UNBELIEVABLE !!! 76th Regiment of Foot (McDonalds Highlanders)

[Devonrex]

UNBELIEVABLE !!! 76th Regiment of Foot (McDonald's Highlanders)

UPDATE : UNBELIEVABLE! One of my flat buttons is a 76th Regiment of Foot (BRITISH) « on: Today at 04:19:54 PM »

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Thought everyone on Treasurenet would appreciate what I dug today. This is the FIRST British button I've ever found AND its coated in silver plate!!!!

Just got in and I am soaking wet. The weatherman predicted 50% rain yesterday and it NEVER rained. Today they predicted 40% so I took my chance. Finally got to my spot and after about 2 hrs the rumbling of thunder began and then the sky let loose. It always happens to me like this........and the last find of the day was an eagle cuff button too! Man I didn't want to leave! I parked myself under a big old oak tree but the rain just got worse and worse. Anyway, here are my finds for the 11th of August. The standing liberty quarter was a surprise but I'll take silver anyday! Did get 3 dropped 69 caliber bullets (one is carved). These are my favorite bullets to find. When I was just 16, a couple months after I took up the hobby, I dug 52 of these monsters out of one pit along with a Jefferson Davis hat pin. Those were the days!!! Anyway I think I got 46 bullets altogether and a couple of flat buttons. Got a pile of shotgun shells also..... Hope everyone gets there coil over something good this weekend! UPDATE : One of my flat buttons is a British 76th Regiment of Foot!!! The 76th Regiment of Foot was also known as MacDonald's Highlanders. They arrived in New York in 1779. Winter of 1779 - 1780 in Brooklyn. Winter of 1780-1781 in New York City. Feb 16, 1781, batallions were sent to Virginia. Operations against Lafayette in Virginia. Captured at the fall of Yorktown. This button is an officers pattern, large one piece copper with silvered face and soldered loop shank. Motif of raised Arabic numeral "76" within an oval with a floral garland border. 21.3 mm. Extremely rare. UPDATE : To show what a historical find this is according to records researched by the NPS at Yorktown : the 76th Regiment of Foot was formed in Scotland in 1777. Three hundred and forty-five men were present at the battle and were known as MacDonald's Highlanders. Major Francis Needham was the commander of this group which was disbanded in 1784. 385 men and I was fortunate to locate an OFFICERS button!!! According to another member of My Treasurespot this is the 4th known officer's button dug in Virginia. After their capture they were sent to a POW camp in Winchester, Va. The other known 76th officers buttons were found in Winchester, Berryville, and Fredericksburg Virginia. I knew England had Hessian mercenaries but I never knew they had men from Scotland as well. This is such an amazing hobby we all have! To me there is nothing better than discovering a relic that was last held over 2 centuries agoand is such a revelant part of our history and heritage! The relics I uncover continue to teach me parts of history that I would have never known without their discovery. Thanks for all the nice responses.....I could hardly sleep last night from the rush I had! I will always cherish this button and the memory of finding it! Devonrex

 

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[Iron Patch]

This one shouldn't even need votes for the banner. The fact it's been avoided with other stuff going up in the last 24 hours shows this website doesn't really have much of a handle on what's an ok button vs a good button vs a great button. I can understand that because nobody knows it all, but let me give you a hint.... It's a great one!

 

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[thrillathahunt]

Awesome find! This button should be up on top.

 

[CRUSADER]

This one shouldn't even need votes for the banner. The fact it's been avoided with other stuff going up in the last 24 hours shows this website doesn't really have much of a handle on what's an ok button vs a good button vs a great button. I can understand that because nobody knows it all, but let me give you a hint.... It's a great one!

 

[hogge]

I have to agree. I could not believe my USA button didn't make it in the first day of posting. I think there is a sense of, really NOT knowing the rarity and value, (condition) of a true Banner find, especially in the relic department. It shouldn't take a week of nominations to constitute this. This button has it all! Get it up there!!!

 

[ticm]

What the hell I missed this thread. Of course it's a banner find.

 

[hogge]

I vote banner.

 

[umrgolf]

Rev War button- rare, PRETTY.. banner vote

 

[ticm]

I am waiting for a pile of clad to make the banner. The way things have changed in what people are posting anymore it's just a matter of time.

 

[milk86]

you got another banner from me....Great button!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[CRUSADER]

I think I forgot to vote this one, so will join in........!

 

[Iron Patch]

Rev War button- rare, PRETTY.. banner vote

I would say even rarer than your plate for numbers because I doubt there's many more that exist than the 4 from VA.

 

[umrgolf]

I would say even rarer than your plate for numbers because I doubt there's many more that exist than the 4 from VA.

You're prob right. I'd imagine there are quite a few more buckles out there than 30, likely more have found them and not reported. So with this button, 4 recorded, there might be 10-15 total in collections and half of those are prob fried

Bottom line is even if it were fried, with rarity like that it's a trophy find... but obviously its appearance is nearly perfect

 

[Wldbil]

You have one heck of an area going there... Great finds!

 

[Iron Patch]

You're prob right. I'd imagine there are quite a few more buckles out there than 30, likely more have found them and not reported. So with this button, 4 recorded, there might be 10-15 total in collections and half of those are prob fried

Bottom line is even if it were fried, with rarity like that it's a trophy find... but obviously its appearance is nearly perfect

Hard to say what is in private hands because someone could have found the remains of a coat, but just kept the find to himself. But my gut says very few known because I have paid attention to numbered British officer buttons for a long time and you don't see many found, not just in the US, but in the UK as well. I have never seen a 76th found or for sale, and I bet the other three mentioned are in collections and never move. It's a shame no one wants to drop much for these now because this button should be an easy grand. It certainly wouldn't be for sale if mine, even at that price, because I have basically been looking for a Rev War numbered British officer button since I started detecting.

 

[Chimacum87]

Did you find this in yorktown? I have been to the battlefield many a time and i never thought you could detect there. Congrats on the find though!!

 

[Devonrex]

Did you find this in yorktown? I have been to the battlefield many a time and i never thought you could detect there. Congrats on the find though!!

You are correct, metal detecting is strictly prohibited on any National Park. When I was researching the button I looked up data provided by the NPS concerning the battle of Yorktown and the 76th Regiment of Foot. The information they provide is the most thorough data I could find concerning this regiment and their time in Virginia. They have carefully outlined all the different regiments that fought in the battle telling how many men were in each regiment and who their commanding officer was. Before the battle of Yorktown, in July of 1781, the 76th Regiment of Foot spent a week in Williamsburg under Cornwallis where they fought at the battle of Greensprings. In this battle they actually won defeating Lafayette. I can assume that the button was lost during this time period since the button was discovered several miles outside of Williamsburg. This area saw Civil War activity as well. Southeastern Virginia is rich is history spanning from the time the first English settlers arrived in Jamestown in 1609 to the present. Again thanks for all the nice responces and banner votes I have received. Iron Patch is correct. I have searched this area for 25 yrs and this is the first British button I have EVER heard of being found. I honestly never thought I'd find one and I feel so fortunate to be able to finally be able to cross it off my list. It is truly a beautiful relic that is directly associated with our freedom and independence!

 

[jamesbibb]

This si a faqntastic button
I vote baner!

 

[Ironman!]

Another amazing find you have made Devonrex! Congratulations, and yes,this definitely deserves to be up top!! Voting now!!!

IM

 

[MKnTenn]

Wow, beautiful button! Nice finds and a big pile of bullets to top it off, great hunt! Is the cuff button in the lower part of the pic a navy or confederate staff? HH

 

[Devonrex]

Wow, beautiful button! Nice finds and a big pile of bullets to top it off, great hunt! Is the cuff button in the lower part of the pic a navy or confederate staff? HH

The button you are referring to is a Confederate Officer Staff button with 13 stars, vest or tunic size (16mm). As far as rarity goes you can't get much rarer! Apparently this is only the second to have been found of this size. This button will be featured in North South Trader's Civil War magazine in the upcoming issue. I documented it on this site when I discovered it a few months ago. Check out Sentinel's Website where it is listed in their banner finds.