"Update" CS Enfield Bayonet Happy dance turned not so happy but happy ending

Tnrelicman

Sr. Member
Mar 2, 2010
350
10
East Tn
Detector(s) used
Whites MXT but missing my Etrac
"Update" CS Enfield Bayonet Happy dance turned not so happy but happy ending

This story started on 9-10-10, when me and my digging partner treasurehound aka Randy decided to hit our CW campsite, it was agreed to meet at 8am in the usual location. During the wee hours of the night, I told my girlfriend, tommorow is the day, 10-10-10, thats going to be my lucky day!! The morning started off with a first, I beat Randy to our meeting spot, and let me tell you...thats not easy to do, not to say he was late, I was just early :-). When we arrived at our spot, we both went our seperate ways, game plans in our heads, after an hour of no luck, I moved to a lacation that we havn't hit very much, and got a good bullet signal, out popped the first 3 ringer of the day, and in a matter of seconds the 2nd was on its way out, and not to shocking with this area, both where in the same hole, as I scanned the adjoining area for more signals, I got one that I couldve picked up 2 foot away, it was screaming, even my sunray probe could smell this thing a mile away, I put the shovel to use, and at about 3 inches I saw it, My first cannon ball, staring back at me, it was perfect...perfect size, perfect shape, even the perfect color, so began.....the Happy dance, after taking my first picture of my cannon ball half way out of the hole, I gingerly moved my shovel in position to lift my prize from its grave, and then it happened, my cannon ball quickly turned into what appeared to be some sort of hub cap looking thing, how could this be? just a minute ago it was perfect, and in the blink of an eye, it all changed, maybe it was just me, but in that very instant, I think even the trees where laughing at me, well in short.....Happy dance over!!! There was one thing strange about this hub cap/cannon ball, it had a electrical wire tied to it, and the wire was burried underneath it, I dug down about 2 foot, and never found the end to this wire, so was it attached to a
secret stash of silver coins, I guess I won't know, I was so distraut over my cannon ball loss, I gave up to easy.
After my shame, I walked over and met Randy, we showed each other our finds and went our seperate ways again, I worked my way to another area we havn't hit to hard, my first signal was another loud one, not expecting much, i put the shovel in and lifted up, and thats when I saw it, or was my eyes playing tricks on me again, it was the rear end of a Bayonet, and there was no way it could be anything else this time, my first thought was to go get Randy, I wanted him to experience this with me, on the way back he guessed what it was lol, and when I pulled it out of the ground I think we both where in awe, this is by far my best find to date, a short distance away I found 3 more bullets, which is typical with this site, everything is close together. So after so much emotion on my hubcap/cannon ball, I finally got my happy dance, not only was it on 10-10-10, but my first picture taken was at 1039am, and that was after I went to get Randy, the night before I told my girlfriend i would find something at 10:10, on 10-10-10, I wish so much I would have taken a picture the seconld I unearthed it, It had to be close to that time.

After some research I have determined my Bayonet to be a CSA Enfield, here is a link to one exactly like mine but without markings, that I can find anyway...without cleaning it to much.
http://www.civilwarpreservations.com/catdet.asp?TargetItem=BR477&CategoryType=bayonets
 

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Upvote 0

goldguru

Sr. Member
Aug 24, 2005
465
7
Re: Happy dance turned not so happy, but happy ending :-)

Your Hubcap Is a poultry feeder...I think i would be tempted to chase the yellow wire down some more..Plz post pics of the bayonet
 

OP
OP
Tnrelicman

Tnrelicman

Sr. Member
Mar 2, 2010
350
10
East Tn
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Whites MXT but missing my Etrac
Re: Happy dance turned not so happy, but happy ending :-)

I'm having to resize them all, and thanks for the id on the feeder/cannon ball lol
 

goldguru

Sr. Member
Aug 24, 2005
465
7
Re: Happy dance turned not so happy, but happy ending :-)

Nice that is in great Shape..should clean up very well.. :icon_thumleft:
 

FortBedfordbob

Hero Member
Dec 25, 2007
862
7
Bedford Pa
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E-Trac, GPX 5000
Re: Happy dance turned not so happy, but happy ending :-)

Great Story ! Mach 1 and I had a similar experience recently. He and I had both found a mortar ball fragment near here. He called me on the phone and told me he thought he had found a bigger cannonball but there was too many people around to dig it out. It was in a construction area. So we met at dawn the next morning all excited. I had my video camera and was filming it. When I first saw it in the hole, sure looked like it was going to be a cannonball. Turned out to be an iron pot lid :D The good news was before we left he got another nice sized fragment.
The bayonet is an excellent find, boy I'd love to get one of those !
Congrats,
BB
 

Dman

Silver Member
Feb 10, 2006
4,106
328
Tennessee
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Re: Happy dance turned not so happy, but happy ending :-)

I think the first picture is of a land mine. ;D Congrats on the bayonet. That is one sweet find.
Dman
 

treasurehound

Bronze Member
Jan 23, 2008
1,500
376
Morristown, Tennessee
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Re: Happy dance turned not so happy, but happy ending :-)

I got to our meeting place about 15 minutes early which was late for me and yes I was shocked to see you already there but it gave me some time to tell you about the Confederate training camp I researched and show you the old photos of some locations we will have to hunt later. I got my foot in some vines and took a tumble. That was when I saw you walking up to me saying "grab your machine, I want to show you my first ever". I thought man what could it be. You have already found a puppy paw buckle and an 1838 half dime in about AU condition and tons of bullets and buttons in there. So as we are walking I was asking what could it be? Was it a buckle? A bayonet? It was about a 100 yards from where I was at. This is a very large area we are hunting. He said I left it in the hole for you to see. Man was I excited. And then you pulled it out and it was perfect. I wish I would have had a video camea to record your recovery. We found a few more bullets nearby. I know that there is a buckle in there somewhere. With tens of thousands of troops camping there for months I know that we have not found the main camp yet. Oh yeah you forgot to mention about the "V" nickel you found in there as well. It was 1902 I think. Congrats on a great find and another first for you. I think it should be banner. See you at the club meeting tonight.
 

teleman 2525

Bronze Member
May 9, 2010
1,364
10
newport vermont
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Re: Happy dance turned not so happy, but happy ending :-)

i liked your post great find on the banet but i think ild follow that yellow cord out of your hub cap thing it could be a stash?????
 

Saabman

Hero Member
Aug 1, 2007
585
26
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Re: Happy dance turned not so happy, but happy ending :-)

WOW Guy! That's awesome!!! Congrats!!!
 

VOL1266-X

Gold Member
Jan 10, 2007
5,589
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Re: Happy dance turned not so happy, but happy ending :-)

Guy, anyone who has relic hunted for any length of time has tasted the bitter fruits of disappointment. Dman and I were hunting a U.S. Artillery position a while back and I got a good signal between two rocks. I pulled out what appeared to be a 8 inch section of a broken sword blade. It turned out to be part of a tool used to hew logs used to shore up the cannons.
At least, the jinx (4-H) wasn't with you or that would have been a land mine and blew all 3 of you up-LOL. Nice bayonet and you gentlemen had a great hunting. More to come from that site. Keep us posted. Congrats on a super recovery and HH, Quindy.
 

ANTIQUARIAN

Gold Member
Apr 24, 2010
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Re: Happy dance turned not so happy, but happy ending :-)

Congratulations on the bayonet find Tnrelicman! :notworthy:
Looks like you've found a really productive site there. :icon_thumright:

I think this would make a cool display all by itself!
 

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DAVID@RT6DETECTORS

Sr. Member
Dec 6, 2007
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Re: Happy dance turned not so happy, but happy ending :-)

THAT IS AN AWESOME FIND THERE GUY. PLEASE BRING IT TO THE MEETING TONIGHT. :headbang:
 

EagleDown

Bronze Member
May 13, 2010
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Re: Happy dance turned not so happy, but happy ending :-)

O.K., Let me see if I have this straight. You went out digging on 10-10-10. You expected to find something great!!

Right so far??

Then, you dug a chicken feeder base with electrical wire tied to it. The wire was buried even deeper, so you gave up digging for the other end of it?? But then, your "pre-cog" was so strong, you found another "once-in-a-lifetime" find!!

Frankly, once I found the bayonet, I would have left the area. (Just long enough to get a bigger shovel, and maybe a pick.) Why settle for 2nd prize when you might have had 1st AND 2nd?? :laughing9: :laughing9:

Well, in any case, the Bayonet is a stellar find. I voted BANNER!!!

EagleDown
 

Woodland Detectors

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Nov 23, 2008
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Re: Happy dance turned not so happy, but happy ending :-)

:hello2:

That's no hubcap Guy. Go follow that wire to the gold coins they used to pay the soldiers with :D

What can I say? Amazing find! I have yet to even find a fragment of one. I'm happy for you buddy.
Can you imagine the other stuff there waiting for you?
Historic Banner find!
I'm voting now.
Congrats again buddy

Mike
 

EagleDown

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May 13, 2010
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Re: Happy dance turned not so happy, but happy ending :-)

EagleDown said:
O.K., Let me see if I have this straight. You went out digging on 10-10-10. You expected to find something great!!

Right so far??

Then, you dug a chicken feeder base with electrical wire tied to it. The wire was buried even deeper, so you gave up digging for the other end of it?? But then, your "pre-cog" was so strong, you found another "once-in-a-lifetime" find!!

Frankly, once I found the bayonet, I would have left the area. (Just long enough to get a bigger shovel, and maybe a pick.) Why settle for 2nd prize when you might have had 1st AND 2nd?? :laughing9: :laughing9:

Well, in any case, the Bayonet is a stellar find. I voted BANNER!!!

EagleDown
I should have added; the wire is post 1950, and the "hubcap" was buried close enough to the surface, that it could be metal detected at a later date. Think about it.
 

civilman1

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Nov 29, 2005
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Re: Happy dance turned not so happy, but happy ending :-)

Now that's what I'm talking about.......Great save :icon_thumright:
 

treasurehound

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Jan 23, 2008
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Re: Happy dance turned not so happy, but happy ending :-)

You got my BANNER vote Guy. You deserve it. That was an awesome find.
 

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Tnrelicman

Tnrelicman

Sr. Member
Mar 2, 2010
350
10
East Tn
Detector(s) used
Whites MXT but missing my Etrac
Re: Happy dance turned not so happy, but happy ending :-)

VOL1266-X said:
Guy, anyone who has relic hunted for any length of time has tasted the bitter fruits of disappointment. Dman and I were hunting a U.S. Artillery position a while back and I got a good signal between two rocks. I pulled out what appeared to be a 8 inch section of a broken sword blade. It turned out to be part of a tool used to hew logs used to shore up the cannons.
At least, the jinx (4-H) wasn't with you or that would have been a land mine and blew all 3 of you up-LOL. Nice bayonet and you gentlemen had a great hunting. More to come from that site. Keep us posted. Congrats on a super recovery and HH, Quindy.

Thanks Quindy, and that jinx comment had me laughing.....thanks.
Guy
 

OP
OP
Tnrelicman

Tnrelicman

Sr. Member
Mar 2, 2010
350
10
East Tn
Detector(s) used
Whites MXT but missing my Etrac
Re: Happy dance turned not so happy, but happy ending :-)

EagleDown said:
O.K., Let me see if I have this straight. You went out digging on 10-10-10. You expected to find something great!!

Right so far??

Then, you dug a chicken feeder base with electrical wire tied to it. The wire was buried even deeper, so you gave up digging for the other end of it?? But then, your "pre-cog" was so strong, you found another "once-in-a-lifetime" find!!

Frankly, once I found the bayonet, I would have left the area. (Just long enough to get a bigger shovel, and maybe a pick.) Why settle for 2nd prize when you might have had 1st AND 2nd?? :laughing9: :laughing9:

Well, in any case, the Bayonet is a stellar find. I voted BANNER!!!

Thanks for the vote, and I will take a bigger shovel next time and find out where that wire goes, its still bugging me.

EagleDown
 

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