The Pocahontas Times, November 3, 2005. Fifty
Years Ago, November 3, 1955.
"From the desk of Calvin W. Price,
Editor...BATTLE RELIC
L. A. Remage, of Droop Mountain, recently found a bomb shell at his home
near the Droop Mountain Battlefield State Park. He was having a drainage
ditch dug, and the "dud" shell was found.
It had been fired in the battle of 92 years ago.
In size it is three inches in diameter, and the weight is a few ounces
over nine pounds.
Put it down as a missile from the Union side.
The Federal artillery was on "Yankee Flats" about half way down
the mountain, to the east of Route 219. This shell grounded at the brow
of the mountain. It is said many of the shells from the Union batteries
went high over the battlefield.
"Dud" shells were to be picked up in
numbers years ago. The dangerous things were sometimes exploded in burning
log heaps.
The last time such a foolish chance was taken,
a big fragment of a shell flew a mile or two and struck a farm house above
the front door. " |
