✅ SOLVED Never mind Gilbert Grape.. What's Eating William??

[snaps]

Hey Everyone, this bullet was dug in a spot that literally eats lead.I've dug bullets in various terrains in 4 different states, an only ran into this once.Anyone encounter this?? As always, thanks for looking Snaps

 

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[TheCannonballGuy]

I've dug civil war lead bullets in highly acidic swampy/wet soil which corroded the bullets down as badly as yours. In certain environmental conditions, Tannic Acid from centuries of decaying vegetation can accumulate in the soil, to a strength that slowly "eats" lead (and brass buttons, etc) which lay in that soil for 150 years.

For example, in the civil war bullet collecting community, we occasionally have to advise new collectors that there never was such a thing as a .54-caliber Williams "Bore-cleaner" bullet, despite what some Ebay sellers claim. Yankee Ordnance-production records show the Williams bullets were only manufactured in .58-caliber. The "undersized" ones are simply acidic-soil-corroded .58s. Here's a photo showing two corroded so-called .50-caliber CS Gardner minie-bullets (which also never actually existed).

 

[snaps]

Cannonballguy, thanks for the info an yes it was a swampy spot, lots of pine. It's Funny, first time there, we felt like hot-shots with these rare 50 or 54 Cal. 2-ring union bullets!!