, in repelling and refuting the charge against the
Confederates of having used explosive musket or rifle projectiles, I
charge the United States Government with not only patenting, but
purchasing and using, especially at the battle of Gettysburg, an
_explosive musket shell_; nor do I trust to my imagination, but I
present the facts, which are as follows:

In April, 1862, the Commissioner of Public Buildings at Washington
brought to the attention of the Assistant Secretary of War--then Mr.
John Tucker--the explosive musket shell invented by Samuel Gardiner, jr.
The Assistant Secretary at once referred the matter to General James W.
Ripley, who was then the Chief of the Ordnance Bureau at Washington.
What action was taken will appear when it is stated that in May, 1862,
the Chief of Ordnance at the West Point Military Academy made a report
to the Government of a trial of the Gardiner musket shell. In May, 1862,
Mr. Gardiner offered to sell some of his explosive musket shells to the
Government at a stipulated price. His application was referred to
General Ripley with the following endorsement:

Will General Ripley consider whether this explosive shell will be a
valuable missile in battle?

A. LINCOLN.

General Ripley replied that "it had no value as a service projectile."

In June, 1862, Brigadier-General Rufus King, at Fredericksburg, made a
requisition for some of the Gardiner musket shells. On referring this
application to the Chief of Ordnance, General Ripley, that old army
officer, whose sense of right must have been shocked at this instance of
barbarism, a second time recorded his disapproval, replying that "it was
not advisable to furnish any such missiles to the troops at present in
service."

In September, 1862, the Chief of Ordnance of the Eleventh corps, United
States army, recommended the shell to the Assistant Secretary of War,
who ordered 10,000 rounds to be purchased--made into cartridges. Of this
number, 200 were issued to Mr. Gardiner for trial by the Eleventh corps.
In October, 1862, the Chief of Ordnance of the Eleventh corps, then in
reserve near Fairfax Courthouse, sent in a requisition, endorsed by the
General commanding the corps, for 20,000 Gardiner musket shells and
cartridges. The Assistant Secretary of War referred the matter to the
Chief of Ordnance, General Ripley, who for the _third_ time recorded his
disapproval of suc