Civil War Awesome Day!

[Poptopagain]

Today I started detecting at a Western Maryland 1850c homestead and ended up finding an area where Union soldiers must have stayed. I found a button that a friend and I identified as a New York Militia (But I am open to suggestions), Lead pieces, a bullet (Unknown type with a solid end), a brass buckle, grommet, and a flat piece of brass with a hole in it.

I would love to know what this is! The hole is exactly the same size as the bullet so my son thought it might be some kind of gauging tool. It has the patent number on it along with the date. 1849.

Also How should I clean the button. I tried using a toothbrush and soapy water, but if anyone has a technique I would love to try it.

 

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[FatCat]

Great finds, Hope to see more from the site.

 

[Old River]

Looks like you hit the jackpot. Nice finds. HH.....

 

[WeaponsUSMC]

Great finds. Your button is a NY state seal button, besides the normal general service button, this would be the most found button out there. Your bullet is a sharps carbine MM# 43 and TT# 113, also a nice haversack button. I would say you have found a nice Civil War camp site, Great finds HH......Bill

 

[Bridge End Farm]

excellent finds, congrats on your digs

 

[Jimmy D]

Now thats a day to be happy with.......nice to see your are doing something better with your time than coming up with artwork. WTG on the awesome finds man!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[johnnyi]

Great finds Pop. I believe your brass piece is sewing machine related (patent plate). Howe we know of already if it is the same Howe, but Wright is more obscure, and may be Lemuel Wright. (there was a Wright and Howe associated with pin making before the sewing machine was patented) The Bradshaw patent of Nov 28 1849 is also sewing machine related.

 

[whitesPA]

nice finds

 

[Gribnitz]

Is that gold gilt I see on that button under the dirt ? If there is gilt, you can use aluminum jelly to clean that button up very nicely. I haven't found too many places that sell it. If you send me a PM, I will give you a person to check to see if he has anymore in stock.

 

[rjw4law]

absolutely awsome.

 

[Elliott Ness]

Those are some nice finds Mike. I would love to know what that bent thingy belongs to. Good job brother.

 

[allen]

hit that site hard and dig all signals !!

 

[Iron Patch]

Is that gold gilt I see on that button under the dirt ? If there is gilt, you can use aluminum jelly to clean that button up very nicely. I haven't found too many places that sell it. If you send me a PM, I will give you a person to check to see if he has anymore in stock.

If there is any gilt left on there it isn't much. I would use peroxide as a first step to clean the remaining crud, then go from there. It's safer than jumping right to something harsh for what in my opinion is only a slight chance to catch a little gilt as a best case scenario.

 

[Woodland Detectors]

Fantastic finds

 

[Poptopagain]

Thanks for all of the info. Very helpfull! I'll keep trying to pull something up on the sewing machine patent.

 

[CRUSADER]

Is that gold gilt I see on that button under the dirt ? If there is gilt, you can use aluminum jelly to clean that button up very nicely. I haven't found too many places that sell it. If you send me a PM, I will give you a person to check to see if he has anymore in stock.

If there is any gilt left on there it isn't much. I would use peroxide as a first step to clean the remaining crud, then go from there. It's safer than jumping right to something harsh for what in my opinion is only a slight chance to catch a little gilt as a best case scenario.

agreed, cleaning this one could lose detail