Got permission, now need guidance

[WV_Digger]

Yesterday I talked to a landowner about getting permission to MD some land that he has. I know there are at least two old homesites on this place that date back to the civil war. Also on this property is a section of a confederate winter camp and there were small skirmishes all around it. My question is this...as I have never been in or had the chance to see a camp, what do I look for? I can find my way around the homesites but the camp is another story all together. Do I look for depressions or different types of signs?

 

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[wildrider]

Look for old cut nails, burned and unburned. Often they would uncrate supplies and then burn the wooden boxes . You are likely to find melted lead and or unfired "dropped" bullets. If you start finding stuff, you will know if you are in a camp based on concentrations of "good stuff" .

Good luck!

 

[BamaBill]

Remember the basics when looking for the camp, water, wood, and drainage. When I walk into an area that I'm looking for a camp, the first thing I do is take note of any higher ground. Then I look at how far it is from a stream or springs. The wood part is a lot harder to judge since the woods are probably way different than they would have been back then. I usually choose the best looking ground nearest the stream and start a quick sampling hunt to see if I find anything and then try the next piece of high ground that's further from the stream. Also, don't forget to hunt along the edge of the stream for a bit too. It also helps to have an old map of the area and figure out where the roads would have come through and look for any crossings, crossroads or strategic points that would have at least a picket post assigned to them. I envy you the opportunity at a possibly virgin site. Good Luck, I'm sure you'll find some really great things.

 

[WV_Digger]

The main part of this winter camp is visable from the road and there is a civil war cemetary there. The place I have permission to hunt is a bit down the ridge from the main camp but not very far. I do know there are trenches and gun pits all over the place out in the main fields. This spot where I will be going is a wooded ridge that is between the main camp / cemetary and the two homesites. I think a lot of it has been hunted before (the main camp) mostly by people sneaking in at night. But no serious hunting and digging has been done.

 

[armchairQB30]

Try to get a military map of the area, search some on line archives for the order of battle, read the reports from the commanders. Find water in the area, look for the high ground and overlay a modern map to your research map that you locate. I have recently found a map made in 1835 that even has a clump of palmetto bushes still there in 2008 in one area that I recently detected. I have been researching the road from Tampa, Florida to Ocala, Florida known as the Ft King Highway. I have looked at endless maps and when the turn goes away from private land it pays nice dividends. I dug three musket balls today in Ocala. You can always get someone with some military map exp. to help you. I would not start detecting until you have done your homework and researched the area to the max. Go to the civil war archives or look up your county history books. Find out which units fought in these battles, you can also read the order of battle by unit. Good luck, if you would like some help provide me with the area, city, date and some general information about your site and I will send you some links. Also go to your local public library or find a civil war cemetery in your area. I have walked many cemeteries near battlefields that have told me many things. Whenever I see graves for Texans in Tennessee, my hair stands up on the back of my head. I know that out there somewhere in the area surrounding Nashville some buttons are calling my name from the state of Texas. I just have to find them when I go there on business. Anyway good luck.

 

[MichaelB]

My biggest success has been under old old old oak trees. You can tell the ones that were around 150 years ago. I can always imagine a tired soldier leaning up against the tree. Most of my intact bullets have been found this way. I look for high ground and signs of any wells or springs.

MichaelB
South Alabama

 

[Bridge End Farm]

congrats on doing it the right way and asking

just take your time and hunt slow
I always pick grids out and work them one by one

good luck and Happy HUnting

 

[civilman1]

Take all this advice in and use it,everything here is great.....Take your time and move around until you find the best spot's.The find's aren't going anywhere.....You can pretty much narrow it down by the amount of find's,you'll know when it's good.Can't wait to see the find's,you'll have a lifetime of digging ahead of ya.....Best of Luck!!

 

[mlhudson]

EVERY ONE THAT HAS POSTED HERE WRITED THE TRUTH ! DO YOUR HOMEWORK AND THE FIELD TRIP WHALE WORTH IT....SOUNDS LIKE YOUR ON TO A POSSIBLE SWEET SPOT THERE.

KEEPA DIGGIN

RESEARCH EVERYTHING YOU CAN

M L HUDSON

 

[WV_Digger]

I sure do appreciate all of the info from you guys. Now I am just hanging out waiting for the owner to bring me a written permission slip. This winter camp is up on top of the mountain, the only thing I am confused about is that there was really no water real close to the camp. Only thing I can think of is that there were a couple of homesites there and maybe thats where they got water, from the landowners wells?

 

[truckinbutch]

All good advice.
I have a similar high ground gun emplacement site overlooking a river crossing in WV.One rifle trench is still intact around the cliff and the cannons were placed in defilade(?)behind the bluff.3 guns.Water was from farmstead well and support troops quartered in adjacent fields.Years worth of MDing.
If my MIL ever decides to sell it I'm going to have to call in help to cover it before a new owner posts it keep out.Right now I'm the only one that has swung a detector in her yard.

 

[armchairQB30]

WV Digger,

Any updates? Have you started yet? Lets see some pics.

 

[cavers5]

Drooling...please post some pics soon, both of you!

Look for the water, either wells or springs. Even if the spring has dried up, the drainage will still be there unless it's been dozed over!

Cavers5

 

[armchairQB30]

I recently saw some civil war battle maps that were changed by the hour, they kept very good order of battle records. You just need to find the battle in your area and look at the maps. If it was just a temporary camp go to the historical newspapers and read up. Any cemeteries around this area? Look for dates that the soldiers died. Look up the county history for troop movements. Finally get a topographical map and think like an Infantry Captain. If you need help ask someone on this site from your area to go with you. Oh yeah and start showing some pics!!!

 

[WV_Digger]

Hey everyone. Work has had me swamped from 18 hour days to court on my days off, and work has had the owner of the land swamped he is a logger. I am going to go see if I can track him down today. There is a friend of mine who will be taking me into the area (he is familiar with the land I am not) but he had surgery so I am just waiting and waiting. As soon as I go I will post anything, everything.