This piece is an excellent excavated 3 inch Hotchkiss shell. This is the flat top version that was patented on
May 16th 1865 but did see service at the battles of
Petersburg and
Bentonville,
North Carolina. This is the flat bottomed version of the pattern that is illustrated on page #170 of the 1993 edition of the Dickey & George artillery shell book. They state that this pattern is from 1867 but this one is fired and dug. Most of the ones you see are surplus non-excavated pieces. It has the flat top and the flat bottom. On the lead sabot it has the clear rifling from being fired out of the cannon. At the top of the shell is the zinc 14 second Wright patent time fuse with the center of the shell open where the majority of the percussion fuse is still present. The iron is in very fine condition and will display very well in your collection. This is your chance to own an excellent excavated flat top style 3 inch Hotchkiss case shot shell.
