Civil War Spencer Cartridge recovered at Fairfax, Virginia

Being offered is a Civil War .56/56 Spencer Carbine/Rifle Cartridges. This cartridge and several others were dug years ago by Denny Chafin at Fairfax, Virginia. During the early years of the Civil War, Fairfax County found itself at the crossroads between both the Union and Confederate armies because of its strategic location. Later it would be in control by Union forces (see period photograph).

Spencers were carried by a number of cavalry and mounted infantry regiments and provided the Union army with additional firepower versus their Confederate counterparts. The South occasionally captured some of these weapons and ammunition, but, as they were unable to manufacture the cartridges because of shortages of copper, their ability to take advantage of the weapons was limited.

This cartridge is in nice condition for being dug. I got several of these cartridges from Denny, but this is the last one I have. It is not the “put together” examples that are often offered, but just as it came out of the ground.