Battlefield Pickup Bullet or Shrapnel Struck Cannon Carriage Wheel Spoke

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Battlefield Pickup Bullet or Shrapnel Struck Cannon Carriage Wheel Spoke – This cannon carriage, wheel spoke, according to the collector where it originated, was picked up in the Gettysburg vicinity, sometime shortly after the momentous battle. The oak spoke exhibits an area that is indicative of having been struck, during the period of use, by some kind of projectile – there is a sizeable piece of the spoke missing, with the appearance of an object having torn out that piece; the projectile was apparently hot, as there is evidence of some charring, as well.  The end of the spoke that was attached to the hub of the wheel remains in fine condition; the opposite end, which attached to the rim of the wheel, appears to have been torn out from the rim by the impact of the projectile that struck the spoke. The spoke retains a significant section with original, dark, olive-green paint, typically found on Union artillery limber chests and cannon carriages.

Measurements: Length – 23.5”