A Small Find, But A Significant Date

[Valley Ranger]

I recently received permission to hunt a small piece of private property near the McDowell Battlefield here in Virginia. This was a significant battle and is considered to the the opening of Stonewall Jackson's legendary Valley Campaign. The terrain was tough - steep, lots of underbrush and low-hanging limbs and slippery from all the recent rains. It also started to drizzle right after I got there to hunt for what I had hoped was going to be 3-4 hours. I was only there a little over an hour, then it started to pour. Didn't want to take a chance on getting the T2 wet, so I packed it in. However I was able to recover this .64 caliber musket ball. The size threw me so I searched and found this comment here on TNet:

"Civil War Projectiles II" shows a .64 caliber paper patched ball cartridge for a Hall Carbine. The carbine was built by Bizhar, Hall Company in Virginia for the Confederacy from 1862-1864. Only 400 were made and one today is valued by collectors at over $10,000. Monty (See: http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/what/175484-64-caliber-musketball.html)

Don't know about mine or not and don't know how I might confirm if it is in fact a Hall, but beyond that possibility, what is significant about this particular one is the date I found it - today, 8 May 2012 and the date it was most likely fired - 8 May 1862. This would be exactly 150 years to the day. It's going in a display case all by itself. Some days you just "know" you're going to make a satisfying find. Today was one of those days.

 

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[GetReal]

Nice find

 

[Valley Ranger]

Nice find

Thanks GR!

 

[sonofadigger]

very nice find how deep was it

 

[TommNJ]

Cool find!

TommNJ

 

[Gunrunner61]

Amazing find. and after a hundred and fifty years later you find it. Just amazing

 

[Valley Ranger]

very nice find how deep was it

About 7-8 inches. It rang as a strong iron signal on the T2 - in the 25-28 range. But after I dug out the plug, it read in the 70's.

 

[sonofadigger]

Thats amazing man just think of the history of that thing

 

[Dig Daddy]

Cool, anniversary present !!! Congrats!!!

 

[Valley Ranger]

Thanks Sonof and Dig Daddy!

 

[Monty]

I was just quoting an article I read in a book. I'm not an expert on musket balls at all, just researched this one and found an example in the book. All I can say is that it is a cast ball as opposed to a swaged ball because of the sprue mark on the side of the ball. Being a cast ball it could even be a reload put together by the guns owner? There's not much else I can tell you except it's a great find and as long as you value it, it is a treasure for sure. Monty

 

[Valley Ranger]

I was just quoting an article I read in a book. I'm not an expert on musket balls at all, just researched this one and found an example in the book. All I can say is that it is a cast ball as opposed to a swaged ball because of the sprue mark on the side of the ball. Being a cast ball it could even be a reload put together by the guns owner? There's not much else I can tell you except it's a great find and as long as you value it, it is a treasure for sure. Monty

Thanks Monty. You know a lot more than I do about them. Perhaps someone else will chime in on some way to confirm if its a Hall or not. The location and date certainly would allow that possibility.

 

[Big H]

Awesome find!!

 

[TENNESSEEGAL]

Very cool find!

 

[Monty]

Yes, the possibility surely does exist, but not to rain on your jparade, I don't think there is a way to absolutely prove it. I have a 3 ringer rifle bullet (minie ball) that came from the area of a scrimage between the north and south up in southern Kansas. Other CW "stuff" has been found in the area but I would never be able to say it was fired by a Southern soldier even though it was found in the ground having been shot and ending up on the Northern side of a bridge they were fighting for. But due to circumstances I have to surmise it was fired from a Rebel firearm at a Yankee position.......ofr couldit just have been someone target shooting? I'll never be certain, but until proven otherwise it is a Rebel .54 caliber three ringer. Monty

 

[zaxfire69]

That is very cool to be able to date a find like you did. Very nice find. Don't think I have ever found a .64 Cal musket ball before. Congrats.

 

[Valley Ranger]

Yes, the possibility surely does exist, but not to rain on your jparade, I don't think there is a way to absolutely prove it. I have a 3 ringer rifle bullet (minie ball) that came from the area of a scrimage between the north and south up in southern Kansas. Other CW "stuff" has been found in the area but I would never be able to say it was fired by a Southern soldier even though it was found in the ground having been shot and ending up on the Northern side of a bridge they were fighting for. But due to circumstances I have to surmise it was fired from a Rebel firearm at a Yankee position.......ofr couldit just have been someone target shooting? I'll never be certain, but until proven otherwise it is a Rebel .54 caliber three ringer. Monty

Thanks Monty. I need to so some detailed unit studies to see if any of the soldiers there were carrying that particular gun. That might narrow it down a bit.

 

[Valley Ranger]

That is very cool to be able to date a find like you did. Very nice find. Don't think I have ever found a .64 Cal musket ball before. Congrats.

Thanks Zax.

 

[JmCraz8]

Fantastic find, congrats!!!!!

 

[VOL1266-X]

Whether it is or isn't is not important Richard. You were there on the land where the subject of your well written book directed a CW battle. That's something you will long remember for many reasons and especially the date of your find. that one deserves a little Ryker box by itself. HH, Quindy.