{"product_id":"original-u-s-civil-war-federal-10-pounder-parrott-rifle-2-9-inch-read-parrott-projectile-with-fuze-remnants","title":"Original U.S. Civil War Federal 10-Pounder Parrott Rifle 2.9 Inch Read-Parrott Projectile with Fuze Remnants","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOriginal Item: Only One Available.\u003c\/strong\u003e This is an original U.S. Civil War Federal \u003cstrong\u003e10-pounder Read-Parrott artillery projectile,\u003c\/strong\u003e manufactured for the\u003cstrong\u003e 2.9-inch Parrott rifle \u003c\/strong\u003eand retaining remnants of its original fuze assembly. This early Federal projectile pattern represents an important development in rifled artillery ammunition, combining the wrought iron ring sabot originally patented by \u003cstrong\u003eDr. John B. Read\u003c\/strong\u003e with improvements developed by \u003cstrong\u003eCaptain Robert Parker Parrott\u003c\/strong\u003e. The projectile measures approximately \u003cstrong\u003e9 inches tall with a 3-inch base diameter\u003c\/strong\u003e and retains its circular fuze cap. There is material loss around the base, although the projectile is still capable of standing upright. This is an interesting example of the early Read-Parrott pattern, closely associated with Federal artillery operations during the opening months of the Civil War, including the First Battle of Manassas in July 1861.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe development of the Read-Parrott projectile began before the outbreak of the Civil War, when \u003cstrong\u003eDr. John B. Read\u003c\/strong\u003e patented his innovative wrought iron ring sabot design on\u003cstrong\u003e October 28, 1856\u003c\/strong\u003e, under U.S. Patent \u003cstrong\u003eNo. 15,999\u003c\/strong\u003e. The sabot was a metal ring or cup attached to the base of an elongated projectile, designed to expand into the rifling grooves of a cannon barrel when fired. This engagement with the rifling imparted rotation to the projectile, improving its stability and accuracy in flight. Before 1861, \u003cstrong\u003eRobert P. Parrott\u003c\/strong\u003e acquired the rights to manufacture projectiles incorporating Read's design, with an arrangement providing for royalty payments to Read.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eParrott subsequently developed improvements to the original wrought iron sabot, receiving U.S. Patent \u003cstrong\u003eNo. 33,100\u003c\/strong\u003e on\u003cstrong\u003e August 20, 1861\u003c\/strong\u003e. His design addressed a weakness in Read's earlier construction, in which the relatively thin edges of the wrought iron cup could break away from the projectile body during firing or become damaged during handling. Parrott increased the thickness of the sabot, particularly around its edges, and introduced a method of forming the cup so that it would more effectively engage the rifling grooves. The objective was to improve the strength and reliability of the sabot while maintaining the rotational advantages of Read's original design.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn his patent, Parrott specifically acknowledged that his invention was an improvement upon the projectile patented by Read in 1856. The revised wrought iron cup was designed to engage the rifling grooves during loading and expand under the pressure generated when the cannon fired, allowing it to conform to the grooves and lands of the barrel without breaking away from the projectile. This development was an important step in improving the performance of rifled artillery ammunition during the early Civil War period.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAccording to correspondence written by Parrott, this early projectile pattern underwent testing at the \u003cstrong\u003eWashington Arsenal \u003c\/strong\u003ein June 1861, under the command of \u003cstrong\u003eBrigadier General George D. Ramsay\u003c\/strong\u003e. Parrott also associated the design with\u003cstrong\u003e Ricketts' Battery\u003c\/strong\u003e during the\u003cstrong\u003e First Battle of Manassas\u003c\/strong\u003e, fought on July 21, 1861. This early battlefield association is especially interesting because it places the Read-Parrott pattern among the rifled artillery ammunition employed by Federal forces during the opening stages of the war. The configuration closely corresponds to the design illustrated and described in Parrott's August 1861 patent.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlthough these projectiles were manufactured for Federal artillery, their wrought iron ring sabots were based upon Read's original patent. Parrott's contribution was an improvement to that existing design rather than an entirely new sabot principle. For this reason, early projectiles incorporating the wrought iron ring are properly classified as the\u003cstrong\u003e Read-Parrott pattern\u003c\/strong\u003e, distinguishing them from later Parrott projectiles employing brass ring sabots and different fuze arrangements. These later patterns included designs with threaded fuze openings, reflecting the continued development of Parrott artillery ammunition throughout the Civil War.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis example has material loss at the base but still stands upright. It retains the circular fuze cap and measures roughly 9” tall with a 3” base diameter.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cstrong\u003e10-pounder Read-Parrott projectile\u003c\/strong\u003e represents an important stage in the early development of American rifled artillery ammunition. Its wrought iron sabot design illustrates the relationship between the inventions of\u003cstrong\u003e Dr. John B. Read\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eRobert P. Parrott,\u003c\/strong\u003e while the pattern's documented association with early Federal artillery operations provides additional historical significance. This example retains its recognizable elongated form and surviving circular fuze cap, despite the material loss around its base. Its approximately \u003cstrong\u003e9-inch height, \u003c\/strong\u003esurviving fuze remnants, and early Federal pattern construction make it a noteworthy example for collectors studying Civil War artillery, particularly the evolution of rifled projectiles during the opening years of the conflict.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!----\u003e","brand":"Original Items","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46350707195973,"sku":"ONSV26MWC019","price":595.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1524\/1342\/files\/9E0C0EE4-C787-411A-876F-2F5BC36B94C2.jpg?v=1794256615","url":"https:\/\/www.ima-usa.com\/products\/original-u-s-civil-war-federal-10-pounder-parrott-rifle-2-9-inch-read-parrott-projectile-with-fuze-remnants","provider":"International Military Antiques","version":"1.0","type":"link"}