While investigating the skirmish site at California, I noticed several rail spikes at the Union lines scattered among the fragments of Confederate artillery pieces. I have a theory that the spikes were shot out of the 6-pdr from Pratt's Texas Battery that was engaged in the fight. In my past research, I recall reading that MSG/Confederate artillery employed iron and/or railroad spikes as canister shot at Carthage and at Wilson's Creek. This was in a print source that I do not own, and I have been unable to re-locate the source.

I know that Pratt's battery was combined with Harris' Missouri Battery at the time of Westport, and may have been combined at the time of the California skirmish (9 October 1864). The Missouri gunners would have had knowledge of improvising iron spikes for artillery from the past engagements. Also, Pratt's battery served at Vicksburg, MS and there is documentation that Confederate gunners used rail spikes in cannon at Vicksburg.

It is documented in the OR and newspapers that the Confederates tore up the rails in and around California. They would have had easy access to the spikes to use as canister missiles. The spikes I have found are wrought iron of the period, and all appear "pulled" in that they are bent and missing the heads. To further explain my theory, I have found evidence of case shot and solid shot from the 6-pdr and case shot from the 10-pdr from the Confederate battery. I have not found any evidence of lead or iron canister balls or grape shot. As the Union line advanced upon the battery, it would make sense to check their advance with canister/grape rather than case and solid shot. I believe the canister ammunition was with the other four guns from the battery beyond the town and not in the engagement. I believe the necessity was there to employ the rail spikes in that capacity.

My question to this forum is:

1) Is anyone aware of the sources that report iron/rail spikes being used by the MSG/Confederates at Carthage and/or Wilson's Creek? I would like to know the source.

2) Anyone recall reports specifically that Pratt's TX or Harris' MO batteries used iron/rail spikes as canister?

Thanks in advance
-Bryan Wolford