Camp fire find.

[Joe G from Md]

Found this in fire pit on Maryland Heights, when it came out it was in one piece but the lead had melted out.

 

[WaterScoop]

Beautiful nevertheless!

 

[fyrffytr1]

Cool. Remember the one Scotty found? I have it put away in a dresser drawer.

 

[Roundness]

It's still a plate... Great find. Congrats

 

[Joe G from Md]

The one Scott found? You mean the Georgia plate.

 

[devldog]

That is a Great find. Possibly a captured plate and rendered unable for service. There was a story about this where a pit was dug here years ago and many US Plates were found in this pit with the hooks and lead all melted out of the backs of the plates. This pit was found behind Confetrit lines and the thought was that these plates were taken from prisoners and rendered useless.

 

[Joe G from Md]

Ialways thought that if it was usable the confederates used them Many cofederates had US accoutrement plates. This was found in yankee camp.

 

[fyrffytr1]

The one Scott found? You mean the Georgia plate.

Well, what was left of it. I can see him down on his knees picking each piece out of the fire pit.

 

[fyrffytr1]

That is a Great find. Possibly a captured plate and rendered unable for service. There was a story about this where a pit was dug here years ago and many US Plates were found in this pit with the hooks and lead all melted out of the backs of the plates. This pit was found behind Confetrit lines and the thought was that these plates were taken from prisoners and rendered useless.

It more likely that the lead was melted out of the plates to make bullets with. The south was so short on supplies that any item that was still usable would have been put into service. Confederates often used eagle buttons to replace missing ones on their uniforms and would have worn the buckles if they needed to.

 

[Davers]

Well, what was left of it. I can see him down on his knees picking each piece out of the fire pit.

i'd be glad to dig that & a little hurt I suppose.
Still COOL!

 

[Worm-Slicer]

I have seen photos of Confederates wearing the US plates and many cases they would wear them upside down and it represented Southern Nation because it made it appear similar to SN Although the N was actually a U, but upside down it does look similar to an N without the top neck.

 

[devldog]

That's correct that Confetrit would sometimes wear captured plates, turning them wrong side up. By late war the South was much in need of most everything used or worn by Southern soldiers. I read an account once I believe it was in Virginia where Union soldiers on the march began to discard their blue great coats alongside of the road. Spring had sprung and the Northern soldiers discarded the heavy coats rather than have to lug the heavy coats on the march. Besides it was warm now and they knew that they would receive a new issue by the Winter months. The Confetrit's came across this same road later and found the road littered literally by hundreds of blue great coats. These coats quickly found themselves in the hands of anxious Southerners as they knew they would not receive a new issue. Sad.

 

[Ripcon]

Nice finds.

 

[Possum]

Sweet find!!!

"D"