Battle Of
       West Point
 Artifacts Found at the Fort

These artifacts were found at Fort Tyler by Rea and Billy Clark.

     Artifacts associated with the Confederate forces included an unfired .69 caliber round musket ball, four unfired .54 caliper minie musket balls, a six-pounder solid shot for use with field artillery piece, and five grape or canister iron balls.   These balls were used with either the 32-pounder gun as a canister round or 27 balls, or as grape shot for a 12-pounder gun with nine balls per stand.  Additionally, an iron lid and a fragment of a pearl ware bowl were also recovered which were probably associated with the Confederates inside the fort.

     A number of artifacts, probably related to the construction of the fort, were also found.  They included nine square nails, and iron rod fragment, and a piece of an iron barrel band.

     Most of the Union artifacts at the site were shell fragments.  The types of shells and shear number found prove the fort withstood intense artillery fire.  Some examples of the unearthed artifacts include: six-inch shells as used with a 24-pounder and a James Rifle or Sawyer rifle, 1 three-inch Hotchkiss shell fragment as used with a three-inch ordinance rifle, a bullet fired from either a Spenser or Merrill carbine, and s fired .2 caliper shell cartridge case for a Forehand and Wadsworth revolver.


Confederate button


CSA button


Sabre insignia


Sabre insignia


Union button


button


Sam Starkey button

 
 

Fort Tyler is an official Civil War Discovery Trail site.  
          The Civil War Discovery Trail links more than 
          300 sites in 16 states to inspire and to teach 
          the story of the Civil War and its haunting 
          impact on America. The Trail, an initiative 
          of the Civil War Preservation Trust, allows 
          visitors to explore battlefields, historic 
          homes, railroad stations, cemeteries, parks, 
          and other destinations that bring history to 
          life. For more information on the Civil War 
          Discovery Trail and the Civil War Preservation 
          Trust, see www.civilwar.org

Copyright © 2006 Fort Tyler Association