September 22nd, 2007-
while
hunting a Plantation Site near Vicksburg I dug a coat size US Dragoon "D" Button which
is loaded in Gold Gilt. Found
on private property with landowner's permission and using a Red
Heat XD-17 Micro Detector. This button is in the July-August 2008
Issue of American Digger Magazine.
We have been in a nice US/CS occupied camp this
year. Here's three nice and seldom seen relics dug by two friends
in that camp. Lamar dug the Early
Militia Mississippi Button and the Union Eagle Breastplate that
was struck. A 44 caliber
roundball fits perfect in it.
Woody dug the CS "A" Artillery
Button with a Richmond
B/M. All three relics were found in March 2007 in Central MS on
private property with permission.
Recent Button Finds, both were a first for me. I dug the Union Rifleman "R" Button on Feb. 28th, 2007. Fortunately,
it is loaded in Gold Gilt and has a shank. It's in the "Field
Recoveries" Section of the Jan/Feb 2008 Issue of North-South
Trader Magazine. I found the Connecticutt
Button on December
16th, 2006. It also is loaded in Gold Gilt and has the
shank. Both were found near Vicksburg on Private Property with
Permission. The "R" Button was found with a Shadow X5. The
Connecticutt Button was dug with a Minelab X70.
Feb. 17th
Relic Hunt- I have seen a-lot of
Artillery relics but had no clue what this was when I found it.
Pete George and Mr. Tulloh(Artillery Collector) solved the
mystery. It's an Artillery Jack
for a Cannon Sling Cart. Used to raise & lower Cannons. The
Sling cart made moving a Cannon into position much easier. Found
in an Arkansas & Alabama Artillery Camp. Dug on private
property with permission. Machine used- Shadow X5.
Feb. 5th &
6th, 2007 Relic Hunts- Lamar and I hunted a new area at
an old site. In the past, this site had yielded some exploded 9
Inch Shells and 24 Pd. Bormanns. We expanded this site and found a
new pocket of relics. Lamar found a dump on the back side of a
hill and dug some broke bottles & Handcuffs. I was hunting above him and found a 6 pointed Solid Silver Star
with a place on the back that had a hook soldered in the center.
Never dug one like this before. It's either a Pre-War or Civil War
Officer's Hat Pin or Insignia. The 6 Pointed Star was popular with
high ranking Officer's. Close to the Star I found a brass Pennsylvania Musket Buttplate,
a flattened Eagle Button (Poker Chip), a Coin Button, brass screw,
and a piece of brass with 11 period dates on it. Next, we started
hunting another section of ravines, I pulled out a disc with a Log
cabin on it. Lamar hollered "Come look at this". I walked over to
his ravine and saw a 9 Inch Navy
Shell half washed out of his ravine. In the ravine beside
that one, Lamar pulled out a 6
pd solid and I found a 32
pd Shell with the Wood Fuze still in it. Lamar made the
last finds of the day- 2 demascus made gun barrels. Relics were
found with Shadow X5 & XP Goldmaxx. Dug on Private
Property with Permission
Pictured below are some of my finds from November 2006. The first pic
is my finds from November 26th. The second pic is 2 Voltiquer Buttons and a 1853 New Orleans Half Dime
which were all dug in November. Both "V" buttons are in excellent
condition with shanks. I have recently come across more History on
the Voltiquers which make these buttons even more special to me.
The "Voltigeurs" were a "special forces" unit that used light
mountain howitzers, and Hale's rocket launchers during the Mexican
War! Capt. R.E. Lee, and Joseph Johnston, both served with the
"Voltigeurs". Interesting fact, is that the Voltigeurs wore a
special uniform that was light grey in color, as opposed to the
dark blue of the other uniforms. Coincidentally, these future
great Confederate generals donned the "grey" a full decade and a
half before the onset of secession! Dug on Private Property
with Landowner's Permission. Machine used- XTerra 70.
In September 2006, I dug these two CS Artillery Buttons with brass backs near Vicksburg, MS. They are huge buttons. One of the buttons has a Richmond B/M. Relics found on Private Property with Landowner's Permission. Machine used- Minelab XTerra 70.
On September
30th, 2006, James Fox found one of the best New Orleans
Half Dimes I have ever seen dug. It's an 1857
Seated Liberty Half Dime and looks like it was dropped
yesterday. Everything is clear as a bell. Here's a pic from my
scanner but it doesn't do this coin justice, it is in incredible
condition. Congratulations James. Dug on Private Property with
Landowner's Permission. Machine used- White's Prizm 4.
On August 25th, 2006,
James Fox and I went to Vicksburg to re-stock the Corner Drugstore
Museum. Afterward, we had 3 hrs to burn so we hunted a field were
a Plantation once stood. I dug an 1840 New Orleans Seated Liberty
Half Dime. Shortly after I dug the New Orleans Coin, I heard James holler. I went
over to him and saw a US Eagle
Breastplate in his hand. This was James 1st US Plate.
Congratulations James, hope to see you dig many more. Dug on
Private Property with Landowner's Permission. Machine used-
White's Prizm 4.
The 2006 Relic Hunting Season has started off very well for me. In
a 3 week span(Jan.
18th thru Feb. 4th) I found 3 Overcoat Union "I" Buttons, an 1862 Indian Head Penny,
1854 Silver Dime, a Wellington/Waterloo Button(commerates defeat
of Napoleon), a CS Staff Officer Button with an iron shank, and
a Rarity 9 CS "Leech & Rigdon Smooth Wreath. Pictured
in the July/August 2006 Issue of American Digger Magazine in the
"Just Dug" Section. Dug on Private Property with Landowner's
Permission.
1843 New Orleans "O" Silver
Seated Libert Dime- I dug this Rare Dime Oct. 23rd, 2005 near
Vicksburg, MS
Pictured on the Front Cover of the Jan. 2006 Issue of
American Digger Magazine and in the "Just Dug" Section.
Dug on Private Property with Landowner's Permission.
24 pd. Bormann-
I dug this shell on Oct. 8th,
2005 near Vicksburg, MS. This size Bormann is hard to
find. Only the
second one I have ever found. Pictured in the "Just Dug" Section
of the Jan. 2006 Issue of American Digger Magazine.
Dug on Private Property with Landowner's Permission.
The Relics in the pic below were found by me near Raymond, MS. in
the Spring of 2005.
The unique CS Martingale and the
Rare CS Staff Officer Button were found in the same hole
about a foot apart. The CS Staff Button is very scarce(CS
36), usually worn by a CS Major or higher. The CS Martingale has
soldered on brass hooks just like many CS buckles. The CS Infantry Button was found
close to the CS Martingale and CS Staff Button. Pictured in
the "Just Dug" Section of the Sept/Oct. 2005 Issue of American
Digger Magazine.
Dug on Private Property with Landowner's Permission.