Battle of Nashville Civil War soldiers coat found

[Mike N Tn.]

Yesterday, I recovered the remains of a Civil War soldiers coat. I was detecting at the Battle of Nashville, first day of fighting, in the Confederate lines and found all of the Eagle buttons around the base of a dogwood tree not more than two feet apart from each other. I was using a Minelab Equinox 600.

 

[JeffInMass]

That is stunning, talk about historic! The visuals that come to mind thinking about how those buttons ended up there- simply mind-boggling- Big time Congrats!!

 

[smokeythecat]

Very nice! I'll never forget the first one I found. A cavalry jacket with those small buttons, all in one hole.

 

[Digger RJ]

Yesterday, I recovered the remains of a Civil War soldiers coat. I was detecting at the Battle of Nashville, first day of fighting, in the Confederate lines and found all of the Eagle buttons around the base of a dogwood tree not more than two feet apart from each other. I was using a Minelab Equinox 600.

Very Cool!!!! Congrats!!!!!

 

[Calabash Digger]

Yesterday, I recovered the remains of a Civil War soldiers coat. I was detecting at the Battle of Nashville, first day of fighting, in the Confederate lines and found all of the Eagle buttons around the base of a dogwood tree not more than two feet apart from each other. I was using a Minelab Equinox 600.

CONGRATS!

 

[oldmxrat]

Too cool, congrats!

 

[GaRebel1861]

That’s a good day!

 

[Salty]

Fantastic story, I can only imagine how they got there. It's great you got to save that history!

 

[Silvermonkey]

What a rare find. Kudos to you.

 

[Hunk-a-lead]

Yesterday, I recovered the remains of a Civil War soldiers coat. I was detecting at the Battle of Nashville, first day of fighting, in the Confederate lines and found all of the Eagle buttons around the base of a dogwood tree not more than two feet apart from each other. I was using a Minelab Equinox 600.

great saves Mike, wtg

 

[pepperj]

I don't know my US military buttons all that well.
Just wondering if they're from the same coat, why is there 3 different types?

 

[Mike N Tn.]

I don't know my US military buttons all that well.
Just wondering if they're from the same coat, why is there 3 different types?

I think the buttons are the remains of a Rebel frock coat. I’ve seen mismatched buttons on Confederate coats in museums before. The Rebs would replace missing buttons with whatever they had at the time. The Eagle I coat button was in the same hole as one of the regular Eagle coat buttons, and I had to uncover the hole to redig the I button. The only way to be certain of course is to have been there in person in December of 1864.

 

[BLK HOLE]

Awesome save! Congratulations

 

[CRUSADER]

I think the buttons are the remains of a Rebel frock coat. I’ve seen mismatched buttons on Confederate coats in museums before. The Rebs would replace missing buttons with whatever they had at the time. The Eagle I coat button was in the same hole as one of the regular Eagle coat buttons, and I had to uncover the hole to redig the I button. The only way to be certain of course is to have been there in person in December of 1864.

Yeap, or have it still attached to part of the jacket together

 

[DCMatt]

I think the buttons are the remains of a Rebel frock coat. I’ve seen mismatched buttons on Confederate coats in museums before. The Rebs would replace missing buttons with whatever they had at the time. The Eagle I coat button was in the same hole as one of the regular Eagle coat buttons, and I had to uncover the hole to redig the I button. The only way to be certain of course is to have been there in person in December of 1864.

For what it is worth, I've been a Civil War reenactor for a number of years and done a lot of research on my impression. I'm guessing the buttons are from a Federal 4 button sack coat and the two smaller "cuff buttons" are from a kepi chin strap. To minimize cost, there were no cuff buttons on sack coats. Uniforms in the field were expected to last 90 days. Old uniforms were simply discarded (sometimes burned) as they were replaced.

I was a relic hunter before I became a reenactor. I could never understand how people lost so many buttons. After two seasons "in the field" as a reenactor, I began to understand as I lost a button or some kind of equipment at almost every event.

 

[hugoborchardt]

Yesterday, I recovered the remains of a Civil War soldiers coat. I was detecting at the Battle of Nashville, first day of fighting, in the Confederate lines and found all of the Eagle buttons around the base of a dogwood tree not more than two feet apart from each other. I was using a Minelab Equinox 600.

Congratulations! Killer, killer find!

 

[OH..POPS]

Great job Mike with your Battle finds. Keep on Hunting that Battle site and see what else is found. GREAT JOB

 

[CreakyDigger]

Inspiring! Keep going!

 

[E-Trac-Ohio]

Some real history there - congrats !