They boys are back in town!

1320

Silver Member
Dec 10, 2004
3,428
2,274
East Central Kentucky
My good friends Art, Donnie and Barry drove down from Toronto for a weekend of swinging Southern style. They left Wednesday night, drove 12 hours, stopping only for gas, arrived Thursday morning in Frenchburg at 8:30 am! I must mentioned that Barry bought a brand new Jeep Patriot from a dealership Wednesday night...two hours later, the boys are packed tight in it and heading South! Sorry 'bout the boogies on the headliner! They should warsh right out.

Within an hour of their arrival, we're swinging and digging at the once famous Olympian Springs resort in Bath County. Initially we spread out on the many acres but after two Civil War era finds were located just inches apart, we decided to concentrate on that piece of ground. A thorough search revealed more relics and confirmed what I believe to be one of two Civil War camps located on the Springs. It was a sloppy hunt due to recent rain so we retired from their and came back to my home in Frenchburg for some rest then a late afternoon/early night hunt in the fields on my farm. The short hunt resulted in some finds that were a complete surprise to me.

On Friday, we located and secured permission to hunt a large tract of land in Montgomery County. My 1879 Beers & Lanigan map showed three homesites that existed on that site, two of which we found. A pleasant surprise on this parcel was an apparent camp of some sort. We found several small and one medium size round balls as well as some very nice buttons (none of which that we are able to identify). No "ringer" bullets were found but the relics that we found were all concentrated in a 100 x 50 foot piece of dirt. None of us are bullet/button experts and as a result, we are not able to "date" this "camp" at this time. We were not able to hunt outside of the 100 x 50 perimeter due to standing water and cow dung. Can't wait to get back!

We hunted a few more sites today (Saturday) in Bath & Montgomery but late this afternoon, our bodies are aching so we decide to lay the detectors down and go for a eyeball and sift dig for Indian relics in Menifee County (private land). We found some incomplete but interesting pieces. It was nice to continue our pursuit of treasure without the back breaking effort of digging in the dirt, sand is sooooo much better!

The boys have to rise early and head back to Canada at sunrise. I wish them a safe return to their homeland and hope that they can return soon. It is a pleasure hunting with each of them. Again, I have learned volumes swinging beside these guys.

Collectively, all of us are requesting ID assistance in regard to the buttons and bullets pictured.

Respectfully;

Jamie
 

Attachments

  • DSCF1627.JPG
    DSCF1627.JPG
    42.5 KB · Views: 353
  • DSCF1639.JPG
    DSCF1639.JPG
    53.9 KB · Views: 315
  • DSCF1638.JPG
    DSCF1638.JPG
    57.9 KB · Views: 318
  • DSCF1636.JPG
    DSCF1636.JPG
    41.3 KB · Views: 338
  • DSCF1635.JPG
    DSCF1635.JPG
    56 KB · Views: 356
  • DSCF1633.JPG
    DSCF1633.JPG
    46.1 KB · Views: 330
  • DSCF1630.JPG
    DSCF1630.JPG
    61 KB · Views: 343
  • DSCF1628.JPG
    DSCF1628.JPG
    52.5 KB · Views: 343

Gypsy Heart

Gold Member
Nov 29, 2005
12,686
338
Ozarks
Wow! What a great story! Sounds like you guys really put some heavy duty hunting time in ! Congrats to all of you.
 

OP
OP
1320

1320

Silver Member
Dec 10, 2004
3,428
2,274
East Central Kentucky
Beers and Lanigan Survey Map.....these maps are an excellent source for locating rural towns & homes. They even list the homeowners name!
 

Attachments

  • DSCF1640.JPG
    DSCF1640.JPG
    82.9 KB · Views: 304

BuckleBoy

Gold Member
Jun 12, 2006
18,123
9,688
Moonlight and Magnolias
🥇 Banner finds
4
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
2
Detector(s) used
Fisher F75, Whites DualField PI, Fisher 1266-X and Tesoro Silver uMax
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Great finds! Sounds like you all had a marathon hunt and a half!

Buckleboy
 

mxtswinger

Sr. Member
Jul 27, 2006
446
9
Northeast KY
Detector(s) used
2 Whites MXT's Goldscan 5 PI
WOW. Nice digs. Congrats.

I'm no expert, but as far as the two buttons in the closeup, the left one looks like the Russian national emblem to me. I can't make out the whole emblem, but it should be a double headed eagle with crowns. I can see the orb and cross in the pic (left talon), the other talon should have a sceptor

The one on the right is US Navy. Not sure on the date, but I think mid 1800's.

Very interesting mix there.

Here's a pic of the Russian national emblem from mid 1800's, and a link.

http://www.rf.boom.ru/eng10.html
 

Attachments

  • russia10.gif
    russia10.gif
    29.9 KB · Views: 223

BuckleBoy

Gold Member
Jun 12, 2006
18,123
9,688
Moonlight and Magnolias
🥇 Banner finds
4
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
2
Detector(s) used
Fisher F75, Whites DualField PI, Fisher 1266-X and Tesoro Silver uMax
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Russian...OR Prussian. Here's the insignia of the Austro-Hungarian empire:

double-eagle.jpg

But judging from the articles in the eagle's claws, mxt's suggestion may be correct.

Buckleboy
 

AnOldPro

Full Member
Jan 14, 2007
129
16
Northern Kentucky
Detector(s) used
Fisher 1266XB & CZ6
Jamie,

Referencing the top picture you posted:

The bullet on the left is very likely a PRUSSIAN VARIANT in a caliber that should be either .673 or .69. The bullet on the right appears similar to a Confederate Enfield, caliber 58. These are also called "Slicks" or "Georgia Slicks" because they have no rings.

No doubt you have figured out that the brass "wishbone" shaped object is what is left of a broken cavalry spur... probably Union in origin.

The one piece buttons are of several sizes indicating that they came from several different soldiers so it is likely that you are on a pickett or camp site of some kind. Another possibility is that the area was the site of the camp laundry. Different sizes and types of buttons are always found in abundance where the soldiers washed their clothes or had some local lady do it for them.

Now for the two marked buttons: The one on the left is very likely PRUSSIAN... not Russian. The two-ring bullet in the Prussian Variant pattern increases that likelyhood. The button on the left is very like a CONFEDERATE Navy button that could be worth a nice piece of change.

Possibly the bullet and button came from one of the foreign observers that European nations like Germany sent over to watch the Americans fight and to give advice on tactics.

Congrats to you and your buddies on a great hunt!!

DC
 

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Top