This is an excavated cylinder from a Model 1860 Colt Army cap and ball revolver. The Colt Army was the workhorse revolver for the Union Army during the Civil War. This one was recovered many years ago on private property on Ivy Mountain, near Pikeville, Ky. This was the site of a small battle fought between a couple hundred Confederate soldiers of the 5th Kentucky Infantry Regiment commanded by Colonel John S. Williams and Union soldiers of the 2nd and 21st Ohio Infantry commanded by Colonel Joshua W. Sill. The battle occurred on 8 November, 1861 and resulted in 6 killed and 24 wounded for the union forces. The Confederates evacuated the area and moved into southwest Virginia after losing 10 killed, 15 wounded and 50 captured or missing. The cylinder is easily recognizable as an Army Colt. The best part of this one is it still has four bullets! It seems that this one may have been ran over by something heavy, as the two empty cylinders are out of round. This is an unusual find from an early Civil War battle, and it's priced less than a belt plate! If you collect excavated artifacts, take a close look at this one.

Item # AA873

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