Bloody Battles
Federal troops—and later Confederates—used advanced weapons: rifled muskets that fired spinning, cone-shaped minié balls; rapid-fire, breech-loading rifles; and rifled artillery. But both sides employed these weapons in traditional short-range fire between massed lines of soldiers, with deadly results.
The Minié Ball
Named for a French Army officer, minié balls were conical-shaped bullets with hollow bases. Exploding powder expanded the lead into the barrel’s rifling, giving the balls spin and making them fly farther and straighter.
Related Artifacts
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.44 Henry rifle, Lincoln’s ; Immediate forerunner of the famous Winchester rifles. About 14,000 were made between 1860 and 1866 by the New Haven Arms Company; this gold mounted, engraved Henry rifle was presented to Abraham Lincoln in an effort to obtain his influence in their purchase for the war effort; only about 1,731 Henry rifles were purchased by the Ordnance Department between 1862 and 1865, but a number of units in the West purchased them at their own expense. the 1st Maine and 1st District of Columbia cavalry regiments, are known to have been issued Henry rifles.
Kerr revolver; .44 cal. Manufact. by the London Armoury Comany of London. Could be fired either single or double action. Almost all were purchased by the Confederacy. Preferred by many Confederate cavalrymen.
Green, with light green piping. Trousers are 43”L x 15.5” W, and are unfinished.
.44 Henry rifle, Lincoln’s ; Immediate forerunner of the famous Winchester rifles. About 14,000 were made between 1860 and 1866 by the New Haven Arms Company; this gold mounted, engraved Henry rifle was presented to Abraham Lincoln in an effort to obtain his influence in their purchase for the war effort; only about 1,731 Henry rifles were purchased by the Ordnance Department between 1862 and 1865, but a number of units in the West purchased them at their own expense. the 1st Maine and 1st District of Columbia cavalry regiments, are known to have been issued Henry rifles.
Kerr revolver; .44 cal. Manufact. by the London Armoury Comany of London. Could be fired either single or double action. Almost all were purchased by the Confederacy. Preferred by many Confederate cavalrymen.
Green, with light green piping. Trousers are 43”L x 15.5” W, and are unfinished.
