does anybody know about caltrops? what's the deal...

[GRAY GHOST]

hey everybody. a good buddy of mine recently gifted me with a brass caltrop. it's solid brass, nondug, 6 sided, and about 1" around. it's a neat piece. is it from the cw era? there's been a lot of debate for years over whether caltrops were even used during the civil war, or if they even existed back then at all. has anybody heard new info on this interesting piece? thanks for your help, and hh!

 

[SoArk]

I don't know how much use they may have had in the civil War, but I think they were used way back..... maybe even B.C.

 

[woodwizard]

if not wrong I believe those have been around since very early days used by Chinese and Japanese .can't remember the year right now but it was long ago

 

[Larry (IL)]

I googled caltrop and they were used in the Medieval times to damage horse hooves, so I would say the Civil War usage is logical.

 

[Nemo]

Gray: what you have is not a caltrop. As discussed, they were used to impale horse's hoofs. But their design is different from what you have. Caltrops have 3 spikes point down in the ground making a triangle between the points and a single point sticking up. Here's an example I photographed at Nashville.

[attachment 145861 Nashville200888SSM.png]​

The Nashville example was unusual as it was apparently used in WW2 by the OSS. See the enclosed picture of a caltrop used against an army truck from the period OSS manual

[attachment 145862 caltrop_WW2era_British_SOE_OSS_SAS_manual_diagram_trucktire_.png]​

I think your item could be one of several things with the same general shape. A metal casting smoother for tumbling and knocking of the casting fragments from castings in a tumbler or a large child's "jack" or perhaps a a tumbler for cleaning a cement truck. All of these are possible and note the rounded edges on your spikes.

I learned most of what I know about Caltrops from Artillery Expert Peter George who has studied these objects for years.

Dave Poche

 

[GRAY GHOST]

n/t

 

[Bruce]

Hi. The caltrops are generally with sharp points to puncture hoofs, feet, or tires. Used since anchient times thru Nam. Probably still in use today. Nasty things, but effective for slowing down an advancing enemy.

 

[Daniel Tn]

The one in your pic looks like the one I dug a few years back. Mine was rusty and I did electrolysis on it.

I've seen several kinds of these things. I saw two at the Dalton show back in February for $75 each just like the ones we have here. And I've seen them bigger too. The one I dug came out of an exclusive Civil War firing range. All we find there is shot 3 ringers, and artillery shell frags. We were digging cannister balls too and I dug mine thinking it was another cannister ball. Evidently they did use them for something during the Civil War....whether for crippling horses or for stuffing into cannister tins.

 

[GRAY GHOST]

hi daniel. on closer inspection, it turns out the piece in question is indeed iron. it's not rusty at all, either. here are some better pics of the piece. thanks for the info... i reckon the debate will go on.

 

[Kruegerrand]

I recently dug a cast iron one. In the past I have seen one dug from a redoubt in NE Alabama. A buddy of mine also dug one recently and I have attached before and after electrolysis pics.

 

[fongu]

I read about them years ago in a Louis L'Amour book called the "Walking Drum" about a character name Kerbouchard and his adventures. He hooked up with a merchant caravan and they were attacked by the people of the Steppes, for runners of the Mongols. They put out caltrops to break the charge of the Calvary. The Steppes had a saying: Yol Bolsun or may there be a road. 2 cents
This book was an accurate and excellent history lesson, much better than what you read in Politically correct schools nowadays.

 

[Cupajo]

As an aircraft weapons technician during the Vietnam mess, I recall a device designed to shred tires and poorly shod feet and pack mule's/water-buffalo's hooves!!

Nasty, but very effective little buggers!!

Regards all,

CJ

 

[Nivekian]

Hi, I found one too and it looks to be in better condition than the others posted here. Thought I'd share the pic.
Is it worth anything?

 

[jreb]

I have dug two recently and they were in a camp where I was finding about 90% civil was relics