WOW!!! River Relics Galore and my first US Plate!!!

There are two different types of bullets in this lot, but all have plain cavities. The two with the slightly more pointed nose are Confederate three-ringers and the others are Union. I have found the star base bullets close to this spot, those are called Washington Arsenals. I've never found any with US in the base, maybe one day. I love digging Civil War bullets! I saw that you just found some recently. Congrats. I like that US button. Nice finds. -Wolf

On that U.S. button when i found it I thought it was a smashed cuff button and tried to get some dirt off, and licked and rubbed and licked and rubbed more. I thought then it was just a basic flat button until I saw a vague design on it and I licked and rubbed more until I seen the vague U.S. and something else. Of course a little more licking and rubbing (this is adobe clay by the way), and I revealed a vague eagle and figured I would quit rubbing and licking. I called a friend who metal detected a lot of forts through the years and asked him about the button and he said it was an eagle wreath button and that all the detecting he's done here in the west he has only found 3. They were used to my understanding from the 1820s-30s. So I was very thrilled with it. Here is what a less dirty example looks like for those who are curious.

http://images.search.yahoo.com/imag...b=134ham792&sigi=11nr2ua04&.crumb=IBTG0m0m.YI
 
On that U.S. button when i found it I thought it was a smashed cuff button and tried to get some dirt off, and licked and rubbed and licked and rubbed more. I thought then it was just a basic flat button until I saw a vague design on it and I licked and rubbed more until I seen the vague U.S. and something else. Of course a little more licking and rubbing (this is adobe clay by the way), and I revealed a vague eagle and figured I would quit rubbing and licking. I called a friend who metal detected a lot of forts through the years and asked him about the button and he said it was an eagle wreath button and that all the detecting he's done here in the west he has only found 3. They were used to my understanding from the 1820s-30s. So I was very thrilled with it. Here is what a less dirty example looks like for those who are curious.

http://images.search.yahoo.com/imag...b=134ham792&sigi=11nr2ua04&.crumb=IBTG0m0m.YI


Yeah. These are early buttons for sure. 1820's US General Service, some are flat one piece and some are two piece with a thin front over a flat one piece. I've never found one, but here is a pic of two that my wife and I have in our collection that belonged to her father. He found them in VA. The one on the right is a two piece and the left is the one piece. HH
 

Attachments

  • US.JPG
    US.JPG
    75 KB · Views: 360
Very nice!!!! It is truly a rush finding something like this. Especially when so few people know they exist and when you find one it is like "WOW, I ACTUALLY dug one!!" It was a bigger rush for me then anything I have pulled out of the ground personally. I guess if you haven't found one in VA they must be fairly uncommon.
 
Those finds just blow me away! What a hunt that must have been. As awesome as the plate is, I think the fish head bullet really rocks. I was fortunate enough to make my first civil war finds about a month ago --- it's why I wanted to start metal detecting. Right now I'm trying to learn how to research sites, but I'm finding it pretty frustrating. The good news is I love reading history on The War of Northern Aggression! Always enjoy your posts. They keep me inspired. Thanks for sharing. Chip
 
Those finds just blow me away! What a hunt that must have been. As awesome as the plate is, I think the fish head bullet really rocks. I was fortunate enough to make my first civil war finds about a month ago --- it's why I wanted to start metal detecting. Right now I'm trying to learn how to research sites, but I'm finding it pretty frustrating. The good news is I love reading history on The War of Northern Aggression! Always enjoy your posts. They keep me inspired. Thanks for sharing. Chip

Thank you! Even though I found these relics last summer, I will never forget the feeling of the plate in my hand lying on the bottom of the river. I couldn't see what it was, but I knew I had just found my first plate. Then when I surfaced and saw it for the first time, I was blown away.

Someone commented that the dice looking piece was the middle scales to go along with the fish head. I will try this spot again this summer and I hope to find the third piece shaped like a tail. But it's a long shot.

Congrats on your first CW finds, and welcome to the addiction!
 
All I can say is that brass is beautiful! I love the plate, but I'm drooling over the knapsack j hook and the buttons! I plan on doing some river and creek hunting up here in pa, but man has it been cold lately!

Yep! I love how the brass comes out of the water, just like the day it was lost. I'm tired of the cold and ready for the water. And now they're calling for more snow here. :mad: Thanks! HH
 
Awesome finds, great spot, DON'T TELL ANYONE WHERE THAT SPOT IS!!!!

It's funny you say that. I recently lost a spot because I took someone there and they "accidentally" told the wrong people about it. Now I can't go back because they left huge hole everywhere. I'm quickly learning the do's and don'ts of the hobby. Thanks!
 
Back
Top Bottom