savant365 said:
I never knew they even used lances in the civil war. Outstanding finds
Those will make great display pieces when you finish restoring them. Congratulations and thanks for sharing them with us.
HH Charlie
http://www.civilwarhome.com/weapons.htm
The lance, another serious weapon in the hands of a trained trooper, also appeared in the war. The 6th Pa. Cav., "Rush's Lancers," was armed with this weapon, in addition to its pistols and a few carbines, until May '63. The weapons shortage in the South led its leaders to give serious consideration to arming troops with lances and pikes. In early 1862 a set of resolutions provided for 20 regiments of Southern pikemen, and on 10 Apr. '62 an act was passed that two companies in each regiment be armed with pikes. "Strangely enough, such foolishness met with the complete approval of the military leaders, and even Gen. Lee on April 9, 1862, wrote Col. Gorgas (Chief of Confederate Ordnance), 'One thousand pikes should be sent to Gen. Jackson if practicable". Georgia's gov. spurred the Production of weapons that are now known as "JOE BROWN'S PIKES."
The antiques roadshow featured a pike (lance) some time back
Here is the transcript:
GUEST: I got it about 30 years ago. A fellow had it in his attic and I almost tripped over it and worked out a deal with him and bought it. Brought it home and about the only thing I know, it's a
Joe Brown or Georgia Pike. And that's about all I can tell you.
APPRAISER: Well, you know that it's called a Joe Brown Pike or a Georgia Pike and I think what's fascinating about it is the story behind how it gets the name. Joe Brown is the governor of Georgia during the American Civil War, and early on, in February of 1862, he publishes this huge broadside that says, "To the mechanics of Georgia..." And basically what he's asking for is these pikes, just like the one we're looking at here today. In the letter he says, "I need to arm every able-bodied person in the state of Georgia," because he is afraid there is going to be an imminent coming of the Union troops into the state. It seems like kind of an archaic weapon for a soldier like that, but in his broadside he explains that when the enemy run out of bullets or when they can't fire anymore, their muskets are empty, then you could advance on them with the pike and their bayonets would be useless because of this length that you have. The other thing is, is that he intended to arm children, women, men-- anybody that he could-- with... The whole idea was, if the Union soldiers were roaming throughout Georgia, well, a young child could even sneak out from behind a bush and stab a Yankee soldier with a pike. It's really... it's kind of an odd thing, because by this time, soldiers and armies are armed with really advanced weapons. We have the repeating rifle, the revolver; there's cannons and artillery piece and here in the South, in the state of Georgia, they're building pikes. Interestingly enough, the state of Georgia had more pikes manufactured than all the other Confederate states combined. At the very end of the Civil War, a Union soldier who had been a part of capturing a fort on the coast of South Carolina wrote home and said, "It's a very sad thing to see that the Confederate Army has armed themselves with such ancient weapons." And he actually thought it was a medieval weapon, and this is what they had to use to protect themselves.
GUEST: Do you have any idea who made this one?
APPRAISER: I don't, it is an unmarked specimen. The ones made by Griswold are marked, the Stevens County ones are marked, but this one's not. It's just by a pattern from the governor. You know, by a local blacksmith or mechanic. You said you bought it out of an attic. Any idea what you paid for it at the time?
GUEST: Around $100 or $125.
APPRAISER: Well, the haft is in perfect condition. The pike itself, the metal parts are all really wonderful, a beautiful patina, and on today's market, they trade around $1,500.
GUEST: Oh, great. That really surprises me.
APPRAISER: And the truth is, under the circumstances that he's mentioning, it is a viable weapon.
GUEST: I wouldn't want to fight with it. ( laughing )
OBOMA LAUNCHES MULTI MILLION DOLLAR INVESTIGATION ! " 
might make the banner then 
lol Ill post some pics of the rest of the iron pile later tonight. I keep all the old iron for some reason. I have a white 5 gallon bucket half full of horseshoes from campsites in my garage. Not sure why..... 
