🥇 BANNER Civil War Revolver!!!

hbru123

Bronze Member
Jun 4, 2016
1,120
1,023
San Diego California
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I was metal detecting at a early 1800’s-1920’s homestead which throughout the years has had Civil War soldiers sent to capture Confederate sympathizers camp outside, the Mormon battalion camped there, and a lot more occurred. You might remember my post about how I found a Civil War revolver cylinder if not it has a lot of history of the site so here is the old post: I found this awesome Cylinder to a revolver near a Civil War skirmish site and a Civil War trail in San Diego California. Here is a little back story: In San Diego there were many Confederate sympathizers and in 1861 16 Confederate soldiers ran into some Union soldiers on there way to San Diego (Remember this was before San Diego was widely populated so if you saw a homestead near a river, which is where I found this, you would most likely stop to have a drink of water and rest) a small skirmish pursued but the Union ended up capturing the Confederates. I found this not far from the battle site. After looking over hundreds of different revolvers the only one that was a match was a Confederate .36 caliber revolver. ( you have to remember that Civil War relics are insanely hard to find in California so this is a amazing find for me) it was found over 14 inches deep.

Today: I went back there. I was finding some old relics but I never thought something like this would ever happen. I got the signal and I looked down and saw something sticking out of the ground, I pulled it out, and after a second of looking at it I knew that it was the back to a revolver. I went to look to see if the cylinder and the barrel were there so I swung my detector over the hole and there was still something so I dug down a few inches and out popped the cylinder and the barrel. After some research I found out that it is a 1860 army issue colt revolver!! I never thought I would find a gun and much less a Civil War revolver in California!!

**UPDATE**

I was looking over the gun and I found that the owner of the gun carved his initials (T B) into the brass piece!!

I just found out that it was shipped to Capt. R. H. K. Whitely Governor's Island, NY in 1862!
 

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Last edited:
Upvote 129

GB1

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uglymailman

Bronze Member
Feb 3, 2010
1,266
1,463
Hey hbru, Capt. Robert Henry Kirkwood Whitley was the Ordnance Officer at the Arsenal at Governors Island,N.Y. He was also the guy who surrendered the Arsenal at San Antonio ,TX. at the start of the Unpleasantness between the states. He went on to be a Bvt. General and retired with a permanent rank of Col.in 1875. He was a West Point graduate class of 1830, died in 1896 and is buried in Delaware.
So he was the guy who signed for everything that went to the arsenal. The Union troops in Texas at the start of the war were allowed to leave the state but the Rebels took all property, goods and money. Good luck.
 

Calabash Digger

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Apr 18, 2016
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very cool find!
 

OP
OP
hbru123

hbru123

Bronze Member
Jun 4, 2016
1,120
1,023
San Diego California
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Minelab Equinox 600
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
Hey hbru, Capt. Robert Henry Kirkwood Whitley was the Ordnance Officer at the Arsenal at Governors Island,N.Y. He was also the guy who surrendered the Arsenal at San Antonio ,TX. at the start of the Unpleasantness between the states. He went on to be a Bvt. General and retired with a permanent rank of Col.in 1875. He was a West Point graduate class of 1830, died in 1896 and is buried in Delaware.
So he was the guy who signed for everything that went to the arsenal. The Union troops in Texas at the start of the war were allowed to leave the state but the Rebels took all property, goods and money. Good luck.

Thanks so much!!
 

relic nut

Silver Member
Nov 29, 2014
4,000
7,275
VA
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Minelab CTX 3030 TELEKINETICS 4000 GARRET AT PRO
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The rareness alone makes this banner worthy, without the personalization of the initials.
Come on folks, let's vote and get it on top.
 

OP
OP
hbru123

hbru123

Bronze Member
Jun 4, 2016
1,120
1,023
San Diego California
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Minelab Equinox 600
Primary Interest:
Relic Hunting
I just found another of the exact same guns in the same excavated condition selling for $1595
 

highnam

Bronze Member
Jan 23, 2012
1,603
1,636
Western Washington
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Wow man! You have been on a roll...great research to go along with another banner find. Either you are too young to receive a banner or you aren't with the cool crowd. I vote banner, this kid should get one for the Levi buttons too.
Should we not encourage youth to chase history? Crown this Kid...
 

Cal_Cobra

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Oct 3, 2008
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Northern California
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Minelab EQ800 & Makro Multi Kruzer, the rest are collecting dust...
As hard as we've hammered that site, I'm amazed what it's been porking out lately.
 

GB1

Gold Member
Jul 12, 2017
7,428
21,863
East TX
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Teknectics eurotek pro
bounty hunter time ranger
bounty hunter quick draw 2
used a teroso compadre.
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Other
That is one sweet find.
Looks like something the Outlaw Josie Wales would have used. lol
Congratulations.

are you gonna pull those pistols or whistle Dixie :laughing7:
 

Tom_in_CA

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Mar 23, 2007
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Salinas, CA
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As hard as we've hammered that site, I'm amazed what it's been porking out lately.

hhhhmmm, I seem to recall someone named "Brian" saying "I don't like this site". Gee, I wonder who that could be ?? :icon_silent:
 

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