From a Seneca County, New York newspaper in January 1864:
A Rebel Shell.
Jas. Townsend, formerly of this village [Seneca Falls], and a member of the 1st New Jersey Battery, has left upon our table a rebel shrapnel shell, which he picked up on the battle-field of Antietam, soon after that fierce and bloody engagement. It is about five inches in length, three inches in diameter, and weighs about four pounds.
We suppose this to be one of the shells shipped to the rebels from New York, by the “loyal leaguers” of the Custom House, those patriotic souls of the Henry B. Stanton … [clipping cut off here]
The Democrat newspapers up in his neck of the woods didn’t like the Elizabeth Cady Stanton – Susan B. Anthony “loyal leaguers”; cady Stanton’s husband, Henry Brewster Stanton, was indeed a Deputy Collector of the Port of New York from 1861 until 1863. The U.S. Custom House in New York City was staffed by political appointees until the late 19th century. The pay was good – Chester A. Arthur made a lot more money as a Collector of Customs than he did as a lawyer.
British General Henry Shrapnel invented the shrapnel shell (see animation).
