The South African
Report by Mr J Keene,
Department of Small Arms,
S A National Museum of Military History,
on the materials recovered in the
November 1973 excavation.
Note: Professor R.J. Mason, Department of Archaeology, University of the Witwatersrand, carried out an excavation of the 1880-1881 Fort at Potchefstroom in November 1973. He subsequently addressed the S.A. Military History Society on the subject, the text of which address was published in this Journal, Volume 3 Number 4 December 1975. The report by Mr Keene which follows was regrettably omitted from the published version of Professor Mason's report.
The small-arms ammunition examined conforms to types in general use from 1853 until 1888. The specimens which predominate are those of the Martini-Henry wrapped brass Mark 111 which appear on the surface and at various depths up to 80 cm.
Two specimens of early muzzle-loading ball, 8 gauge, were encountered at 100 cm. These pieces are likely to have been used in early flintlock weapons dating from 1830 approximately.
An anomaly was encountered in the specimens from E 3.5 F 2.5/33-37 0-20 cm. with expended cases, .303" Mk VII, which is dated 1937.
There are specimens of both bullets and cartridge-cases which have been fired and those which have not. Instances where bullets, designed for rifled barrels, are distorted without bearing impressions of rifle-grooves, suggest the possibility of external ignition or percussion. There are examples of undistorted bullets without cartridge-cases. It can be assumed that the latter were of the cardboard or paper variety and have disintegrated with the passage of time.
There are very few examples of the fired bullet of the Martini-Henry .577"/.450" wrapped brass Mk III. Most of them are undistorted, and there is a solitary undistorted bullet, a .441" Westley Richards. Examples of bullets having been fired are the .577" Enfield, the .577" Snider Mk IX, the Whitworth .451" and .441" Westley Richards.
From the predominance of expended cases of the Martini-Henry cartridge and the scarcity of fired bullets from the same, it is reasonable to conclude that it was principally this ammunition which was fired from the fort. Similarly, from the preponderance of fired examples of .577" Enfield, .577" Snider Mk IX, Whitworth .451" and .441" Wesley Richards bullets, it is reasonable to suppose that it was this type of ammunition which was fired into the fort.
The types of ammunition examined were used in the
following weapons:
| Trench | Size | Max. Depth | Pits | Size | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EO H4 29 | 20m x 1m | 50cm | EO/20 | 1m x 1m | 40cm | |
| GO 20-29 | 10m x 1m | 45cm | EO/24 | 1m x 1m | 30cm sterile | |
| HOH4 20-24 | 10m x 1m | 50cm | EO/37 | 1m x 1m | 60cm | |
| C 1-2/37 | 4m x 1m | 150cm | GO/37 | 1m x 1m | 10cm - sterile below 10cm | |
| H4/45.00-48 | 4m x 1m | 100cm | H4/37 | 1m x 1m | 60cm | |
| E3,5 F2,00/24-27 | 4m x 3m | 70cm | ||||
| E3,5 F2,50/33-37 | 4m x 4m | 30cm |
| Trench/Pit | Depth (cm) | Serial No. | Material | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 44:45.5-49 | 10-20 | 1 | Four expended cases of cartridges, .577/450" Small Arms Ball, Wrapped Brass MkIII | Used in the Martini Henry Rifle which was in service from 1871 until 1888 | |
| 2 | One expended case of Cartridge, .303" MkII Small Arms Ball. | Introduced into service 9-7-1893. Headstamp markings “R.L”: (Royal Laboratories)(manufacturers) ‘c’,: Cordite ‘II’: (Mk II) | |||
| H3H4/20-21 | 30-60 | 1 | One expended case of Cartridge. .577/450" Small Arms Ball, Wrapped Brass Mk III | ||
| H4/45.5-49 | 40-50 | 1 | 3 expended cases same as above | ||
| E 3.5 F 2.5/33-37 | 0-20 | 1 | Six expended cases same as above | ||
| 2 | One bullet from above cartridge | Weight 480 grms | |||
| 3 | Two expended cases of Cartridges Cordite Mk II, Small arms Ball | Period 1893 | |||
| 4 | One expended case of Cartridge .303" Cordite MKI, Small Arms Ball |
Introduced into service 3-11-1891 | |||
| 5 | One bullet from 3 or 4 above | Does not appear to have been fired | |||
| 6 | One expended case of Cartridge, .577/450" Small Arms Ball Solid Case MkII | ||||
| E 3.5 F 2.5/33-37 | 0-20 | 7 | One expended case of Cartridge, .303" MKVII Small Arms Ball | Date 1937 Manufactured by KYNOCH | |
| 8 | Hook from personal equipment | Slade Wallace equipment | |||
| 9 | 2 Buttons, shirt or trouser | Could be military issue | |||
| 10 | Bullet |
| Trench/Pit | Depth (cm) | Serial No. | Material | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100/73 E 4F2 | 24-27 | 1 | Pipe stem (smoking pipe) | ||
| 100/73 G 0/20 | 10-20 | 1 | Slate Stylus | ||
| 100/73 114/37 | - | 1 | Pipe stem (smoking pipe) | ||
| 100/73 114/20-4/25 | 0-20 | 1 | Section of bowl of
a clay smoking pipe | In vogue 1870/80 | |
| E 3.5 F 2.5 33-37 | 20-30 | 1 | Cruciform object: Spread percussion cap | Used with a percussion rifle or musket from approx. 1850 onwards. | |
| 2 | Section of stem from
clay smoking pipe | ||||
| 3 | Buttons, shirt | Probably from an issue garment c1880 | |||
| F 3.5 F2.5 33-37 | 20-30 | 1 | Cartridge Case. Martini-Henry. Drawn Case MK11 |
Manufactured by Kynoch | |
| H4/29 | 10-20 | 1 | 2 Expended cases .577/.450" Wrapped Brass MkIII | ||
| 100/73 H4/37 | 40-50 | 1 | 11 Expended cases as above | ||
| 2 | General Service Button (British) | issued during Victorian period | |||
| 100/73 HO H4/20-24 | 0-10 | 1 | 3 Expended cases .577/450" Wrapped Brass MkIII | ||
| 2 | One Bullet .577" Snider MKIX | Introduced 1871 | |||
| 100/73 H5/38 | 30-40 | 1 | Expended cases .577/.450" Wrapped Brass MkIII | ||
| 2 | Expended case .303" MkII | ||||
| 3 | 2 Buttons, shirt or trouser | ||||
| 4 | Buckle, personal equipment | Slade Wallace equipment | |||
| 5 | Bullet | ||||
| H4/24 | 0-10 | 1 | 2 Expended cases .577/450" Wrapped Brass MkIII | ||
| 2 | 1 Cartridge .303" MKII Cordite Small Arms Ball | ||||
| 100/73 Well filling | 25-35 | 1 | Brass Button | British General Service | |
| E 3.5 F2/24-27 | 2 | Cartridge Case, pistol .450" | |||
| E 3.50 F2.50/33-37 | 20-30 | 1 | 11 Expended cases .577/.450" Wrapped Brass MKIII | ||
| 2 | Bullet, Martini Henry .450" | ||||
| 3 | Cartridge case, .303" MKII Cordite Headstamp: B | Not fired Birmingham Small Arms Co. | |||
| 4 | Expended case, .303" MKII Cordite Headstamp R L. | Royal Laboratories | |||
| 5 | Bullet .303" | ||||
| H4/20 | 10-20 | 1 | 2 Expended cases .577/.450" Wrapped Brass MKIII | ||
| HoH4/20-24 | 10-20 | 1 | 6 Expended cases .577/.450" Wrapped Brass MKIII | ||
| 2 | Brass Button | British General Service | |||
| 3 | Section of hook | Tent accessory | |||
| 4 | Brass eyelet | Tarpaulin or tent | |||
| 5 | Washer | ||||
| H1/29 | &20-30 | 1 | Expended case .577/450" Wrapped Brass MKIII | ||
| 2 | Clothing button (metal) | ||||
| 3 | Bullet .441" Westley Richards | From a paper wrapped Cartridge used in the W-R ‘Monkey-tail’ carbine |
| Trench/Pit | Depth (cm) | Serial No. | Material | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| H1/29 | 10-20 | 1 | Clothing button (metal) | ||
| 100/73 C1-2/37 | 70-80 | 1 | Expended case. .577/.450"
Wrapped Brass MKIII | ||
| 2 | Bullet .577" (Snider) | ||||
| H2/29 | 20-30 | 1 | Clothing Button (metal) | ||
| 100/73 C1-2/37 | 110 | 1 | Lead shot from smooth-bore
muzzle loading musket | 8 gauge (8 balls to the pound) | |
| H4/45-49/60 | 1 | 2 Expended cases .577/.450" Wrapped Brass MKIII | |||
| 2 | 2 Spent bullets (hexagonal) | Used in P/1862 Whitworth rifles. The fire-arm was on issue in the British Army until 1867 | |||
| 3 | 1 Spent bullet .577" Snider | ||||
| H4/45.5-49 | 20-30 | 1 | Expended case .577/.450" Wrapped Brass MKIII | ||
| 2 | Section of paper patch? | ||||
| C1-2/37 | 75 | 1 | Expended case .577/450" Wrapped Brass MKIII |
||
| Ho H4/20-24 | 0-10 | 1 | 1 Bullet .450" pistol | ||
| 2 | Section of spoon | ||||
| 3 | Piece of iron similar to that found at H3/20-21/20-30 | Probably a section of bed-leg | |||
| 4 | 2 Brass Buttons, British General Service | Worn on Tunic | |||
| 5 | 1 Brass Button, small, British General Service | ||||
| 6 | 1 Brass Button, Royal Dublin Fusiliers | ||||
| 7 | 2 Expended cases .577/450" Wrapped Brass MKIII | ||||
| 100/73 | Surface | 1 | Bullet .577" | Used in P/53 Enfield | |
| 100/73 H4/29> | 0-10 | 1 | Sections of mouth organ | ||
| 45/20/4 | 40-50 | 1 | Brass pike tip | Possibly from a colour or standard | |
| H4/20 | 0-10 | 1 | Buckle from personal equipment | ||
| F4/29 | 0-10 | 1 | 2 Expended cases .577/.450" Wrapped Brass MkIII 2 Pieces shot. .696" | Brunswick rifle? | |
| 2 | 1 bullet. .451" Whitworth hexagonal | ||||
| 3 | 1 bullet .577" Snider MKIX | ||||
| 4 | 2 bullets .577" Enfield | ||||
| 100/73 E4F/24-27 | 40-50 | 1 | 2 Metal Clothing Buttons | ||
| 2 | 2 Small Bone clothing Buttons | ||||
| 3 | Coiled wire with gauze | ||||
| 100/73 F4/29 | 0-10 | 1 | Brass hooks and eyes | From military Marquee tent side walls | |
| 2 | Washers, nails, screws | ||||
| 3 | Brass bracket with rivets | ||||
| H4/45.5-49 | 40-50 | 1 | Helmet accessory, usually surmounted by a spike, ball etc. | Situated on top of helmet | |
| 100/73 H4/45.5-49 | 85-100 | 1 | Expended case..577/.450" Wrapped Brass MKIII | ||
| 2 | Spent bullet. Whitworth hexagonal | ||||
| 3 | Spent bullet .577" | ||||
| 4 | 2 Spent bullets probably used in Westley Richards | Flatbase |
Return to Journal Index OR Society's Home page