On May 10, 1864 2,500 Union raiders were stopped en route to Wytheville, Va., via Princeton, at Cove Mountain Gap in Wythe County. The ensuing four hour fight left several hundred casualties including around 130 Union KIA. Recently I had the chance to hunt some acreage along the escape route not far from the main battlefield and we had a little luck. Within a 40 yard area along what was then the Pearisburg Turnpike, we found a round ball (approx. .52 cal ), a fired Sharps, two fired standard Smith carbine rounds, one fired .50 cal Smith and the one I found... looks like a Conferderate .58 cal?? Any thoughts?
The picture shows the direction of the battlefield with the final phase of it spilling down this valley and along the creek east. To my right quarter runs the Pearisburg Pike and the approximate area we found that batch of lead. We did search the area near the creek to no avail.
At least got a nice one so I can make my "Battle of Cove Mountain" display and move on to another battle.
Can anyone verify this bullet? Barely over an inch long and barely over a half inch diameter.
Of course the ramrod markings are cool as hell. Couldn't be happier with it. Our thought is that Morgan's men, who had swung around to flank the Yanks, fired these rounds into the troops retreating along the pike. The Union rounds, my guess, were fired by retreating Union Cavalry at Confederates who were in hot pursuit some time after that.
The picture shows the direction of the battlefield with the final phase of it spilling down this valley and along the creek east. To my right quarter runs the Pearisburg Pike and the approximate area we found that batch of lead. We did search the area near the creek to no avail.
At least got a nice one so I can make my "Battle of Cove Mountain" display and move on to another battle.
Can anyone verify this bullet? Barely over an inch long and barely over a half inch diameter.
Of course the ramrod markings are cool as hell. Couldn't be happier with it. Our thought is that Morgan's men, who had swung around to flank the Yanks, fired these rounds into the troops retreating along the pike. The Union rounds, my guess, were fired by retreating Union Cavalry at Confederates who were in hot pursuit some time after that.
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