Artifact Spotlight — Musket Ball

Alamo Archaeologist Kristi Nichols
July 26, 2019
Musket Ball
Approximate date of artifact: 1795-ca. 1870

This .65 musket ball was found in the upper levels of the current archaeological excavations along the east wall of the Convento/Long Barrack arcade.

It was likely the type that would be shot out of a .69 caliber firearm. This musket ball does not exhibit marks indicating that it was fired. The .69 caliber firearms that are known to have been used at the Battle of the Alamo include the 1795 model musket and 1816 model musket that were American-made.

Later muskets used at the Alamo, post-battle, include: the 1842 model musket used during the Mexican War and would have been present during the U.S. Army occupation of the Alamo and Civil War-era muskets.