Description:

This is a really nice set of Artifacts recovered along the Smoky Hill Trail, the buyer will receive the description listed below of all these items.  Having a nice, detailed list like this makes this collection more enjoyable and valuable.

ARTIFACTS FROM THE INDIAN WARS – 1860 – 1880

These artifacts were recovered with permission from private property along the Smoky Hill Trail in Western Kansas.

Top Row – Left to Right

44 caliber bullet, probably fired from a Henry rifle or an 1866 Winchester (“golden boy”) rifle.  Could have been fired by a Native American as these were their weapons of choice and generally were not used by the US military.

50-70 cartridge case for 1868 Springfield trap-door rifle, used by the US infantry.  Center fire, internally primed

45-70 long-range bullet for 1873 Springfield trap-door rifle, used by the US infantry.  Center-fire cartridge, initially internally primed, later externally primed.

Second Row – Left to Right

Cut, square nail.  Used in most wood construction in the second half of the 1800s.

46 caliber cartridge case, rim-fire, internally primed.  Possibly fired from a single shot rolling-block rifle, Remington manufacture.

44 caliber cartridge case, rim-fire, internally primed, fired in a Henry rifle or an 1866 Winchester (“golden boy”) rifle.  This case shows clearly the double firing pin of these two rifles.

Horsehoe nail

Third Row – Left to Right

45-70 medium-range bullet for 1873 Springfield trap-door rifle, used by the US infantry.  Center-fire, initially internally primed, later externally primed.

50 caliber ball.  Probably fired from a “cap and ball” pistol, either single shot or revolver.

Fourth Row – Left to Right

1873 Springfield rifle part, a metal piece (steel or brass) that protected the upper end of the gun stock.  The groove at one end is for the ramrod.

Eagle button, probably a jacket button worn by a US trooper.

Underwear button, probably from a shirt worn by a US trooper.  Shirts were considered underwear.

Fifth Row

Leather Strap and Buckle, probably part of the harness for a horse or mule.

Sixth Row – left to right

Smashed bullet, probably 50 caliber, maybe for Spencer rifle or 50-70 Springfield rifle. 

50 caliber cartridge case, for 56-50 Spencer rifle, rim-fire, internally primed.  Used by US Cavalry.  Head stamp is S(age)A(rms)W(orks.)

68 Caliber ball, of the type used in muzzle-loader rifles during the Civil War.  Used in the Indian Wars as “shrapnel” in a 12-pounder cannon ball.  The shell was hollow cast iron and was filled with approximately fifty 68 caliber balls and a small powder charge.  A fuse could be set so that the powder charge would explode in an aerial burst a period of time after the cannon was fired, up to 5 seconds.  The cast iron shell would break into many pieces that and the fifty balls would scatter.  The Native Americans call this the “gun that shoots twice.”  The cannon used was a Mountain Howitzer.