1989.43.766O (Bullet)

American Civil War era Enfield-Pritchett bullet, fired from English Enfield rifles which were used almost exclusively by the Confederate Army. The bullet is made from lead and conical in shape; while Enfield-Pritchetts have a recessed base just like the more standard Civil War Minié ball style bullet, their tips are more sounded in shape and they lack the characteristic tri-ring grooves, instead having completely smooth sides. The tip of the bullet has significant damage, there are grooves and dents of various sizes as well as one gouge with scoring present inside of it; there is also faint vertical scoring around the base, starting at the lip around the bottom recess and going up to around the middle point; the bottom has been dented as well, slightly deforming its circular shape and caving in on the recess at the bottom; finally there is a white patina (lead carbonate) as well as a rust-colored discoloration present on much of the surface of the bullet, these are both considered to be a common sign of age in lead objects and are caused by exposure.