Civil War era Minié (or Minni) ball bullet, used in muzzle-loaded rifled muskets. The bullet is made from lead and conical in shape; there is a set of three grooves around the base; the bullet itself is lightweight and hollow, an intentional design created to cause the most damage possible. There is a large gouge (approx. 2 cm long by 1 cm wide) on one side, the edges of which flare out, slightly changing the shape of the object; another, smaller gash (approx. 1 cm long by 1/2 cm wide) can be found on the opposite side, this gash is at the base of the bullet and has caused a slight indent on the edge of the recessed bottom; there are also several small cuts towards the tip of the object. There is a white patina (lead carbonate) present on the surface of the bullet, this is common in older lead objects as it can be caused by long-term exposure to carbon dioxide; there is also a significant amount of rust-colored residue present in the inside of the recessed bottom.