joe dirt_1
Active member
I found this in a field in west central Illinois recently. I think it may be a projectile fuse but could be wrong.
I've found several items with Illinois 75th vol. cavalry markings in this field, plus I found a confederate spur in this field about a year ago.
Almost all the brass items I have dug here have had military markings on them. Some strange items like spikes and even nails have been marked.
The item pictured was covered with a thick coat of rust and I have been cleaning it with electrolysis to try to get to the detail on the piece.
I have looked at pictures of other fuses and mine has very similar features to some I looked at, yet whatever I found is covered in writing and has horse shoes on it.
It measures 3 3/4" long x about 1/2 " in diameter. It has threads towards the end and the hole in the center goes about half way of the length and there is a small hole on the
bottom end of the thing. I can see an arrow pointing to the left around the top hole and it has at least one little rectangle on the top for what might be a tool to tighten the thing in a shell.
Why would all this stuff be marked like it is ? If it is a fuse what purpose would it serve to cover it with all this markings ? Sorry about the picture quality, but I will post better pics after I get it cleaned.
There was no war activity in my area, but apparently someone who lived here had some kind of connection to the war. Thanks,
Roger
I've found several items with Illinois 75th vol. cavalry markings in this field, plus I found a confederate spur in this field about a year ago.
Almost all the brass items I have dug here have had military markings on them. Some strange items like spikes and even nails have been marked.
The item pictured was covered with a thick coat of rust and I have been cleaning it with electrolysis to try to get to the detail on the piece.
I have looked at pictures of other fuses and mine has very similar features to some I looked at, yet whatever I found is covered in writing and has horse shoes on it.
It measures 3 3/4" long x about 1/2 " in diameter. It has threads towards the end and the hole in the center goes about half way of the length and there is a small hole on the
bottom end of the thing. I can see an arrow pointing to the left around the top hole and it has at least one little rectangle on the top for what might be a tool to tighten the thing in a shell.
Why would all this stuff be marked like it is ? If it is a fuse what purpose would it serve to cover it with all this markings ? Sorry about the picture quality, but I will post better pics after I get it cleaned.
There was no war activity in my area, but apparently someone who lived here had some kind of connection to the war. Thanks,
Roger