Castineman1779
Sr. Member
"Penobscot Expedition" 1779, Cpt Hinkley's shoe buckle revisted
Well folks as a new member to TN my first post was about a shoe buckle frame I found in May on a beach in Castine , Maine . The name of battle or siege was called "The Penobscot Expedition" in 1779 that should have been in a major victory for the Patriots but ended in a humiliating defeat with the loss of an American fleet and estimated 500 patriot lives.
In the 14 years I have hunted, with permission, in Castine I have found thousands of relics . In the early years I did my research, read every book on the Penobscot Expedition , found and studied early topo maps of the area and even bought aerial maps of Castine peninsula and the mainland . The relics first came up slow but in time I found and hunted the American & British encampments in the often thick woods. Found the impact areas of both armies and their artillery emplacement. I even got permission to hunt on private property that abutted Ft George. So of the thousands of relics , and some coins found, I spent as many hours swinging the coil on historic ground the Redcoats and Rebels walked and are now buried on. There is an expression often said and that is "If they could only talk." I can say it is rare if they can but many I found been fortunate to have found have and only from the research written on this little known battle/siege. For me I love to tell the stories of my finds and have written four articles for Western Eastern Treasures from 2006-2009. I am no historian but can say my knowledge both learned and relics found you can believe in. I don't believe in speculation or "Wishfull Thinking" when I write about history and so with that am doing a re-rite on the first post I wrote on TN.
The name of the post was "Rev War Cpt John Hinkley shoe buckle frame." Now it is on probably page 10 or more but if you Google " Cpt John Hinkley Penobscot Expedition" it can be read there. If you want to learn about "The Penobscot Expedition when you Google it look under for >"Major Philip Ulmer" and also "The court-martial of Paul Revere".
In my first post I wrote about the landing of the Americans on the Western shore of Castine on the 28th of July 1779. The relic I wrote of I had found on the shore about 20 feet from Trask Rock in May this year and believed it was lost by Cpt John Hinkley of the Me militia that was shot and killed on this boulder early in the amphibious assault . I received a lot of great feedback from TN members plus a few that said my believing it was Cpt Hinkley's shoe buckle frame would be a "Quantum Leap" or at best "Reasonable Doubt." Both of these I understand and again think I did not tell the story well enough to be believable. So with that in mind I will take you back in history and explain my reasoning or at least what I actually wrote and used the word "probably" his.
On the 27th of July 1779 Commadore Staltonstall had a Council of War on his the Warren. The meeting was to co ordinate a landing of 400 militia and Marines to land a force on the western part of the peninsula . General Lovall commander of the land militia and Gen Wadsworth, next in command were present . Cpt Welch was in command of the Continental marines . Col Paul Revere commited 80 of his 100 artillerymen armed with muskets to the mission. On the morning of the 28th about 400 militia and marines pushed of their long boats and headed to the rocky shore. Prior to the landing 3 of the American ships cannonaded the height of ground were and estimated 80 to 300 Redcoats waited for their arrival. Soon as the boats landed the Americans spread out to the far left of Trask Rocks the center and far right. Upon the landing the British rained down musket balls so thick it was said to be like hail stones. The American commander gave the command to fire two shots up the steep slope of about 150 feet reload then climb to the top to engage the enemy. This the did in about 20 minutes and succeeded in a retreat of the British soldiers back to their partially built fort.
The whole battle lasted about 20 minutes. The Americans had established a foot hold on the peninsula but did not force the auction to Ft George. The Americans casualties were estimated at 100 dead and many wounded . THe British lost 15 and as many wounded.Of the killed were Cpt. Welsh commander of the marines and mortally wounded Lt Hamiliton also of the marines. On the beach the only other officer who died was Cpt John Hinkley of the militia who was standing on Trask Rock when he was shot and killed by a Redcoat on the Heights.
So with that history known let me tell you how I came about my belief the shoe buckle frame belonged to Cpt Hinkley. First of is understanding the difference between an inlistedman and an officer shoe buckle. Officers are most often plated silver with designs on them and the enlisted types plain with no designs. The shoe buckle frame I found is indeed plated and has design on it. There were a estimated 400 militia and marines that took part in this landing . Of the 400 there were 7 officers. Gen. Lovall, Gen Wadsworth , Col Paul Revere, Cpt Ulmer, Me Militia, Cpt Brewer,Me militia, Cpt Welsh and Lt Hamiliton of the marines. On the left near Trask Rock was Gen. Wadsworth and Cpt Hinkley. In the center Col. Revere and Cpt Ulmer and Cpt Brewer with artillerymen and some marines and on the right Gen Lovall, Cpt Welsh and Lt Hamiliton. I have provide a map to show the landing.
So now it becomes a process of elimination as to what officer could have lost the buckle close to Trask Rock. The only officers close to Trask Rock in this fighting were Gen Wadsworth were The general and Cpt Hinkley . Gen. Wadswoth was uninjured but Cpt Hinkley died standing on the boulder urging his men on. BTW the drummer boy Israel Trask was placed behind the rock by the general to keep him safe during the battle.
So by process of elimination I have come to the conclusion the buckle frame was lost by Cpt Hinkley and here is my logic. One it was found about 20 feet closer to shore from Trask Rock. Also see a picture where X marks the spot where I found it. Number two he and the general were he only two officers near the rock. And three there is a small break in the buckle from I believe came when Cpt Hinkley landed on the rocks below and it was damaged from probably a rock making it come loose from the guts that held it on. Also as a relic hunter any shoe buckles lost in salt water have rust stains from when the iron rusts against the frame. There is none on this buckle and backs up my theory of it coming free upon impact. There is also a picture of my friend Eric who is standing next to Trask Rock to show size. Eric is 6 Ft 2 and the boulder about 7 feet high. So anyway that is my story and I am sticking to it.
Well folks as a new member to TN my first post was about a shoe buckle frame I found in May on a beach in Castine , Maine . The name of battle or siege was called "The Penobscot Expedition" in 1779 that should have been in a major victory for the Patriots but ended in a humiliating defeat with the loss of an American fleet and estimated 500 patriot lives.In the 14 years I have hunted, with permission, in Castine I have found thousands of relics . In the early years I did my research, read every book on the Penobscot Expedition , found and studied early topo maps of the area and even bought aerial maps of Castine peninsula and the mainland . The relics first came up slow but in time I found and hunted the American & British encampments in the often thick woods. Found the impact areas of both armies and their artillery emplacement. I even got permission to hunt on private property that abutted Ft George. So of the thousands of relics , and some coins found, I spent as many hours swinging the coil on historic ground the Redcoats and Rebels walked and are now buried on. There is an expression often said and that is "If they could only talk." I can say it is rare if they can but many I found been fortunate to have found have and only from the research written on this little known battle/siege. For me I love to tell the stories of my finds and have written four articles for Western Eastern Treasures from 2006-2009. I am no historian but can say my knowledge both learned and relics found you can believe in. I don't believe in speculation or "Wishfull Thinking" when I write about history and so with that am doing a re-rite on the first post I wrote on TN.
The name of the post was "Rev War Cpt John Hinkley shoe buckle frame." Now it is on probably page 10 or more but if you Google " Cpt John Hinkley Penobscot Expedition" it can be read there. If you want to learn about "The Penobscot Expedition when you Google it look under for >"Major Philip Ulmer" and also "The court-martial of Paul Revere".
In my first post I wrote about the landing of the Americans on the Western shore of Castine on the 28th of July 1779. The relic I wrote of I had found on the shore about 20 feet from Trask Rock in May this year and believed it was lost by Cpt John Hinkley of the Me militia that was shot and killed on this boulder early in the amphibious assault . I received a lot of great feedback from TN members plus a few that said my believing it was Cpt Hinkley's shoe buckle frame would be a "Quantum Leap" or at best "Reasonable Doubt." Both of these I understand and again think I did not tell the story well enough to be believable. So with that in mind I will take you back in history and explain my reasoning or at least what I actually wrote and used the word "probably" his.
On the 27th of July 1779 Commadore Staltonstall had a Council of War on his the Warren. The meeting was to co ordinate a landing of 400 militia and Marines to land a force on the western part of the peninsula . General Lovall commander of the land militia and Gen Wadsworth, next in command were present . Cpt Welch was in command of the Continental marines . Col Paul Revere commited 80 of his 100 artillerymen armed with muskets to the mission. On the morning of the 28th about 400 militia and marines pushed of their long boats and headed to the rocky shore. Prior to the landing 3 of the American ships cannonaded the height of ground were and estimated 80 to 300 Redcoats waited for their arrival. Soon as the boats landed the Americans spread out to the far left of Trask Rocks the center and far right. Upon the landing the British rained down musket balls so thick it was said to be like hail stones. The American commander gave the command to fire two shots up the steep slope of about 150 feet reload then climb to the top to engage the enemy. This the did in about 20 minutes and succeeded in a retreat of the British soldiers back to their partially built fort.
The whole battle lasted about 20 minutes. The Americans had established a foot hold on the peninsula but did not force the auction to Ft George. The Americans casualties were estimated at 100 dead and many wounded . THe British lost 15 and as many wounded.Of the killed were Cpt. Welsh commander of the marines and mortally wounded Lt Hamiliton also of the marines. On the beach the only other officer who died was Cpt John Hinkley of the militia who was standing on Trask Rock when he was shot and killed by a Redcoat on the Heights.
So with that history known let me tell you how I came about my belief the shoe buckle frame belonged to Cpt Hinkley. First of is understanding the difference between an inlistedman and an officer shoe buckle. Officers are most often plated silver with designs on them and the enlisted types plain with no designs. The shoe buckle frame I found is indeed plated and has design on it. There were a estimated 400 militia and marines that took part in this landing . Of the 400 there were 7 officers. Gen. Lovall, Gen Wadsworth , Col Paul Revere, Cpt Ulmer, Me Militia, Cpt Brewer,Me militia, Cpt Welsh and Lt Hamiliton of the marines. On the left near Trask Rock was Gen. Wadsworth and Cpt Hinkley. In the center Col. Revere and Cpt Ulmer and Cpt Brewer with artillerymen and some marines and on the right Gen Lovall, Cpt Welsh and Lt Hamiliton. I have provide a map to show the landing.
So now it becomes a process of elimination as to what officer could have lost the buckle close to Trask Rock. The only officers close to Trask Rock in this fighting were Gen Wadsworth were The general and Cpt Hinkley . Gen. Wadswoth was uninjured but Cpt Hinkley died standing on the boulder urging his men on. BTW the drummer boy Israel Trask was placed behind the rock by the general to keep him safe during the battle.
So by process of elimination I have come to the conclusion the buckle frame was lost by Cpt Hinkley and here is my logic. One it was found about 20 feet closer to shore from Trask Rock. Also see a picture where X marks the spot where I found it. Number two he and the general were he only two officers near the rock. And three there is a small break in the buckle from I believe came when Cpt Hinkley landed on the rocks below and it was damaged from probably a rock making it come loose from the guts that held it on. Also as a relic hunter any shoe buckles lost in salt water have rust stains from when the iron rusts against the frame. There is none on this buckle and backs up my theory of it coming free upon impact. There is also a picture of my friend Eric who is standing next to Trask Rock to show size. Eric is 6 Ft 2 and the boulder about 7 feet high. So anyway that is my story and I am sticking to it.
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