C.S. BATTLE DAMAGES SHOTGUN, WRECK OF THE CSS WEBB, MISSISSIPPI RIVER, LA.1865

Description

C.S. BATTLE DAMAGES SHOTGUN, WRECK OF THE CSS WEBB, MISSISSIPPI RIVER, LA.1865
This battle damaged Confederate 1840’s Goucher muzzle loading 12 gage shotgun was found on the wreck of the C.S.S. Webb 25 miles below New Orleans, Louisiana on in 1890.
It was on display in the Louisiana Civil War Museum, (formally known as the Confederate Museum).
This shotgun was most likely so damaged during the battle that it was left on the shipwrecked.
This shotgun is complete except for the wood & consists of the complete breech with both back action lockplates marked JOHN GOUCHER with hammers, triggers, both 30” barrels still together, trigger guard & butt plate, the wood was rotted away.
It is in very good & stable condition with light pits & has a dark brown patina.
It was professionally cleaned & restored by the museum & is in this remarkable condition because it was encased with Mississippi River mud that had hardened into a hard shell that sealed it from deterioration. The Webb was a cotton clad ram that had run the union blockade on the Mississippi River but was severely damaged by the U.S.S. Richmond & was run ashore & burned 25 miles below New Orleans, Louisiana on April 24, 1865.
This shotgun, along with several other artifacts from the Webb were on loan & displayed for several years in the Louisiana Civil War Museum, (formally known as the Confederate Museum).
They were owned by the Johnson family whose great grand father found quite a few artifacts on the wreck of the Webb & had a small collection of Louisiana artifacts.