New to this forum. Just wanted to show you guys my Best Find!

Jay in Winchester

Tenderfoot
Feb 16, 2008
6
1
I found this Civil War soldiers silver Identification Ring in the summer of 2005. The ring is inscribed with H WILLIAMS CO. H 1ST RIFLES PRVC. His name was
CORPORAL HUTTON WILLIAMS -he mustered in as Corporal in Company H on May 28th, 1861. Mustered out with his Company on June 11th, 1864. Hutton Williams survived four years of hard fighting, and was a memeber of one of the Unions most famous regiments known as the Pennsylvania Bucktails. I feel very honored to have found this peace of history.

Pennsylvania Bucktails brief history.
Responding to President Lincoln's call for volunteer troops to rise to the defense of the Union, following the confederate bombing of Fort Sumpter, in April, 1861, Thomas Leiper Kane began recruiting young men from the northern tier counties of Pennsylvania. Mr. Kane, an influential businessman in McKean County, and his lieutenants, were successful in recruiting enough young men to fill 7 companies (approximately 700 men). Many of these men were lumberjacks, raftsmen, and farmers accustomed to living in the rugged mountainous areas of the "Wildcat" district (Elk, McKean, Tioga, and Cameron counties). Prior to leaving for Harrisburg, the men adopted the tail of a buck as their "regimental badge of honor". The deer tails were placed on each recruits cap and they became known as the Bucktails. En route to camp curtin a bucktail also adorned the top of the mast on one of the rafts the men built to travel to Lock Haven where they could pick up the railroad. Once at Camp Curtin, another company from Northern Pennsylvania, a company from Chester County and a company from Perry County joined Kane's group to complete the required 10 company regiment, and became the 13th regiment--the Rifle (sharpshooter) regiment--of the newly fromed Pennsylvania Reserve Corps. As part of the federal army, they became the 42nd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Regiment, also known as the Bucktail Regiment.

The regiment trained at Camp Curtin in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania until June 1861, when it was detached, along with the 5th regiment, to the assistance of General Lew Wallace in the Cumberland, Maryland area. Upon their return from Maryland, they joined the balance of the Pennsylvania Reserve Corps which had been mustered into service by the federal government and was now attached to the Army of the Potomac in and near Washington D.C..

The Bucktails served with distinction in most of the major engagements of the Army of the Potomac until May 1864, when those who did not reenlist in the 190th Pennsylvania, were mustered out of service. The Bucktails were engaged at Dranesville; the Seven Days Battles of Mechanicsville, Gaines Mill, New Market Crossroads and Malvern Hill; Second Bull Run, South Mountain, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, the Wilderness and Spottsylvania (1864) and finally, Bethesda Church. The unit completed its service on May 31, 1864

In May, 1862, four companies of Bucktails--companies C, G, H, and I were detached from the regiment, under the command of Lt. Col. Thomas L. Kane, and sent to participate in the Valley Campaign against the renowned Stonewall Jackson. This detachment was engaged in the battles of Harrisonburg, Cross Keys, Catlett's Station, 2nd Bull Run, and Chantilly. At Harrisonburg, the Buctails were credited with killing confederate general Turner Ashby. The detached companies joined the regiment after the Battle of 2nd Bull Run.


Thanks for looking
Jay
 

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Southern_Boy

Hero Member
Feb 2, 2007
533
4
New York State..Vestal, NY
Detector(s) used
Fischer CZ-3D
What a great find and I love the history and the story that you attached to the ring. I can see that a few people have mentioned that it would be a cool thing to return the ring to the descendants and that is a tough call. You do what you think is right and thanks for sharing with us.
 

Digginman

Silver Member
Mar 12, 2005
2,567
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Stephens City, Virginia
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Treasure Ace250 Tesoro Cibola
That's a true historical find, Jay. I'm local and know alot of history here. I believe yours to be the best find I have ever seen.

Congrats.

DM
 

mamabear

Silver Member
Feb 21, 2008
3,071
869
SE Missouri
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garage sale oldie
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not only do we get to view this beauty, but we get to read it's history! thank you!!
 

OP
OP
J

Jay in Winchester

Tenderfoot
Feb 16, 2008
6
1
Thanks Digginman. Stevens City sure has a lot of history. Maybe I'll see you digging around Winchester sometime.

Jay
 

hollowpointred

Gold Member
Mar 12, 2005
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wow! that is an amazing find! to be able to trace it to an individual is amazing! really outstanding!
 

CRUSADER

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May 25, 2007
40,860
45,451
ENGLAND
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Welcome from the UK
 

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