A group of Mississippi hunters who shot and killed an alligator weighting 910 pounds (413 kilograms) on Sunday, were amazed when they discovered that the animal already bore injuries caused by musket ammunitions from the Civil War era. A total of 9 spherical projectiles was found, and the various tests and analysis realized on them have confirmed that they were indeed fired at the animal in the 19th Century.
via USA: Hunters Find Bullets from American Civil War in 185-Year Old Alligator’s Hide.
UPDATE: Of course this is all BS. Which I only came to the realization of after I posted when I actually spent some time thinking about it. This morning over tea, “Wait, alligators can’t live that long?” Well bless my heart.
Let’s start with alligators. American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis) are an iconic symbol of the South, and certainly existed during the time of the American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 9, 1865). But their lifespan falls far short of the 185 years claimed in the article, with most averaging 30-50 years. Thus, it’s safe to say finding Civil War era bullets in one is out of the question—unless, of course, it’s a stuffed antique