The Schenkl artillery shell was a rifled Civil War projectile designed by John P. Schenkl, a New York inventor who patented the design in 1861. The shell was primarily used by Union artillery in rifled cannons such as the 3-inch Ordnance Rifle and Parrott rifles. Its most recognizable feature was a paper-mâché sabot (a sleeve at the base) that expanded into the gun’s rifling grooves when fired, giving the shell greater accuracy and range. Schenkl shells came in several forms, including common explosive shells and case shot filled with lead balls. The shells were manufactured mainly in Federal arsenals and Northern foundries under government contract, following Schenkl’s patented design. Over 125,000 of the 3-inch Schenkl shells were purchased by the Union Ordnance Department during the war.

The Battle of Summit Point was a small but important engagement during the American Civil War, fought on August 21, 1864, near Summit Point, West Virginia. It was part of Union General Philip Sheridan’s Shenandoah Valley Campaign against Confederate forces led by Jubal Early. Confederate troops attacked Union cavalry and infantry in an attempt to disrupt Sheridan’s army before it could fully organize. Heavy fighting took place around Summit Point and nearby Cameron’s Depot, but Union forces successfully delayed the Confederates and withdrew in good order. The battle ended inconclusively, with both sides suffering casualties.