Old Home Site & Train Station Finds - War of 1812 Button!

[ANTIQUARIAN]

I met up with Pepperj yesterday with the intentions of detecting a long gone railroad station site. Upon arrival Pepperj suggested we investigate a ‘corner site’ just up the road from where we were headed. Pepperj had done some local research and identified an old limestone ‘Tannery’ building about 200’ from this spot, so we stopped and detected this corner for 3hrs. I managed a couple of flat one-piece buttons; one even had a silver wash and a beautiful little brass knee buckle. However, my best find at this site had to be the War of 1812 Royal Sappers and Miners Button! The button was made by McGowan of London. There was no overall commanding officer but it is believed that battalions were posted in Canada from June 1813 to March 1815.

After a bite of lunch, we headed down the road to railroad station site, only to discover that the farmer had rolled only half the field and the corn stalks were still standing! We detected here for another 3hrs until I had to drive 2hrs home. My finds at this site were a small brass teaspoon, a porcelain rabbits head and of course… another horse shoe!


The Royal Sappers and Miners

In June of 1813, the first company of the restyled Royal Sappers and Miners arrived from England; these were soon dispersed in small detachments throughout the province between Prescott and York, greatly limiting their capabilities. In the interim, authorities sought to overcome the deficiency of skilled military craftsmen in Upper Canada by organizing dedicated provincial labour companies to assist the Engineer Department.
A new uniform was “issued complete” by the Board of Ordnance from its stores in England in mid-August 1813, and packed for transport to the major garrisons in British North America. Included in these shipments were “coats, breeches, waistcoats, black gaiters, grey kersey great coats waterproofed, felt caps and plume, working jackets, grey trousers, half gaiters, working caps, pouches, do. [pouch] belts buff, bayonet belts” and “gun slings.” However, a shortage of transport during the autumn of 1813 prevented “the Conveyance of the clothing for the Royal Sappers and Miners” to Canada until the new year; thus the new uniform would not have been taken into use until the spring or early summer of 1814. The largest single portion of this clothing was allocated for the Sapper and Miner companies stationed in Upper and Lower Canada, and presumably intended for issue to affiliated provincial corps in addition. It is therefore likely the Provincial Artificers and Coloured Corps wore this latter uniform until their disbandment upon the conclusion of hostilities against the United States in March 1815.

Thanks very much for looking and hope you all have a great Memorial Day weekend!
Dave

 

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[cjon455]

Dave that's an awesome old button!, id be thrilled to have it! very nice looking old home site!

 

[qaela4]

Great piece of history to save. Thanks for the background info too.

 

[Old Dude]

Thanks for the great pics and I enjoyed the history lesson as well! I like how you always give us info with your stories Dave. Have a nice weekend.

 

[jwarner51]

Love that button! Great shape too

 

[Carolina Tom]

Very nice finds my man! Congrats on the sweet button. GL&HH.

 

[ARC]

Doesn't get much better than that in condition.
Nice digs.

 

[pepperj]

Great meeting up with you once again Dave, and your button is in way finer shape than the one I dug. The buckle and the rabbit head were cool finds as well, there's still a good find or two within the corn stalks.

 

[AP552]

Congrats! Great find!

 

[CoinandRelicMan]

That button looks superb, congrats and nice history lesson to boot !

 

[CRUSADER]

Good button - congrats

 

[Iron Patch]

Like it. I've dug a few Royal Regiment of Artillery, and each time I see one in the dirt I hope it's going to be Sappers & Miners.

 

[Steve in PA]

Sappers and Miners! Boom! Nice button Dave and in nice condition. The buckle looks like a knee buckle. Would need to see the back to confirm.

 

[sutphin]

JUST PLAIN SPEECHLESS ,vanzutphen

 

[WildWildBill]

I'm diggin' that spoon! Great finds! Keep looking. I bet there's more!

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

Dave that's an awesome old button!, id be thrilled to have it! very nice looking old home site!

Thanks very much Chris!
The button was definitely the highlight of the day!
Dave

Great piece of history to save. Thanks for the background info too.

Thank you for your post my friend and best of luck with your new detector!
Dave

Thanks for the great pics and I enjoyed the history lesson as well! I like how you always give us info with your stories Dave. Have a nice weekend.

Thanks for your post Dave!
I just think some background history gives finds more life.

Hope you and Chris are able to get out this long weekend!
Dave

Love that button! Great shape too

The condition is nice... I like how it looked best pictured on my jeans fresh out of the ground!

Doesn't get much better than that in condition.
Nice digs.

Thanks for your post my friend.

Great meeting up with you once again Dave, and your button is in way finer shape than the one I dug. The buckle and the rabbit head were cool finds as well, there's still a good find or two within the corn stalks.

It's great to have the opportunity to detect with someone with your experience J!
I learn from you every time we get out... maybe we can meet up again when I get back from Bangor?
Dave

Congrats! Great find!

Thanks very much!

That button looks superb, congrats and nice history lesson to boot !

Thanks for your post CRM!
"This completes today's lesson of early Canadian history"!
Dave

Good button - congrats

Thanks Cru, I appreciate your post mate.

Like it. I've dug a few Royal Regiment of Artillery, and each time I see one in the dirt I hope it's going to be Sappers & Miners.

I didn't realize these were that rare IP?
You guys in the east never cease to amaze me with the amount of British military finds you turn up!
Dave

JUST PLAIN SPEECHLESS ,vanzutphen

Thank you very much Sir!

I'm diggin' that spoon! Great finds! Keep looking. I bet there's more!

Isn't that spoon cool looking Bill, too bad it's not complete though.
Thanks for your post,
Dave

Sappers and Miners! Boom! Nice button Dave and in nice condition. The buckle looks like a knee buckle. Would need to see the back to confirm.

Thanks buddy!
I don't find too many military buttons, thankfully pepperj was on hand to ID it for me!

Here's a closer pic of the front and the reverse of the buckle, if you could ID it as a Knee Buckle it would be my first!
Dave

 

[Msbeepbeep]

Awesome nice detail on the button.

You me want to run out an hunt where the tannery used to be here!

 

[Ahab8]

Dave that is a HELL OF A HUNT! That button is killer man

 

[ANTIQUARIAN]

Awesome nice detail on the button.

You me want to run out an hunt where the tannery used to be here!

As I like to say MsBB... if nothing happened there then there will be nothing to find, but you'll never know for sure unless you swing your detector!
Dave

Dave that is a HELL OF A HUNT! That button is killer man

Thanks Abe!
Hope you have a great Memorial Day Weekend!
Dave

 

[pepperj]

Nice shot of the tannery Dave, maybe a knock on the door to hunt around the actual building might be worth while, then again thinking what the old fellow said about the house burning down might mean a mess of nails, but one doesn't know until they try. Here's a picture of another tannery and site I have permission to hunt the size compared to this site shows that the phrase cottage industry.