South Texas Man Discovers Live Civil War-Era Ordnance at Home

In an unexpected turn of events, a man in South Texas discovered that a seemingly harmless Civil War-era artifact in his home was, in fact, a live explosive. This revelation came after a military friend inspected the device and suspected it might be active.

Surprising Discovery

The Atascosa County Sheriff’s Office reported that the man had contacted deputies early Tuesday morning. He was concerned after his military friend questioned the nature of the artifact, which he had owned for years believing it was a dummy. The artifact turned out to be a live ‘parrot round.’

Precautionary Measures

Out of precaution, a team from Lackland Air Force Base, located approximately an hour from Atascosa County, was dispatched to handle the situation. After assessment, the team confirmed that the ordnance was indeed live.

Safe Disposal

The explosive was transported to an explosive range at Camp Bullis, where experts safely disposed of it. Fortunately, nobody was injured during the process, and officials confirmed that no charges would be filed against the man.

Historical Significance of the Parrott Rifle

Developed by Robert Parrott, a West Point graduate, the Parrott rifle was a significant artillery piece used by the Union forces in the Civil War. Renowned for its thick iron reinforcing band around the breech, it came in various sizes, from 10 to 300 pounds. The exact size of the live round found is unknown.