Civil War Pistol bullet mold, dug at the East Woods of the Antietam Battlefield

This bullet mold was for making a .36 cal. round pistol ball. Fixed ammunition was issued to both sides during the Civil War, but with pistols, soldiers had to make their own ammunition by melting lead. This mold measures approximately 4 ½” long, and remarkable, it still opens and closes. It was recovered many years ago in the East Woods of the Antietam Battlefield.

The Battle of Antietam was a scene of chaos and violence on September 17th, 1862, especially in the “East Woods”.  A soldier from the 8th Ohio Infantry (Burnside’s Corps) described the fighting in the East Woods the night before the battle:

“Nothing could have been more grand. The red glare of flame along the Rebel line for more than a mile, the bright streams of light along the track of the shell, and the livid clouds of smoke as the shell burst in the air, constituted a spectacle brilliant beyond comparison.”

This truly is a great piece from one of the hardest fought areas of the battlefield. It is in very nice condition, with no heavy rust. It comes in the glass top display case pictured.