Live Civil War Shell Removed And Safely Detonated

A Civil War-vintage cannon ball was found on the morning of March 27th by park staff who were conducting archaeological survey work in advance of a park road realignment project. The eight-inch diameter, 44-pound unexploded mortar shell was unearthed in the park’s Eastern Front Unit. As soon as the unexploded artillery shell was discovered, park staff withdrew from the site and put the park’s UXO (unexploded ordnance) policy into effect. A state police bomb squad was notified and arrived on site within two hours. The approximately 144-year-old mortar shell was removed, transported to the Petersburg municipal landfill and detonated with shape charges.  The shell’s fragments will be eventually placed on display in the park’s Eastern Front Visitor Center.