This is an excavated 12 pound case shot recovered from Cumberland City, Tennessee. It was recovered along what is called "River Road" in the 1950's along the route to Nashville used by Nathan Bedford Forrest after his escape from Ft. Donelson. The ball is 4.55" in diameter and weighs 8.8 pounds. It has not been stabilized to prevent any further deterioration, and shows the effects from laying on the ground. This one was not excavated, but simply picked up off the ground! There is no fuse in it, but a carved wooden plug in it's place. The exterior of the shell is heavily pitted but not flaking. There interior of the shell is empty. The case shot shells held smaller round balls that would scattered when the shell exploded. These were used as anti personnel rounds, designed to explode over troops. It is possible that this could have been dropped during Forrest's movement to Nashville from Ft. Donelson.

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