The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1886-11-04
EXPLOSIVE MUSKET-BALLS.
A Whole yolley OF Letters From Comrades on the
Subject.

SubISCts
Whether or not the Confederate soldiers used
explosive musket-balls, there is no question
that the letter of Comrade Hibbs, Co. ID, 18th
Iowa, was of very explosive character The
pieces flew in every direction, Judging from the
very large number of letters to The NATIONAL
| TRIBUNE on the subject. These are so numer-
Gus that it is impossible for us TO publish them
in full. The weight of evidence that such mis-
siles were used would seem TO be sufficient to
convince Comrade Hibbs, who appears to be a
sort of doubling Thomas"
Paul c. Morgan, Co. E, I'd. N. H., Aver Mass,
says that at the battle of Williamsburg May 8,
1862, he took from rebel prisoner % car
| tridges, which be infinitely describes They
were hollow and contained explosive material
so arranged as TO be discharged on striking an
object.
Z. L. Farechild, Co. II, I'D H., Blue Mound,
Kan, says that Gen. Grant knew whereof he
spoke when he said that the rebels used explos-
i've balls at Vicksburg. He says that some of
| his comrades found number of these balls in a
magazine near that place. They experimental
with them and found that they exploded easily,
scattering the fragments in every direction.
| The size of the ball was the same as that car
ried by the old Harper's Ferry musket.
Chas. III. Lynch, Co. c. 18th Conn, Hartford,
| Conn, writes that at the battle of Smokers
Ford, in the Shenandoah Valley, the rebels
/ unCu luuShcl-Odllo WHICH cApOutu Win n snap
| on striking the ground or other object. He has
one of them in his possession, and says that a
| large number of his comrades will bear evil
dence TO these facts
b. +. Shearer Co. C., 32d Ohio, Plymouth,
Ind says that while doing police duty in
| Vicksburg after the surrender members of his
company found large number of explosive
! bullets.
w. II. Weston, First Lieutenant, Co. B, 10th
1 Ind ffharrvyala ha M Oh
burg and knows that the Confederates used ex-
plosive balls, about caliber 60 The shell was
Of lead, and was charged with powder and a
substance that looked like the business end of
friction match. These balls exploded easily
| by conclusion.
Henry A. Langenberg, Co. G., 22d Iowa,
Washington, Iowa. has in his possession an ex-
| plosive bullet fired from rebel gun at Vicks-
| burg.
NV. Delano Co. G, 65th Ohio, Davenport,
Iowa, writes that during the Atlanta campaign
| he saw rebel bullets which, though perhaps not
strictly explosive, were hollow, with a wooden
| plug, which by the firing of the gun would be
driven in, spreading the ball. He says that
these were very common during that year of
/ the war.
J. Ii. Smith, Co. A, 9th Mich, South Bend,
Ind, writes that at the siege of Port Hudson
the enemy fired balls which exploded on strik-
! ing anything One of these struck the gun
barrel of George w. Williams, Co. X, of his
regiment, and by its explosion his face was
badly injured by the fragments. He was taken
to the hospital, and the next day the doctor
removed seven pieces of the metal from his
face. His eyes were so badly injured that he
was blind for a number of days. His sight was
partially restored, but remains weak to this
day. He lives at Edwardsburg, Cass Co., Mich
John G. Livezey Captain, Both Ind, New
Castle, Ind, has in his possession an explosive
ball which struck the ground near him N front
| OF Corinth, Miss.
j. r. King, Co. ID. 4th W. Va, Belpre, o., also
has an explosive ball in his possession which he
would be glad to exhibit to Comrade Hibbs. II
was fired from the rebel lines at Yieksburg.
Frank S. Wells. Co. III, 45th ILL.,, Prairie Star
| Neb., has two explosive musket- balls which he
got at Vicksburg. One of them had been ex-
ploded, and the other, which had not been
fired. still contains the powder and phosphorus
In the cavity.
J. @. A. Campbell, Lieutenant, 9Th Iowa,
Bellefontaine, O.. remembers distinctly that
explosive balls were used by the rebels. He
was incredulOus himself until he saw them
The story was that the rebels got them from
Europe.