Buttons, Bullets, and Relics found on 1850s Military Site in Texas

[Steve in PA]

Hello T-Net'ers,

I just returned from Texas late last night after spending the past week visiting friends in Dallas. While there, I managed to get 5 hours of digging in on an 1850s US Military camp with my good friend Bob and another friend of his, Charles. I managed to find 10 minie balls, 4 round balls, 5 eagle buttons, 4 four hole buttons, a piece of shoulder scale, and a broken padlock key cover. My best find was a eagle "R" riflemans cuff button. Bob dug some round balls and a couple buttons, most of a Jeff Davis hat badge, plus his best finds; a multi ring Sharps tie ring bullet - which he gave to me since I had been trying to dig one for years He also dug a real neat pipe tamper, but he hit it with his shovel and about bent it in half . Charles best find was a perfect US Rosette.

Pic 1 - Total finds for all 3 of us minus Bob's hat badge. My stuff at the top.
Pic 2 - My finds, group shot
Pic 3 - My eagle buttons
Pic 4 - My Rifleman's button
Pic 5 - Multi ring Sharps dug by Bob
Pic 6, 7, 8 - Pipe Tamper dug by Bob
Pic 9, 10, 11 - Some dirt shots I took

 

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[jamesbibb]

Nice hunt Steve!! I see you managed to escape the grip of the NE winter to do some hunting! WTG

 

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[CMDiamonddawg]

Great Texas CW hunt

 

[Steve in PA]

these are historical artifacts recovered from amongst Prickly Pear Cactus and rattlesnakes

Sounds like my kind of place!

My very first relic hunts as a teenager, began in areas infested with rattlesnakes, water moccasins, coral snakes, and loads of prickly pear cactus (along with spanish bayonet, greenbriar, and a host of other scratchy stuff). I can't even begin to recall how many times those dang cactus heads would break off hanging on my boot heels.........only to bite me in the a$$ every time I crouched down to dig. Of course I nearly always though it was a snake doing the strike on me, and would jump up hollering; "I'm bit!"........

Cool digs Steve!

Those Sharps multi-rings are very sweet and one of my favorites. The rosette is a beauty, and the tamper is very nice, even if the poor fellow has a case of the "bends".

Is that an overcoat eagle in the top center? Looks to me like no letter in the shield? Never recall seeing such on oddity.

CC Hunter

Good eye Cal. The button in the top center is a vest sized eagle General Service with a blank shield - no letter or lined shield. It is GEN223B in Tices book. Here are a couple I found last year at this site.

P.S Funny story about the prickly pear. I added a pic showing your revenge - LOL

 

[Steve in PA]

P.S. I was just looking at this post again and I must say that is indeed different. I've found MANY .54 caliber Minies here in Virginia and never with a truncated base....almost looks like a Gardner from the bottom. Those are pretty dang cool bullets u found there Steve

Josh, that is why I like hunting this site every year when I visit Texas. Not only do you stand a good chance of digging a Rifleman's or Dragoon button (I have dug 3 R's and 2 D's here), but there are unusual bullets like the Multi Ring Sharps and these truncated base cavity minies. There are also lots of Jeff Davis hat badges, although most of them are broke or bent over. The place has been hunted hard for 40 years, and the larger targets are mainly gone, but there is still stuff left to be found. Plus I get away from the cold in PA for a few days

 

[Tennessee Treasure Hunter]

Awesome finds Congratulations
TTH

 

[CC Hunter]

Steve,

Those plain center eagle buttons are very cool finds! I've dug hundreds of eagle buttons over the years, and seen thousands as well. Those are the first ones I've seen of that style. 8) I wonder if they maybe are the very first general service pattern, adopted around about 1854? Possibly there was only a short run of those before going with the lined bar pattern. What backmarks are usually seen or associated with these plain "open center design" eagle buttons?

The cactus attacks on me were from the long-spine variety, with sharp 2" long barb hooks all over. They have smaller ears than the variety with the short fuzzy "micro-fiber" spines. The revenge I took out though, was to decimate the culprits with my machete that always hung handy from my belt. Your photo with the minie ball and cactus is quite candid. Fact is, I did my best to keep my "balls" well away from any cactus...........

CC Hunter

 

[kuger]

Steve,

Those plain center eagle buttons are very cool finds! I've dug hundreds of eagle buttons over the years, and seen thousands as well. Those are the first ones I've seen of that style. 8) I wonder if they maybe are the very first general service pattern, adopted around about 1854? Possibly there was only a short run of those before going with the lined bar pattern. What backmarks are usually seen or associated with these plain "open center design" eagle buttons?

The cactus attacks on me were from the long-spine variety, with sharp 2" long barb hooks all over. They have smaller ears than the variety with the short fuzzy "micro-fiber" spines. The revenge I took out though, was to decimate the culprits with my machete that always hung handy from my belt. Your photo with the minie ball and cactus is quite candid. Fact is, I did my best to keep my "balls" well away from any cactus...........

CC Hunter

 

[txconservative]

Looks like you enjoyed the lovely state of Texas !!!

Sweet finds =)

 

[Steve in PA]

Steve,

Those plain center eagle buttons are very cool finds! I've dug hundreds of eagle buttons over the years, and seen thousands as well. Those are the first ones I've seen of that style. 8) I wonder if they maybe are the very first general service pattern, adopted around about 1854? Possibly there was only a short run of those before going with the lined bar pattern. What backmarks are usually seen or associated with these plain "open center design" eagle buttons?

The cactus attacks on me were from the long-spine variety, with sharp 2" long barb hooks all over. They have smaller ears than the variety with the short fuzzy "micro-fiber" spines. The revenge I took out though, was to decimate the culprits with my machete that always hung handy from my belt. Your photo with the minie ball and cactus is quite candid. Fact is, I did my best to keep my "balls" well away from any cactus...........

CC Hunter

Tice says "A few general service buttons made during the 1840s or 1850s do not have detail within the shield" I have found them with both the Horstmann & Sons / PHI and the Horstmann & Allien / NY. I spoke to William Leigh about them last year and he said the are rare, but "under appreciated"

 

[steelheadwill]

Great Post & Finds !
Great batch of buttons & lead, The U.S. looks Pristine.
Congrats on a Super Hunt

 

[MaineRelic]

This was a heck of a hunt ! great finds ! Thanks for posting ! M.R.