Myers Depot Metal Detectors

First bayonet tonight

TrpnBils

TrpnBils

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Joined
Jul 23, 2008
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Dug this tonight at a site that's been producing big copper for me lately. Completely unexpected to me because I'm not much of a relic guy, but this is a site that Jackson brought his troops through and camped at for at least a couple of nights in 1862.

So since I'm not much of a relic guy, can anybody tell me anything about this? Are all bayonets pretty much the same, or is there anything that could tell me more about this particular one?
 

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Looks very similar to a 1863 spring field bayonet , I need to look in 1 of my books to be sure. Either way a awesome save for sure , congrats.
 
can you tell me anything about the tip? I would assume if it rusted off it would be rougher, but this is flat across like it was either never sharpened to begin with or it was cut (sawed?) off. I don't know anything about these, so this could be completely normal for all I know, it just seemed different than what I would have expected.

It's triangular in cross-section, by the way, if that means anything.
 
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Interesting where it looks cut even at the tip so to speak. Civil war soldiers would bend the tips of the bayonet to form a 'hook' on the end to drag dead soldiers off the battle fields with. Not sure about your though.
 
Again, this could be normal, but mine appears to be bent a little. I would have expected it to be right in line with the plane of the barrel, but this is pointed off at probably a 10-15 degree angle. Not sure if that's typical or if it was bent for some reason (or even after it was lost). This was in a farm field at an old home site, so it's seen some action since 1862 for sure...probably plowed over several times, but it's in great shape other than the tip. I'll be curious to see what it looks like on the tip after I get the rust off of it.
 
The socket piece you have found does look like the spring field type , nice find , and was wondering if you checked around for the 10 or so inches of the rest of it was close by . But still a nice find .
 
Its Springfield because of the T lock socket. Where the socket is there is a t twist lock. Also the "blade" itself goes into a V groove shape which was made that way so it was harder to close the wound up for the field surgeons. I found a fully intact one back in 2013 and almost messed my pants. Rusted but it is in great shape. Few hours in electrolysis and its a beauty.

Do you plan to go back and try to find the other half? I would think its nearby.
 
Great find! I agree with the other guys -- the rest of the blade may be close by. If it broken off square it could have been cut by a disc or plow
 
I did look around briefly, but I had to get going (this was basically an on-the-way-to-the-truck find). If it is still around, I have no idea what kind of shape it'd be in because this is in a field that's been farmed since about 1880 and it's been plowed up who knows how many times. I'm still finding plow pieces almost every time I go there. I'm heading back either tonight or tomorrow and I'll keep an eye out, but there's so much iron there it might be awhile til I find it if it's even there. Thanks for IDing it!
 
Good luck in finding the other piece. I found out that mine which dates to 1813 is worth a few hundred dollars not that I want to sell it but its cool to find the old military stuff. Who knows if yours like mine could have been used maybe during the war of 1812 or later.
 
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