like the one I found. Anyway, I am SUPER curious! Does anyone have any ideas about it? If you know anything about the components of the shell or why it was where I found it please let me know.
