CW lead, brass and iron from the battlefield . . .

[parsonwalker]

Hunting a spot where Confederates were assaulting entrenched Union troops. I came up with some Enfields, 3 ringers, Buck & Balls, a button back with thread still on the back, and a shield nickel. It was every bit of 10" deep, but dated 1875! What a let down.



Mudduck had more bullets than me, shell frags, a bullet in wood and a nice Eagle button. We gotta stop bringin' him along.



Our combined total is above. I did find something worthless, but pretty cool: I got a scratchy iron signal. Kicking the leaves away, I found two sections of a broken ramrod on top of the ground. I found the third section under them, sticking straight up in the trench. Some old yankee loaded up, stuck his ramrod in the ground for reloading the next round . . . and never got to pull it out. Wonder what his story was? Was he killed, wounded and survived the war, or did he run? Every relic tells a profound story. If only we knew it.

 

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[CASPER-2]

 

[relic nut]

Nice hunt. I'm like you and love to wonder what the story is and try to peice it together. Looks like a great place to hunt.

 

[FesterCopperPot]

Great stuff!

 

[VOL1266-X]

You guys had a great hunt PW!! The ramrod position is a mystery. WTG, Q.

 

[WHADIFIND]

Sometimes, only sometimes mind you, I wonder about all those lead pellets we find. For something so hideous, "thrown" at each other in such hate for so long. Why are they so treasured now? Sometimes it feels like we forget just what the purpose of those objects were.

No, I am NOT putting down anyone's pursuit of what makes them happy. But, sometimes, I just have to wonder.

Maybe I'd better understand if I knew what's being done with these pounds of lead after we find them.

In any regards, a successful hunt!

 

[Valley Ranger]

Whoa, nice haul!

 

[relic nut]

Sometimes, only sometimes mind you, I wonder about all those lead pellets we find. For something so hideous, "thrown" at each other in such hate for so long. Why are they so treasured now? Sometimes it feels like we forget just what the purpose of those objects were.

No, I am NOT putting down anyone's pursuit of what makes them happy. But, sometimes, I just have to wonder.

Maybe I'd better understand if I knew what's being done with these pounds of lead after we find them.

In any regards, a successful hunt!

I think this is exactly way we need to dig the history... Lest we forget.

 

[against the wind]

That's a lot of targets, , Congrats

 

[Davers]

A great bunch of finds PW.
Tho MD got more bullets than you , Less the Bullet in wood & Eagle Button -IMO You dug the better Quality Stuff.

I know how you feel about Coins , but that Shield Nickle was a great find also , I never dug a Shield Before & only 1 V type.
(10 inches & 1875 ) Makes you wonder, P.S. The ramrod is far from worthless . You just gotta always picture it in the Context that you found it. 'If that makes since'; well I think you do Hence your Theory of how it got there.
Thanks for Sharing.
Davers

 

[parsonwalker]

Sometimes, only sometimes mind you, I wonder about all those lead pellets we find. For something so hideous, "thrown" at each other in such hate for so long. Why are they so treasured now? Sometimes it feels like we forget just what the purpose of those objects were.

No, I am NOT putting down anyone's pursuit of what makes them happy. But, sometimes, I just have to wonder.

Maybe I'd better understand if I knew what's being done with these pounds of lead after we find them.

In any regards, a successful hunt!

Your point is well taken. For me . . . they are treasured just because it is such a tangible link to such a terrible time in our history, and I think about all those long-dead boys as I walk among the earthworks. Just the IDEA of what they went through. There's a spot where, when it was first hunted, there were quite literally 10 signals in a space the size of a bathtub. All FIRED bullets, no drops. And this was EVERYWHERE across 2 acres. For the life of me, I cannot understand how anyone could have survived standing anywhere within that two acres.

As to your question - I display many artifacts, but common bullets and shell fragments are often given away to school kids or anyone with an interest in history. They are simply AWED by what I give them. And I always tell them: "Except for my hands, the last hands that held these objects were trembling and in a literal fight for their very lives. And it may have been their LAST moments on earth." And I agree with relic nut.

 

[46Wheat]

Nice pieces of history you recovered there

 

[metalev4]

Nice digs, and a fine display.

 

[WHADIFIND]

I think this is exactly way we need to dig the history... Lest we forget.

And I always tell them: "Except for my hands, the last hands that held these objects were trembling and in a literal fight for their very lives. And it may have been their LAST moments on earth." And I agree with relic nut.

Oh, I agree as well! The true quote is to not forget the past or else. But, as far as I can see, there is absolutely nothing in this world anymore that will allow that to happen. If you want to see evidence of this theory, just try walking around in a downtown city park. Any city, any park. If you get out alive, you know what those boys back then felt.

I do not want to make this a confab over things, just was mentioning a confusion I've had for a long time. For me, there is no way to display a fired bullet that makes it pretty. Although, your display does seem to do them justice. Sorry, it's just me, I can't get past it and it's "MY" problem. Kudos!

 

[N.O. noir et d'or]

Great recoveries PW and that display is beyond impressive!

 

[sutphin]

DANG PARSON YOU ARE ONE RELIC HUNTER FOR SURE. NICE LEAD .....

 

[diggervet]

very well stated comments on why these relics are treasured now. I often think of the last person who touched the items we find. where were they from, did they survive the war, what would they say if we could talk to them today? Tangible links to the past that make time dissolve.