- Jan 6, 2006
- 20,846
- 2,532
- 🏆 Honorable Mentions:
- 1
- Detector(s) used
- Garrett AT Pro, Ace 250 & Ace 400
- Primary Interest:
- All Treasure Hunting
CW Relics Then & Now
Something I read and wanted to share with you. Excerpt from War Letters by Andrew Carroll, of a letter dated Jan 29, 1882 written by Col Joshua L. Chamberlain (MOH) to his sister, Sarah. On Jun 18, 1864, Col Chamberlain nearly lost his life, a bullet slammed into Chamberlain's right hip and tore through his midsection, severing arteries and fracturing his pelvis before exiting from his left hip. 17 years later he revisited that site.
Friday I visited the battle fields of Petersburg & spent 4 hours in trying to identify the spot where I fell on the 18 June 64 in leading a charge upon the Rebel works.
All is changed there now. What was a solid piece of wood through which I led my troops is now all cleared fields, & the hill side so smooth then is now grown up with little clumps of trees--marking some spots mad more rich perhaps by the bloody struggles enacted on them.
At last, guided by the railroad cut & the well remembered direction of the church spires of the city, I found the spot--or a space of 20 or 30 feet within which I must have fallen. It is now a flowed field--too rich, I suppose, since that 18 of June to be left barren by the owner--& there are in it the remnants of a last years cornfield.
Standing & musing there remembering how I thought of mother in that calm ebbing away of life amidst the horrible carnage, I looked down & saw a bullet, & while stooping to pick it up, another & another appeared in sight & I took up six within as many feet of each other and of the spot where I fell. You may imagine what the havoc must have been that day and for 17 years relic hunters have been carrying away lead & iron from that field--amounting, I was told, to cart-loads. I could easily no doubt have found many more had I search, or kicked away the earth a little. But these I have, & that other that made so straight a way through me, will do.
You can not imagine, I believe, what thoughts came over me, as I thought of all those who stood there on that day--for & against--& what it was all for, & what would come of it--& of those who on the one side & the other thought there was something at stake worthy of dearest sacrifice.
Something I read and wanted to share with you. Excerpt from War Letters by Andrew Carroll, of a letter dated Jan 29, 1882 written by Col Joshua L. Chamberlain (MOH) to his sister, Sarah. On Jun 18, 1864, Col Chamberlain nearly lost his life, a bullet slammed into Chamberlain's right hip and tore through his midsection, severing arteries and fracturing his pelvis before exiting from his left hip. 17 years later he revisited that site.
Friday I visited the battle fields of Petersburg & spent 4 hours in trying to identify the spot where I fell on the 18 June 64 in leading a charge upon the Rebel works.
All is changed there now. What was a solid piece of wood through which I led my troops is now all cleared fields, & the hill side so smooth then is now grown up with little clumps of trees--marking some spots mad more rich perhaps by the bloody struggles enacted on them.
At last, guided by the railroad cut & the well remembered direction of the church spires of the city, I found the spot--or a space of 20 or 30 feet within which I must have fallen. It is now a flowed field--too rich, I suppose, since that 18 of June to be left barren by the owner--& there are in it the remnants of a last years cornfield.
Standing & musing there remembering how I thought of mother in that calm ebbing away of life amidst the horrible carnage, I looked down & saw a bullet, & while stooping to pick it up, another & another appeared in sight & I took up six within as many feet of each other and of the spot where I fell. You may imagine what the havoc must have been that day and for 17 years relic hunters have been carrying away lead & iron from that field--amounting, I was told, to cart-loads. I could easily no doubt have found many more had I search, or kicked away the earth a little. But these I have, & that other that made so straight a way through me, will do.
You can not imagine, I believe, what thoughts came over me, as I thought of all those who stood there on that day--for & against--& what it was all for, & what would come of it--& of those who on the one side & the other thought there was something at stake worthy of dearest sacrifice.
