🥇 BANNER It's a CIVIL WAR DOG TAG! Louisiana Pelican Button Stunner, Eagle, Bullets, Silver

BuckleBoy

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Hello All,

I just don't know how to even process the hunt we had yesterday. I've found something that was a bucket list, Dream Find for me for 25 years-something that I thought I'd never, ever dig. As I'm still cleaning bullets and brass pieces that I dug, I felt that I just had to get this posted to share with all of you. Here's the video:



We got up early and went to a new field that we've been wanting to try out. The rains have been horrible here in Louisiana this fall, with many crop fields complete failures and the soybeans rotting in them because they couldn't get them out due to the mud. Sugar cane is about a month behind schedule and the yield is poor due to the weather. We were supposed to host a good friend from Kentucky to come dig with us and he had to cancel because it was a flood of rain and we would've been unable to dig at all! Well it was still nasty but we just couldn't stand it any longer, we just had to get out. After parking and walking through the muck for a mile we got to our field, almost worn out before we even started. I'd seen a trash pit there and thought it'd be nice to give it a try.

Turns out the pit was 1920-40s and we werent interested. After digging our butts off for two hours for junk I decided to take a random walk into the next field back. It was quiet, unlike the machine gun chatter of iron I'd been putting up with in the trash pit. :)

Getting a good beep (my second signal in that field!) I dug what looked like a gilded civilian flower button. I was pleased with it, thinking it was at least a good sign of something old in the area. But when I opened the clod for a closer look, I started to freak out. It was a BEAUTIFUL gold gilded Pelican Civil War button!!

212_1623.JPG 212_1627.JPG IMG_8926.jpeg

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Easily my finest condition Pelican button dug, this is the LA203A1 variety with the *SCOVILL, MF'G, CO* backmark.

Our digging went into overtime! Then the bullets started to come up. Mainly .69 cal round balls and buck from the "buck and ball" configuration rounds. Then I dug a flattened minieball and my buddy dug an eagle button:

IMG_8928.jpeg

Looked like a mixed-occupation site, North and South!

At this point we actually dug several coins--

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first a Shield nickel for Shane, then one for me, then a wheat cent, a second Shield, and I got a fantastic high tone. Looking down I spied a Barber Dime poking out of the dirt. Beautiful 1905-O (not the micro-O variety, unfortunately).

IMG_8938.jpeg IMG_2001.JPG IMG_2002.JPG

Evidently a mixed site in terms of time period too! Funny thing happened when I thought I had another military button (laying face down in the mud). Picked it up and once I realized it was only the back the four letter words came out :D Plug your ears if u watch the video. :laughing7:

All the while we were digging buckshot and .69 cal balls, as well as some pistol bullets. (Ended up with a NICE pocket full of lead!)

Then I got this good tone and opened up the hole and saw what I thought at first was a Large Cent staring up at me:

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Then I looked closely and noticed the gilding. So I started thinking "token." (This whole dialog that's usually in my head is actually coming out of my mouth in the video, which is interesting!). Then I flipped it over and saw this:

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Which made me think "Abraham Lincoln Campaign Token" (my wife has dug one). But then I saw "War of 1861" on the token and it started to dawn on me that it MIGHT be a Civil War ID Disc!! My heart started racing!!

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Turns out that's EXACTLY what it is! These were manufactured so they could be purchased by sutlers and stamped with soldiers' names so their bodies could be identified if they perished in battle. ("dog tags" as we know them were not standard military issue yet--and in fact these are the first dog tags in use).

Here's a link to a similar, dug one:

http://www.horsesoldier.com/product...hmctnjimLVK0gLS4FJOEebHws6rGvV_qqnVbkntbQO8VM

And a blank, non-dug one (this is how mine would've looked when new, before it was stamped with the soldier's name):

Nondug.jpg Nondug1.jpg

https://historical.ha.com/itm/polit...-bust-of-lincoln-facing-right/a/96061-27067.s

I raced home, hoping--PRAYING--that the stamped side of the disc would be legible. (They are often lightly stamped and fare horribly in the soil.) After some careful brain surgery with a wooden skewer, and photographing each step of the way, some letters started to come out. (For those of you who clean copper and brass items with water, if I'd done that here, EVERYTHING would've been completely lost!). Eventually the name and other details emerged.

IMG_1995.JPG IMG_2000.JPG

This Yankee soldier's name was Thomas Mason. He was born in Bangor, Maine in 1838 and enlisted on September 20th 1862 as a private in Company G 41st Massachusetts Volunteers (designation changed to the 3rd Massachusetts Cavalry in June of 1863--and this unit designation is what his war records bear). He was a part of the 2nd Brigade of the Army of the Gulf and participated in the siege of Port Hudson where he sustained an injury that sent him home disabled. Thomas wasn't done with military service though. After 11 months recovery, he reinlisted in the 13th Regiment Veterans Reserve Corps (a Corps for those rendered unable to serve due to disease or wounds, but who could continue to serve in garrison or lighter duty). He was honorably discharged at the war's end in 1865. He continued to stay active in the Massachusetts G.A.R. and died in West Bridgewater Massachusetts on March 20, 1896 of bronchitis at the age of 58.

I honestly can't imagine his thoughts, after growing up in Maine, once he enlisted in the summer and they sent him straight to Louisiana. Louisiana is still like no other place in the world today--but in the 1860s I'm sure it was like a foreign country with the rain forest levels of precipitation, deep mud, the spanish moss, plantation homes, French and Spanish language spoken everywhere, mazes of bayous and swamps, nutria rats, gators, snakes and sweltering heat.

I am in awe and humbled to have been the first person to touch this ID disc 156 years after it fell from Private Mason's neck in a Louisiana sugarcane field.



Best Wishes,

Buckleboy
 

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devldog

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Buckle Boy, what can I say or give, but One Rebel Yell to you on the find of the CW ID disk. What makes it even better is the fact that you were not only able to read this soldiers name and info, but were able to research this particular soldier and his own personal service History up until his death. I too vote Banner Find. Very few of these are found. You Done Good.......No, make that Great. Congrat's to you sir. On all the other relics found also.
 

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BuckleBoy

BuckleBoy

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Clicked on that picture not expecting to be able to read it, there are plenty enough post here where folks tend to see what they want.

I was shocked that you could read it, I only zoomed in at 275% (quality picture by the way) and could make it out.

I have a mate who collects these, he has been collecting since the 60s and only has 27, 5 of which where passed down in his family so not finds. Most of his you can not read a name. He was telling me that the rare ones are big money, but if you can read a name then connect that name to a specific event then it really goes through the roof and for the few that you can find news paper clippings on, even just minor news that some collectors pay big. He has never purchased one him self, he says his taste cost too much.

Great find, if you happen to find anything on that fella, please come back and let us all know what you find.

Hello Oddjob, everything I have on him so far is posted up above. Next step would be census records, marriage record, and newspaper article search.
 

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BuckleBoy

BuckleBoy

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Banner find- great find with amazing research.
Thanks for the history lesson too.
Congrats


Thank you for the banner vote submission. I’m thrilled w this relic
 

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BuckleBoy

BuckleBoy

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Nice finds BB.

That's a rare piece of history there. A hunting buddy of mine pulled one at a century old park about a year ago that we frequent.

You just never know. You deserve it you guys put the time in.

Jeremy

Hello Jeremy,

I’ve certainly appreciated seeing your finds posts and I’ve been grateful for your presence on Tnet all these years. Thanks for your reply my friend and wishing you well in 2019!
 

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BuckleBoy

BuckleBoy

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Buckle Boy, what can I say or give, but One Rebel Yell to you on the find of the CW ID disk. What makes it even better is the fact that you were not only able to read this soldiers name and info, but were able to research this particular soldier and his own personal service History up until his death. I too vote Banner Find. Very few of these are found. You Done Good.......No, make that Great. Congrat's to you sir. On all the other relics found also.

Means the world to me, and thanks devldog!
 

JerV3

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Thanks BB the feeling is mutual. You guys bring some great information to this site and it's groups like you that make this place.

Keep locating them great sites and saving all that history.

You should see me back on here again a little more frequently. I've made so many great finds over the past few years that I have not been able to share with anyone except my wife family and a few friends. No one appreciates this stuff more than the folks on this website.

Have a great 19 as well.

Jeremy
 

BLK HOLE

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I am stunned!!! What an incredible hunt and it is without hesitation that I vote BANNER!!!!
 

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BuckleBoy

BuckleBoy

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Thanks BB the feeling is mutual. You guys bring some great information to this site and it's groups like you that make this place.

Keep locating them great sites and saving all that history.

You should see me back on here again a little more frequently. I've made so many great finds over the past few years that I have not been able to share with anyone except my wife family and a few friends. No one appreciates this stuff more than the folks on this website.

Have a great 19 as well.

Jeremy

Well I think I speak for everyone when I say that I can't wait to see what you've dug. Looking forward to your posts, and best wishes for 2019 my friend!
 

Salty

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This is exactly what "saving history" is all about. There would never have been a tag, a story, a tale from this soldier if the tag wasn't dug up. I understand caution due to those who rip and tear across the landscape, but for the huge majority of us, we DO save history. Buckle Boy, I am envious, but grateful at the same time. Thank you for sharing your banner story, and giving this soldier his respect back!
 

GaRebel1861

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I'm surprised that tag hasn't made the banner yet. That's one heck of a find! Good luck!
 

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BuckleBoy

BuckleBoy

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This is exactly what "saving history" is all about. There would never have been a tag, a story, a tale from this soldier if the tag wasn't dug up. I understand caution due to those who rip and tear across the landscape, but for the huge majority of us, we DO save history. Buckle Boy, I am envious, but grateful at the same time. Thank you for sharing your banner story, and giving this soldier his respect back!

Thank you so much for your wise words.
 

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BuckleBoy

BuckleBoy

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I'm surprised that tag hasn't made the banner yet. That's one heck of a find! Good luck!

Sometimes folks don't understand that they need to click the link to nominate. At times the banner seems to be populated in batches though too, so I'm not sure the mods are in a continual decision-making process but perhaps look at nominations every week or so.

Cheers,
 

luke_00

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Amazing piece of history!!!! CONGRATS!!!!!
 

Kace

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That Dog Tag Is A BANNER FIND!!

I'm So Happy You Rescued That Tag BuckleBoy! WOW,WOW,WOW!!

What you found is So Rare...CONGRATULATIONS!! Gotta Keep These Boys Memories Alive!

Thanks For Sharing His Story and Yours! You had a fantastic day with everything!

Kace
 

relic nut

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Wow!! What an outstanding find! personal items from the civil war are by far my favorite finds and that is top of the line banner for sure congratulations.
 

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