As some of you know, I've been researching the 1871 US-Korea military action for many years. Part of that research has involved actual field study, including the finding of relics from the fighting. To date, I've found shell fragments, bullet casings, bullets, minie balls, matchlock musket balls and even canister shot. However, a friend of mine, who has been helping me, found what is likely the most interesting piece a couple days ago when he went back to the island where the fighting took place--an intact naval Schenkl shell, which was undoubtedly fired from a rifled Dahlgren boat howitzer.
Generally, when he finds live rounds (mainly from the 1950-53 war), he reburies them and notifies Korean EOD people. However, because the last time a shell from the 1871 action was determined to be live (12-pdr.), EOD people came and took ALL projectiles out of a museum (including solid shot) and, presumably, destroyed the US shell. I contacted a friend of mine at the Korea Military Academy to see where the Korean Army Museum had rounds deactivated for displays, so I'm waiting to hear back from him. Our hope is that, eventually, this round--along with other recovered relics--will have a display in a Korean museum.
This is an important find, so we need to be careful in all senses of the word!
