A few more CW saves and a button fakeout

gtoast99 · Feb 18, 2012

I went out with my buddy Jim to a spot we hit last week, hoping to save a few more relics from the fast-approaching concrete jungle. We had quickly skimmed through an area last time on our way to what looked like a "better" area. As it turns out, we walked right through a decent bullet patch and didn't notice! When we slowed down this week we were able to pick up a number of keepers.

I've also included some of the cooler non-CW relics dug nearby. The Bottle is marked "Syrup of Black Draught", a laxative which has been around since the late 1800's. The token is an aluminum coupon for palmolive soap. The button REALLY had me going, but wasn't meant to be. I couldn't find it in Tice, and tracking it down online it seems to be a much more modern fashion button. It has an anchor in wreath device, and iron back. Oh well!!

I'm not sure what the little brass piece is in that picture, so any input would be welcomed.

The CW finds include 6 three ringers, three cleaners, one roundball, two rivets, some good sized camp lead, and what I'm fairly sure is a broken J hook (though correct me if I'm wrong). I also crossed something off my list that I've always wanted to do - find a bullet sitting on top of the ground! That was way cool. Jim took a pic but hasn't sent it to me to post yet.

Anyways, thanks for looking, and I hope you enjoyed

REDSKIN MAC · Feb 18, 2012

Now that is a great day. Congrats

Wildcat1750 (nyjrbethelct) · Feb 18, 2012

Great looking 3 ringers and other finds! It's amazing how many well shaped ones are found. I assume these were all "drops" and never fired. I often wonder by what circumstance so much unused ammunition came to be lost.
Nick

TrashTracker · Feb 18, 2012

nyjrbethelct said:
Great looking 3 ringers and other finds! It's amazing how many well shaped ones are found. I assume these were all "drops" and never fired. I often wonder by what circumstance so much unused ammunition came to be lost.
Nick

Probably getting shot would cause one to drop their supply of ammo. That would be my guess.

gtoast99 · Feb 19, 2012

TrashTracker said:
Probably getting shot would cause one to drop their supply of ammo. That would be my guess.

Yea, that would do it, but not these bullets. They were found in a camp rather than a battle site. So they may have simply spilled out of someone's bag. The powder could have been removed for some other purpose and the bullet discarded. The paper cartridge could have gotten wet, and they were tossed out for that reason. The Williams cleaner bullets had a reputation for being inaccurate, so they were often discarded without being fired for that reason. I'm sure there's lots of other reasons for them to have been lost or intentionally thrown out in camp that I can't think of at the moment.

This was a Union camp from the very end of the war. They were much better supplied than the south at that time, and I wouldn't expect to find as much at a Confederate site around here.

Hook · Feb 19, 2012

nyjrbethelct said:
Great looking 3 ringers and other finds! It's amazing how many well shaped ones are found. I assume these were all "drops" and never fired. I often wonder by what circumstance so much unused ammunition came to be lost.
Nick

i deer hunt in a military base here in Louisiana. Soldiers from the start of gun use have thrown away and discarded bullets and ammo. I have found ammo boxes full of live belted 30 cal and 50 cal ammo, and boxes full of blank ammo also, scattered all over the base at one time or another. soldiers evidently dont like packing around all that weight.
I once found 5 ammo boxes full of belted bullets in a tall grass patch on the side of the road the soldiers marched on a lot. Somebody got lazyyyyyyyyy :lol:

pan4au · Feb 19, 2012

nice group of relics... congrats

A few more CW saves and a button fakeout

gtoast99

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REDSKIN MAC

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Hook

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