Confederate Shell/Grenade Turns Up 150 Years Later at Richmond-- Part 1

From the September 24, 2014, National Parks Traveler "150 Years Later, Confederate Shell Turns Up At Richmond National Battlefield Park."

Crews clearing a moat at Fort Gilmer in the park's Fort Harrison Battlefield Unit in preparation for a tour of it on the 150th anniversary (September 29th) of the battle, found a shell thought to be a makeshift hand grenade.  It still had an intact fuse in it and was removed by the County of Henrico Police Bomb Disposal Unit and destroyed at the county's firing range.

The 12-pound explosive shell, one of several that had improvised into a hand grenade and used in the fort's defense.  They were rolled down the front of the fort's earth walls and used against the 7th USCT (United States Colored Troops) in the later stages of the Battle of Fort Harrison.

The Confederate defense of Fort Gilmer was successful and of the 198 members of the 7th USCT who went into the battle, only one returned safely.  The other 197 were either killed, wounded or captured.

--Old Secesh