Civil War, Union Minié Ball Bullet 1860s

Civil War, Union Minié Ball

Date: 1860's

United States

These three ring, .58 caliber Minié ball bulletswere typically used by Union forces during the American Civil War. They were discovered using metal detectors on private land in various camps and battlefields in Virginia.

The Minié ball was a game changer for modern warfare. Previously, musket balls were inaccurate, low powered, and could take a full minute to load. Soldiers often just ended up using their bayonets instead.

However, the Minié ball changed that. Suddenly, rifles were more accurate, more deadly, and much more practical. The main advantage of this new style of musket ball was that it allowed for rifles to be fully utilized during combat, an impossible feat just a few years earlier. The Minié ball drastically shortened the time it took to reload, by both fitting easily down the barrel of a rifle and eliminating the need for constant cleaning. They also exited the barrel at bone shattering speeds and hit their mark with greater precision. For better or for worse, this new projectile had changed warfare forever.