Anyone ever search a Civil War battlefield?

bigbadchad777

Anyone ever search a Civil War battlefield?

lordmarcovan

Battlefield? Not really. Campsite? Yeah, plenty of times.

Most of the notable battlefields are now national or state parks and untouchable, but there are some skirmish sites and plenty of campgrounds that are on private property.

bigbadchad777

<< <i>Battlefield? Not really. Campsite? Yeah, plenty of times.

Most of the notable battlefields are now national or state parks and untouchable, but there are some skirmish sites and plenty of campgrounds that are on private property. >>



Did you find much at the campsites?
There was a small battle in my home town.
The exact stie has been disputed for years.
I would love to some relics to pinpoint the exact site and donate the relics to the local museum.
1500 Confederates & 2 cannon firing on 1000 Union. 2 hour battle. Confederate victory. Bound to be some relics somewhere.

lordmarcovan

Artillery button.



1850 large cent from the same site (uncleaned, just as it looked when it came outta the ground).




From one of my favorite sites. (The "mystery item" is some sort of reed, apparently from a musical instrument- I have found lots of them but don't really know what they are, yet. I call them "twangers" for lack of a better name. The silver dolphin pin is modern, obviously.)









The white metal flat buttons in the picture above are tombac buttons, and pre-Civil War (late 1700s/early 1800s). I have found a lot of them. Got a nice one on another part of the bluff, back in September.

lordmarcovan

1,500 Confederates vs. 1,000 Union troops would be a huge battle for this neck of the woods, though you're right- it's a small battle in the national sense. You should be able to find lead, anyway.

Around here, on the GA coast, the Confederates retreated inland and abandoned the barrier islands to the Federals, as early as 1862, so there weren't many land battles. Plenty of naval actions and blockade runner chasing and so on, though.

Within a half mile of my house, there is a site on the river where an old plantation once stood. Nothing but pine trees there today. A Federal gunboat came up the river and shelled the plantation house, in 1864. It's kind of hard to imagine, because the river there is so narrow and shallow that nobody goes down it with anything bigger than a bass boat these days.

Hulk21074

I am very fortunate to own property on South Mountain in northern Maryland. The Battle of South Mountain took place during the era of Antietam Battle, Sharpsburg, Maryland. Years ago when I was into metal detecting, I used to take my younger son on the property,which was owned by my step father and mother (all deeded to me now). We found all kinds of metal objects but had hard times identifying the stuff. Many slugs,button, and even an old pistol. I plan on returning to the property very soon before the hard winter arrives. Since I now have a modern type detector,I'm sure I'll do much better then I did 20 years ago with my old Whites MD. I am also fortunate living in an area where there were many incampmants prior to the Battle of Gettysburg. My home location is due east of Gettysburg approximately 20 miles as the crow flies. I've been doing some research as far as the geographical area as it was in the 1860's. So much to detect,so little time.

r

DesertRat

<< <i>I am very fortunate to own property on South Mountain in northern Maryland. The Battle of South Mountain took place during the era of Antietam Battle, Sharpsburg, Maryland. Years ago when I was into metal detecting, I used to take my younger son on the property,which was owned by my step father and mother (all deeded to me now). We found all kinds of metal objects but had hard times identifying the stuff. Many slugs,button, and even an old pistol. I plan on returning to the property very soon before the hard winter arrives. Since I now have a modern type detector,I'm sure I'll do much better then I did 20 years ago with my old Whites MD. I am also fortunate living in an area where there were many incampmants prior to the Battle of Gettysburg. My home location is due east of Gettysburg approximately 20 miles as the crow flies. I've been doing some research as far as the geographical area as it was in the 1860's. So much to detect,so little time.

r >>




you ever considered hosting a hunt on your land?

lordmarcovan

Yea, verily. People would pay for the privilege of hunting a site like that.

Hulk21074

Not only my property but I have several good areas on other land nearby that I have permission to hunt as long as I cover the holes up I dig. I do want to hit the property we own on South Mountain, due southeast of Antietam Battlefield. I would have no problem organizing a 'hunt' group,the more the better for finding stuff. Some of the areais wooded, some open field (mostly woods though). The Appalacian Trail runs right along the property. The state of Maryland took some of the land from us a few years ago when they changed the direction of the trail, coming down on our land, I didn't want to sell but had no choice. The property is also adjacent to Washington Monument State Park. This is where the 1st Monument was errected for George Washington, well before the one in DC.

Ok,who wouldbe interested in being part of the group to do some MDing? I'm all up for it.

lordmarcovan

Maryland's a bit far afield for me, but if you were in FL, GA, or the Carolinas, I'd come and see you!

patrick47

We tried shiloh in Tennessee but we wernt allowed on with a detecter but went of in a secluded area and found a small cannon ball, about the size of a softball and a 1964 nickel,, Go figure on the nickel

Lucky711

I have never metal detected a civil war battlefield but quite a few years ago detected property down near Fairfax, Virginia, I bought a brand new Whites Eagle II and did some detecting in fields that where leveled and made ready for construction, I did find some Civil War Bullets and Buttons. Very Exciting!