MUSKET BALLS REV WAR BATTLE CASTINE MAINE; INCLUDES TWO RARE FLATTENED BALLS

Description

HISTORIC MUSKET BALLS DUG ON THE CASTINE, MAINE BATTLEFIELD OF 1779 OBTAINED DIRECTLY FROM THE DIGGER.
INCLUDING TWO RARE FLAT MUSKET BALLS LIKELY INDICATING THEY STRUCK SOMETHING SOLID.
The musket balls were dug between the First and Second American siege lines, west of Fort George, Castine.  Of particular interest is the fact that two of the four musket balls are flattened, indicative of them hitting something hard causing the lead musket ball to flatten.
The British established Fort George in June, 1779 to establish a base of operations against New England colonies, and to also interdict privateers operating out of New England.  Recognizing this threat, Massachusetts developed an ambitious military campaign to attack Fort George.  It was a joint naval and land operation.  The American fleet of 44 ships: 19 warships and 25 supply ships arrived off the coast of Castine on July 28, 1779.
The British forces were severely outnumbered and the Americans should have triumphed in a short struggle.  However, the American assault was ill planned and executed with a failure to effectively coordinate between the naval and land forces.  Not succeeding with a direct fontal assault, the American forces laid siege to Fort George.  This prolonged siege gave the British an opportunity to send several warships in a relief operation; the warships sailed out of New York on August 3 and arrived at Castine on August 4.
The British warships drove the American ships up the Penobscot River until on August 13/14 when the remaining American ships were either captured by the British or burned to the waterline to prevent capture.  The American survivors of the debacle staggered back to the relative safety of Massachusetts.
The major American defeat resulted in a court martial including the dismissal of the naval commander Commodore Saltanstall and Paul Revere, who was a Colonel of Artillery during the battle.
30 day return guarantee as long as the musket balls are returned in the same condition as sent.  Mailing cost includes insurance and is based on domestic mailing; international mailing cost is based on destination and will be sent through Ebay's Global Shipping Program.
These firearm musket balls will be an important addition to a collection of American Revolution soldier accouterments, made all the more important and rare as they were obtained directly from a known battlefield and from the individual who dug these artifacts.  And two of the musket balls clearly show evidence of having been fired and striking something.