A great story and a chance to recover a wonderful civil war relic. Any thoughts?

[MrMarsHill]

Hey guys and girls! My team(mom, dad, self lol) have been hitting our civil war bushwacker spot as often as we can. We've pulled lots of fired and dropped bullets, buttons and other relics. My dad took one of his bullets to work and was showing his crew. One guy struck up a conversation with him about an old family story. As it was told... The guys 2xgreat? Grandfather had found a cannonball near Asheville NC DURING the civil war. No mention of whether this was a fired ball, left behind, given as a gift etc. Either way, he was just a kid and his mother would not let him bring it in the house... she swore it would blow them all up. Having no option, he stuck it in the barn. The family lives on the property to this day. The guy on my dads crew told him the most recent chapter in the story of this cannonball. In the 1980's the guys dad has the cannonball, and it's still not allowed in the house. There is a small pond on the property and a blue heron had died near the water. He wanted to keep the skeleton, so he layed it flat between chicken wire, buried it and set the cannonball on top to mark the spot. After eventually digging up the skeleton, he attempted to put the cannonball on the mantle of the house. While he was at work, his wife realized it was there and told her oldest son to get rid of it. She was also afraid it was "gonna blow em all up!" The teenager took the ball and tossed it into the center of the pond... and there it sits to this day. My dad asked if we could try to fish it out and we now have permission to attempt to get this cannonball. I love the story and a local cannonball would be a GREAT addition to our collection! Here are the facts as we know them. The ball is between the size of a baseball and a softball, VERY heavy for the size and supposed to be a SOLID ball, no holes Marks etc(all from memory). The pond is about 8ft deep and about small in diameter. He said our 2 kayaks would take up most the area of the surface. We have already come up with an idea to build a digging/scooping tool that I just finished. Think of the tool you see hanging on the side of a pool, long bent looped hook on a 12' pole. I bent a piece of rebar to accommodate something about the size of a baseball/softball and it has a nice bend. I'll snap a pic in my shop in the morning, this is obviously a late night write up, lol. We both also have very powerful fishing magnets and the already mentioned kayaks. I'd like to hear any suggestions, game plans, ideas, anything that could help. The only stipulation we have is we have to do this while his parents are away this September... because his mom is scared we are going to get blown up, lol! I know it's happened before and is NOT funny, but this is supposed to be a solid shot cannonball. The only cannons I can see spending any time in Asheville (per my research)were 2 napoleon cannons. From what I understand they shoot a 12lb, 4.5"+/- diameter ball? I believe there are lots of sizes, but I believe the 12lb were the size of the 2 in Asheville NC. I'm going to snap a pic of my tool I created and I'll post it in the morning. I believe it will work well for finding and possibly even retrieving the ball honestly. I have more rod to bend, so I plan to make a few different shapes and sizes in case the ball is a different size etc. This is just a crazy adventure that fell into our lap. I know a cannonball isn't the craziest find, but a local one with this story is absolutely priceless to me. I appreciate any input. I've already volunteered to enter the water, but I believe our goal is to stay dry as possible lol. This will definitely be posted here and documented on YouTube when it happens... you may provide the advice that scores us the ball! Thanks in advance for any input I receive!
Jim Brown
Bonez Customs and Collectables
@bonezcustoms on IG

 

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[kenstein]

Looking forward to the pics and updates. Be safe.

 

[Toecutter]

After you get the cannon ball I d be asking permission to search the property, might find the cannon and more cannon balls

 

[Trezurehunter]

Good luck with your quest. I hope you can locate it.

 

[smallfoot]

The magnet will get it...

 

[MrMarsHill]

I have faith in the magnet too! Just wondering if we have a hard clay bottom, rocks, 3ft of mud... not really sure yet. We do have permission to also metal detect the property. There was lots of civil war goings on in the area, and I always love a private permission! If great great GPA stashed a cannon ball, maybe he hos some silver or gold too! We will see. Pics of my tool incoming...

 

[MrMarsHill]

The ball in the pic is slightly SMALLER than a baseball. For reference. This tool is attached to a rod that can be extended 4' at a time to a total length of 12' plus the 18" hook/scoop. Lots of reach. I plan to make a few more shapes and sizes to switch out if we need them. Doesnt take much to heat up the bar and bend it into place. Hopefully this pic shows what I'm going for. As stated before, if we can locate the ball I think the magnets will be more than enough. Unless the ball is deep in mud, the magnets would probably find it easiest too. This is happening and I WILL post back. Any more advice is welcome!

 

[xcopperstax]

Excellent story! If the pond is that small then it shouldn't be too hard to find... but then again I think of how hard it can be to get a stubborn coin out of a hole in the ground... it might take awhile! This is the cannon ball from hell (it just won't go away!) I wish you the best and would love to see a picture if / when you find it!

 

[MrMarsHill]

Oh it will be posted! My mom is planning a YouTube video around the whole story and our trip out to look etc. I know what you mean about a coin in a hole, lol! Hopefully the pond has a hard clay bottom with no rocks, lol! It will be fun to drag the magnet through there anyway, and I'm excited to metal detect the property that's been in their family for generations. These are some very interesting folks, I can only imagine what has been tossed in the pond over the years lol.

 

[A2coins]

Hope you post the find soon good luck

 

[birdman]

Might try a magnet

 

[MrMarsHill]

Alright, here is an update and tomorrow we are going back for our last shot of the year. Obviously that means we were not successful in our first hunt(last Sunday, about 4 hours). We arrived about 12pm, unloaded our kayaks and hit the tiny pond. Pic included. This thing is 15" across and maybe 30" wide? I'd say even smaller. When we started poking around with our magnets etc. We quickly realized the pond is 4'-4.5' deep at its deepest point! So much easier. The bottom is mostly soft,thick mud, but there are some spots with a pretty solid bottom. I'd imagine this pond was just dug right out of the clay at some point. There is a decently shallow and somewhat solid bottom...even when it's a foot under the mud, lol. The water is decently clear, but its instantly ruined when you touch the bottom. I dont think we are going to "eyeball" this baby. I imagine its sitting on the clay, under the mud somewhere just waiting for me to get it.I used my Garrett AT pinpointer duct taped to a PVC pipe to check for signals around the pond. To my surprise, there were only a few. I'd say I got 5 hits all day and 3 of them were deep and SOLID. My first thought was, we need to get in the water. My dad doesnt swim, my mom is out with a back injury and my excuse... I DID NOT have a change of clothes... which is a rare mistake for me, I've always got a fresh pair of clothes with me, ALWAYS! Either way, we had to leave a few deep and solid signals we couldnt get our magnets on, or scoop up with my custom tool. All we retrieved were 2 pieces of rebar and 2 bolts and we only even hit just a few rocks. Its a pretty clean and smooth bottom... that sounds funny, but you know what I mean, lol. So, the plus side is the pond is TINY and NOT full of trash. The downside is the muddy bottom(soft and 1-2' thick in some spots) and its gonna be a cool and rainy day(I'm not called Jimmy "Bonez" for no reason... I dont have any extra blubber to keep me warm,lol). We still have the boats and equipment loaded on the trailer and ready to go at 10am this morning. I just bought a pair of chest waders this evening... BECAUSE I AM GOING IN THIS TIME! That's right, I'm going in the water baby! Its gonna be cold and sticky(mud) but with dad in the boat and on the edge and me in the water, we are fully taking advantage of our last shot this year. The family is returning from vacation and we wont be able to get out again until next Spring. They said we could look for, and keep it if we find it... but leave no trace and be gone before they get home lol. If anybody has any advice not yet given, it's much appreciated. I'd love to walk out of that pond with a piece of civil war history in my hands! Our magnets are our main tools, but being in the water is going to help so much! We have our hook and shovels/picks/hoes and other tools at our disposal if needed. My dad said if we dont get it out this time, he is asking to drain the pond! He will too, might be just the way to go lol! After talking to the guy and hearing the story first hand, looking at the property etc, I really believe this cannon ball was tossed into this pond as md is retrievable. If I can get the pics to post, the ball was thrown towards the middle of the pond between the large tree on the left and the small drain in the back right of the pond. We haven't limited our search to these areas, but that is where it hit water last time it was seen. I've marked the area in white that is our HOT ZONE and we did have a deep, solid and heavy signal on my propointer we never could get out. Check me out in my first set of chest waders too(cheapo Wally world style)! View attachment 1759158
Should get her done though! Thanks for all the support guys and trust me, we have been taking videos all along! If we pull this ball out, you all will be the first to know. And the video will be edited and posted for everybody to enjoy! Thanks again and wish us luck! Supposedly the pond's resident snapping turtle died a few years ago... I hope so, lol! I really hope in 24 hours I'm posting pics and video of our recovery of this great local civil war relic! I've hit an old bottle dump too recently on a 1700s permission, but that's a post for another day. I need lots of advice on that too, lol! The only dumb questions, are the ones that you dont ask. I live by that... and K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Stupid) those two sayings have never done me wrong yet. Maybe the dumb question one a few times I'm smart but pretty goofy, lol! Ramblin again, gotta go! Happy hunting to all!



Jim Brown
Bonez Customs and Collectables
@bonezcustoms on IG

 

[MrMarsHill]

I could only get the 2 pics to post? Not sure what's up. I'll try to post the rest later. The tree I spoke of is literally just out of frame to the left on the pond picture. The drain is straight out between the 2 lines I drew in... our "HOT ZONE"( place where the ball hit the water. I'll be updating ASAP!
Jim Brown
Bonez Customs and Collectables
@bonezcustoms on IG

 

[MrMarsHill]

Long view of the entire pond, smaller than we were expecting and much more shallow! We were expecting 8' and twice as big an area. Not a bad area narrowed down I'd say! The guy stood next to the tree and tossed the ball towards the drain pipe in the back. It hit somewhere right in the middle there and I imagine sunk in the mud. Any special tools I should pick up for digging a cannonball out of a foot of mud and 4 feet of water? Lol! Atleast I got the pics up...
Jim Brown
Bonez Customs and Collectables
@bonezcustoms on IG

Here is the tree with the hotspot where the ball went in. The pond doesnt exactly slope to the center. Its does slope ro the center but kind of levels off pretty quick and the ball could be anywhere. I doubt its moved at all!

 

[MrMarsHill]

Last post for tonight, scout's honor. I had a solid hit with my propointer, just too far to reach from the boat about 4' out in the water, directly beside the tree and in the "line of fire". We thought it was too close, but maybe it rolled back? The edge of the pond slopes down gradually and drops off to a "shelf" pretty darn quick. My hit is literally up against the "shelf" and is quite solid in that spot... under the mud. I'm heading there first I think, just because it was driving me crazy last weekend! I'll have a better Idea of where to look once I get a real feel for the "shape" of the bottom of the pond. Maybe I'll step right on it!