🥇 BANNER Second Seminole Indian War Finds

ColonelDan

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I and several detecting buddies supported a local museum a year ago by metal detecting a Second Seminole Indian War site that was occupied by the 2nd Dragoons from December 1837 to March of 1838. Below is just a sampling of our finds from that area. Many more uniform buttons, musket balls of various calibers and such not shown here came from our hunts.

We suspect that one of their supply boats either sank or capsized since all the finds below were in the same general 25 square yard area. In digging down to retrieve these artifacts, I did hit wood deep in the muck ergo our thoughts that these finds came from a lost boat.

The fort was constructed on the shores of a local lake and all finds thus far have been from that lake. We've yet to find the exact location of the fort itself but we have a good idea where it was. A modern road and house construction however prevents us from successfully searching the suspected area.

Dragoon and Eagle Button.JPG
dragoon uniform button

Gold US Button.JPG

Ring.jpg
period ring

Buttons and Balls.jpg
**** buttons and a few musket balls

6-1 bayonet1.jpg
Bayonet with scabbard

Breast Plate.jpg
I found this breast plate in knee deep water and 16 inches deep in the lake muck, This is just the way it came from the muck. No cleaning was needed!

Raw Anchor.jpg
raw anchor after encrustation was removed. It took two of us over 45 minutes to extract this anchor from the lake's muck.

Preserved Anchor.JPG
preserved anchor

Finds Display.jpg
One of our displays we made for the museum.

We'll be headed back to the site in the coming year.
 

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ARC

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Stellar Col. Dan. - (I felt like Forrest Gump just now typing that) :P

Well done.

PS...

I have a nice spot for that anchor if its in your way :)
 

Coinboy

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Absolutely incredible relics. Love them
 

GopherDaGold

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Simply amazing hunt! Thanks for sharing :notworthy:
 

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ColonelDan

ColonelDan

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Another interesting button we found was one from the War of 1812. That's a script "I" for infantry. My research indicated that such buttons were re-issued from surplus 1812 vintage stock to the soldiers of the Seminole war period.

Scripted I button.JPG
 

Blak bart

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Nice stuff coloneldan....pretty rare history there. Congrats !! Would love to see that museum if I ever get close....where is it ?
 

Treasure_Hunter

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Dan, you forgot to mention the gators that were in the lake with us, it was mating season for them..We had 2 spotters on shore with binoculars and whistles to watch the gators as we hunted the water and warn us if they got too close.
 

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ColonelDan

ColonelDan

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Dan, you forgot to mention the gators that were in the lake with us, it was mating season for them..We had 2 spotters on shore with binoculars and whistles to watch the gators as we hunted the water and warn us if they got too close.

True...very true! :laughing7:
 

ARC

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Dan, you forgot to mention the gators that were in the lake with us, it was mating season for them..We had 2 spotters on shore with binoculars and whistles to watch the gators as we hunted the water and warn us if they got too close.

Well you are "one up" on me... never hunted gator mating water.

Hmmm

"Gator Mating Water"... Sounds like a mixed drink. heh
 

Treasure_Hunter

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We could see over a dozen gators from shore swimming in the lake in front of where we were searching, they were like floating moving logs.
 

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eyemustdigtreasure

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Incredible Finds! WoW...!
You really did it this time - super-AWESOME stuff...!
 

ARC

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We could see over a dozen gators from shore swimming in the lake like floating moving logs.

Eons ago... An old friend loves to bass fish and invited to go one night...

Pitch black out in middle of huge lake in BFE... he casts and pitches his favorite rod and is pissed and wants to get it back...
He says to me... "hey your a diver... dive in and get it"...

I say ... man there has got to be gators in here...
He says "I have only ever seen a couple over a couple years during the day... I never come out here at night".

So...
I swing the flashlight over the water and nearly pissed myself... the water sparkled everywhere... (eyes glow)

Surrounded by at least 50 gators... had no idea they were there... as it sorta seemed they had been stalking us being so close.
So I say.. "you got a treble hook"... and proceed to tie it and real it into the eyelet of my (his other good one) rod...

While he shines light around watching for approaches...
I take a wild stab down at where I think the rod was... it was only about 4-5 foot deep and off cattails about 10 foot or so...

I drag across and feel something that feels like it and strain to get it... and then SNAP...I knew instinctually I just broke the tip off his OTHER good rod (lol ,, should seen face)
So I pull it up and low and behold I see line in the treble... I hooked the other poles line and must have broke the tip on a stick or ?

Regardless I retrieved his good pole.
After this we do some more shining... and it seems from all our splashing about and such had drawn more attention and they were closer...

Mind you we were in a 2 person flat bottom alum ROW boat with trolling motor.
Even he was nervous and decided we should go.

Never been back. heh
 

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TimberCrack

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Cool History...the hand holding the ring in the box is a little scary...
 

fishstick

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Good Lord!!! AMAZIN!!!!
 

Steve in PA

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Great recoveries. Love the early eagle breastplate. Too bad the fort site is covered with modern "progress".
 

cudamark

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Wow! That made banner in a hurry!
 

eyemustdigtreasure

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...Would LOVE to see more relics from that battle! Envy you!
 

ANTIQUARIAN

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Congratulations on your finds, research and on your generous donation to the museum Dan.:occasion14:

A well earned 1st BANNER with your breast plate find as well! :award_star_bronze_1

Dave
 

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