ThatCannonballGuy
New member
Hiya Jerry,
We may have actually met, at some Charleston relic-show during the past 30 years. (You'd spot me by the uncommonly high number of artillery shells on my show-table.) I don't "do" the Charleston show anymore, but if you attend one of the shows in the Richmond area, bring the Dickey-George artillery projectiles book and I'll sign it for you, gratis.
Speaking of which... I learned a great deal of priceless info from my "shell mentor" and co-author, the late Tom Dickey, who passed away in 1987. He was very patient with a young college guy full of questions (me). So, as I mentioned to Birdman elsewhere in this thread, I try to pass along Tom's gift to me. (Meaning specifically, giving detailed info to sincerely intersted persons, for free.)
I agree with you 100% that considerable caution should be employed whenever attempting to deactivate civil-war artillery projectiles (even the excavated ones). As I always emphasize, there is no such thing as a "small" mistake in Explosive Ordnance Disposal. That being said, I'd also like to reassure diggers that EXCAVATED civil-war era (or earlier) projectiles are not nearly as delicately sensitive as 20th-century stuff. For example, it is not necessary to transport them between pillows. ;-) The key thing is knowing (with ABSOLUTE certainty) the PRE-1870s projectiles from the post-1870s ones.
Regards,
TheCannonballGuy [Pete George]
We may have actually met, at some Charleston relic-show during the past 30 years. (You'd spot me by the uncommonly high number of artillery shells on my show-table.) I don't "do" the Charleston show anymore, but if you attend one of the shows in the Richmond area, bring the Dickey-George artillery projectiles book and I'll sign it for you, gratis.
Speaking of which... I learned a great deal of priceless info from my "shell mentor" and co-author, the late Tom Dickey, who passed away in 1987. He was very patient with a young college guy full of questions (me). So, as I mentioned to Birdman elsewhere in this thread, I try to pass along Tom's gift to me. (Meaning specifically, giving detailed info to sincerely intersted persons, for free.)
I agree with you 100% that considerable caution should be employed whenever attempting to deactivate civil-war artillery projectiles (even the excavated ones). As I always emphasize, there is no such thing as a "small" mistake in Explosive Ordnance Disposal. That being said, I'd also like to reassure diggers that EXCAVATED civil-war era (or earlier) projectiles are not nearly as delicately sensitive as 20th-century stuff. For example, it is not necessary to transport them between pillows. ;-) The key thing is knowing (with ABSOLUTE certainty) the PRE-1870s projectiles from the post-1870s ones.
Regards,
TheCannonballGuy [Pete George]
