Civil War Camp Trash Pit.. Bottles!

[MonkeyBoy]

Hello... I have been relic hunting on and off for 15 years. Currently hunting w/ a DFX. I went out yesterday to a site that has produced for a few others.. my first time really hunting it.. Dug one Gardner, an Eagle Button and sword hanger among a bunch of trash. As I was leaving I dug a pretty strong signal, turned out to be a lead cask spigot in the middle of a sizable trash pit. I pulled out 26 intact bottles.. eye spotted another eagle button about 18" down while I was digging out the bottles!! I was in the middle of the bottle.. some above and some below. Also found two knives, a broken spoon and heel plate. The five squatty brown bottles are snuff bottles as identified in one of the relic books! The rest are cough syrup or bitters bottles.

The coins in the picture came form another spot.. two CN IH and a 1852 silver 3 cent piece.. my second this year!

So far for the year I have found a nice SNY buckle.. close to 100 bullets.. including 45 .69 three ringers.. 1 Flying Eagle, 7 CN IH, 2 Large Pennies, 12 Eagle Buttons and a Sutler Token. Almost all in the same spot. Might be a good year!!

 

[Mrs. Garbage Digger]

Awesome, I can't wait to add some more bottle to my collection. Good job.

 

[Craig NZ]

Some cool looking bottles there.
nice finds.

 

[Treasure Detector]

Looks like a great hunt and coins to boot. Good Job

 

[Hoosier Kingfisher]

Very nice, Keep up the good work,Ron

 

[Ronin9868]

Welcome to T-Net. COOL DIGS!!!

 

[Salvager]

Definatly looks like it will be a good year-well done!
Welcome to t'net from Australia!

Have fun,
Salvager

 

[trk5capt]

Vary Nice Finds, Congrats. trk5capt...

 

[fossis]

Welcome, MonkeyBoy, nice finds,

Fossis......................

 

[tsgman]

Welcome and great finds! I like the oval saddle shield also. Tsgman

 

[Southcacalaky]

Some real nice finds there WTG HH Art...

 

[ringfinder]

Man you found all that stuff and it's only March of 2007, your going to have one heck of a year.

It took me all last year to find two flying eagle pennies. I also found a 1852 3 cent piece last year and a 6 pound cannonball, but all these finds took me all year to find, not just 3 months!

Great finds and thanks for posting. Ringfinder

 

[TreasureTales]

That's a nice bunch of goodies you've got there. Congrats. Sift that pit with a screen. Why do I always say to do that when at trash pits and dumps? Because it works!!!! And you won't believe how many things you'll find with a screen that you would have sworn you couldn't miss with a detector. Dig the big stuff, then screen the dirt. You'll be happy you did.

 

[MonkeyBoy]

How do I date these bottles? I have been google'ing.. and so far all the ones I have checked date to the period. The pontils seem to be the give away... and while I really.. really.. want this to all be Civil War period.. I want to accurately date them. The Eagle button in between bottle really point to it being a war era pit, plus everything else, minus shot gun shells!!, I have found around the area is war. Three buckles, one US and two militia, plus Eagle buttons and bullets mainly. I found one Eagle button and a dropped Gardner with 15 - 20 feet.

What is the best reference to use in dating thee bottles??

Thanks..

 

[TreasureTales]

There are all kinds of links for bottle IDing in the Bottle & Glass category of TNet.

 

[{Sentinel}]

Really nice finds. And don't worry, the battlefields and campsites that I hunt also have some modern trash scattered through different parts. It is to be expected. You get some of the good with the bad. Dig it all!!
Very nice finds.

Sentinel

 

[digitalstorm]

Nice bottles!

 

[Kas]

Love it all, good job.

Sounds like you've found a good spot.
HH
Ken

 

[brnn53]

Very nice digs! Hammer that site!
Mike

 

[northeast hunter]

Trash pit or Treasure chest you make the call.