Buttons, Bullets, and Relics found on 1850s Military Site in Texas

Steve in PA · Mar 8, 2011

Hello T-Net'ers,

I just returned from Texas late last night after spending the past week visiting friends in Dallas. While there, I managed to get 5 hours of digging in on an 1850s US Military camp with my good friend Bob and another friend of his, Charles. I managed to find 10 minie balls, 4 round balls, 5 eagle buttons, 4 four hole buttons, a piece of shoulder scale, and a broken padlock key cover. My best find was a eagle "R" riflemans cuff button. Bob dug some round balls and a couple buttons, most of a Jeff Davis hat badge, plus his best finds; a multi ring Sharps tie ring bullet - which he gave to me since I had been trying to dig one for years :laughing7:

He also dug a real neat pipe tamper, but he hit it with his shovel and about bent it in half

. Charles best find was a perfect US Rosette.

Pic 1 - Total finds for all 3 of us minus Bob's hat badge. My stuff at the top.
Pic 2 - My finds, group shot
Pic 3 - My eagle buttons
Pic 4 - My Rifleman's button
Pic 5 - Multi ring Sharps dug by Bob
Pic 6, 7, 8 - Pipe Tamper dug by Bob
Pic 9, 10, 11 - Some dirt shots I took

VOL1266-X · Mar 8, 2011

Some really nice historic relics dug on that hunt Steve. An "R" CS and US Eagle is on my wish list. The Rosette found by Charlie was a super find. WTG gentlemen and looks like Steve was the "Bullet King". HH, Quindy.

texjim · Mar 8, 2011

looks like you had a good time.. nice job

billpa · Mar 8, 2011

Wow,very good digs. :thumbsup:

Hill Billy · Mar 8, 2011

I like that pipe tamper Steve, cool find :thumbsup:

. Eagles are always nice.

Hill

umrgolf · Mar 9, 2011

Those are some GREAT relics Steve

wish there were more appreciation for this stuff here

cornspike · Mar 9, 2011

Sweet! I'd love to find an R Button, Great job!

Steve in PA · Mar 9, 2011

umrgolf said:
Those are some GREAT relics Steve wish there were more appreciation for this stuff here

I hear ya Jeff. This ain't clad from the playground....these are historical artifacts recovered from amongst Prickly Pear Cactus and rattlesnakes

Woodland Detectors · Mar 9, 2011

Great pics. :hello:

Welcome back Steve!
I was wondering how you all did. Now we've got the D.I.V.

Talk to you soon,

Mike

Kirk PA · Mar 9, 2011

That is the way to do it Texas style, Steve. :headbang:

You found loads of history and that is what counts. I am glad to see that your trip was a success. I think people are still thinking, "Who is this guy?" :laughing7:

Go tomato juice! :hello2:

Kirk

CRUSADER · Mar 9, 2011

the pipe tamper looks like it doubled as a wax seal :icon_thumright:

kuger · Mar 9, 2011

Fantastic digs!!!I really like the Rifleman button,and the tamper!!!! :thumbsup:

Steve in PA · Mar 9, 2011

CRUSADER said:
the pipe tamper looks like it doubled as a wax seal

That would be a great combination tool! Why didn't someone think of that sooner.....like 250 years ago :laughing7:

Bill D. (VA) · Mar 9, 2011

Nice going Steve

Those are some mighty nice finds, and I know you worked hard to get them. Too bad that tamper was bent as that's a really cool find. See ya in 3 weeks.

MKnTenn · Mar 9, 2011

Nice finds, are the bullets regular minies or something scarce? The rings look a bit different, but can't see the bases. HH

Steve in PA · Mar 9, 2011

MKnTenn said:
Nice finds, are the bullets regular minies or something scarce? The rings look a bit different, but can't see the bases. HH

Good eye. This was also noticed by a poster on another forum who thought they looked "a little odd".

They are .54 caliber, about and inch long, but the weird thing is the truncated base cavity. You just don't see this on .54 caliber 3 ringers in Virginia. Here are two close ups. One a straight on side view, and the other looking into the base cavity.

{Sentinel} · Mar 9, 2011

Nice Finds Steve. Congrats on your Eagle "R" Cuff...if you recall I dug the Big Brother to it a couple months back in South Carolina. Also really like that MultiRing Sharps. Those are terrific bullets and a solid outing my friend. I'll see you at DIV in 3 weeks! :icon_thumleft:

P.S. I was just looking at this post again and I must say that is indeed different. I've found MANY .54 caliber Minies here in Virginia and never with a truncated base....almost looks like a Gardner from the bottom. Those are pretty dang cool bullets u found there Steve :wink:

traverdog · Mar 9, 2011

Congrats on a great hunt!!!

CC Hunter · Mar 10, 2011

these are historical artifacts recovered from amongst Prickly Pear Cactus and rattlesnakes

Sounds like my kind of place!

My very first relic hunts as a teenager, began in areas infested with rattlesnakes, water moccasins, coral snakes, and loads of prickly pear cactus (along with spanish bayonet, greenbriar, and a host of other scratchy stuff). I can't even begin to recall how many times those dang cactus heads would break off hanging on my boot heels.........only to bite me in the a$$ every time I crouched down to dig. Of course I nearly always though it was a snake doing the strike on me, and would jump up hollering; "I'm bit!"........ :laughing7:

Cool digs Steve!

Those Sharps multi-rings are very sweet and one of my favorites. The rosette is a beauty, and the tamper is very nice, even if the poor fellow has a case of the "bends".

Is that an overcoat eagle in the top center? Looks to me like no letter in the shield? Never recall seeing such on oddity.

CC Hunter

FortBedfordbob · Mar 10, 2011

Darn nice bunch of Relics Steve !

Buttons, Bullets, and Relics found on 1850s Military Site in Texas

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