DIV XXI - Carbine sling buckle and ID tag!

[Fort Bedford Detectors]

I went to my first ever Diggin' in VA the past three days.... had a blast! Days 1 and 2 were spent digging a ton of bullets .... carved bullets... enfields... pistol bullets.... J hooks... buttons.... and an 1859 IH. All great items! But to be honest, I was hoping for one super good item to set it over the top.

Well... I got it on Saturday. After two dry days Saturday started with rains imminent, and me wondering how long I would hunt with my $5000 non-waterproof GPX5000 sealed up with a $.35 cent ziplock bag and duct tape! I had already decided that my son would keep BedfordBob's GPX in the dry in the car for the day... no need to take a chance getting a borrowed machine wet.

After digging a handful of bullets I was continuing to work a patch full of dig holes that I heard was producing some dandy confederate items when I got two hits beside each other. The last 6 times this happened I dug barbed wire... so that is what I was expecting. I picked the stronger of the two and opened up the plug. Good news and bad news, the target is still in the 6" deep hole, and loud. Bad news is that is usually a chunk of iron at depth.... good news is that could be a good target. A little deeper.... the Garrett pro pointer starts picking up a big signal. Finally I locate it... the straight edge of some green! Plate maybe Of course I'm excited at this point! Slowly working around it, I can see that its not going to be a plate, but a nice carbine sling buckle! Great! now I have my neat object for the trip!

All smiles and the hole is filled, I start to walk away... I take about three steps and I remember that there was a second target, so I head back. Sure enough, beside the first hole is another good sounding signal. I thought, OK... even though it sounds good here is the deep nail. This time I cut my plug so that the one side is the edge of the first plug. I flipped it back and I can see the bottom of a silver looking small thing... First thought - "great, an aluminum cow (tag)..... WHOA- that's not a cow tag!" I flipped it to see engraved writing and knew I had dug my first solider ID tag!

I thought this can't be happening. Two outstanding objects 10" apart in an area littered with dig holes! This does not happen on a first trip to DIV! Am I really seeing this?!!! I put my GPX down, and started walking over to a fellow hunting with me and told him "I can go home now"... We both stood there in unbelief as I tried to contain my enthusiasm... He watched my detector and spot while I took it to the car. Along the way I met my son (Mach II)... and others who noticed us checking it out.

The rest of the day I found absolutely nothing, between the rain, the BBQ, and the weird feeling that comes with finding something significant... it makes me not care at all if I find anything so I guess I really wasn't concentrating on the signals. I'll need a week or so and a bunch of junk iron signals and nails to get back into it , I guess!

I'm still in shock... can't believe it really happened... probably can't top this find! But I will try!

Oh - the picture with a bunch of the finds does not show all of the bullets! And sorry they are not yet cleaned!

Thanks for looking!

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[oldsalty19]

[CMDiamonddawg]

Yo Mach 1 Have Mercy ! ya dug some Outstanding CW relics . Who is on the silver id tag ? I can read Co K , what is the soldiers name and is that First Cav .. my eyesight is not too great . Thanks for posting some sweet DIV finds

CMD

[badluck]

[Brandy Station, Va. Officers and men of Co. K, 1st U.S. Cavalry (1st Division, Cavalry Corps)]

I posted this link thinking I read the name McHugh, Comp. K, 1st US Cav.

[JmCraz8]

Very cool, love the i.d. tag and the civil war relics!!! Congrats!!!

[Fort Bedford Detectors]

Yep..... you got it.

J (?) McHugh
Co. K
1st US Cav

The picture show 3 or 4 guys who may have an ID tag on them! I'm going to get a good copy to keep with the badge.

And I was given a tip that shows he may have died in Winchester VA around Jan 1865... still working on that detail. Here's a link to that tidbit if anyone wants to look for themselves.

FROM SHERIDAN'S ARMY. - Camp Life in Winter Visitors Wives and Sweethearts The Enemy Reconnoissances One Hundred and Seventy-third New-York Volunteers Flag Presentation Promotions. ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-THIRD NEW-YORK VOLUNTEERS. All Quiet Promotio

[badluck]

In the NPS civil war soldiers and sailors search page, I can't find a J. McHugh. There is a Peter and another with no first name referenced. Both were privates. Perhaps this belonged to the unknown fir?st named McHugh?

[badluck]

Great source, James McHugh, Co K, 1st U.S. Cav. buried nearby to Winchester.

[jewelerguy]

man that ID tag is the shizz! big congrats for that one!

[BuckleBoy]

This is a BANNER post. GREAT!

[Fort Bedford Detectors]

Thank you, Buckleboy.

As a side note, I was cleaning the buttons this evening.... the two large coat buttons both have some decent gilt remaining... The one I destroyed I was able to confirm to be an "I"... (thought so in the field) .... but the surprise was the other large button.... under the dirt a "C" appeared... That is a button someone left behind on the first day... I scanned someone's plug and heard it. When I flipped up the plug it was staring right at me. Will add pictures as soon as I can.

[lost hunter]

sweet

[bluehunter1973]

Im giving you a banner vote on the soldier I.D. tag. Too Rare of a find not to

[Steve in PA]

You had a very good hunt Keith and that ID badge is just killer. It was nice to meet you down there and I hope to see you at the next DIV if not sooner.

[cntrydncr1]

congrats on the ID tag!!! I had my best finds on Saturday but nothing that nice!!

[Sniffy]

aWESOME! 2 civil war ID tags on the BANNER!!!

[cereal killer]

Awesome!!! Thanks for sharing this amazing story. Well written had me on the edge of my chair lol

Sent from my DROID RAZR

[{Sentinel}]

Terrific Finds Mach1, as soon as I get a chance I'm going to post my finds...this was a terrific DIV, one of the best out of the last 10 without a doubt

[Fort Bedford Detectors]

Thank you everyone for the kind words and the banner nomination. That was totally unexpected! This site produced an incredible number of outstanding, mind blowing relics - I was just lucky to get my coil over one of them. I'm sure we will all see more of them posted over the course of the next week or two.

Steve - I'm game for a hunt sometime.... I thought of you when I remembered on the drive home about a 1757 skirmish site.... just need to do a little more research on that one.

Sentinel - your finds are always over the top, can't wait to see the fruit from your digging....

[MarkDz]

Wow, great stuff. The tag is impressive but I think it would be even more impressive if you can track down its (former) owner!