🥇 BANNER Civil War ID tag!!!

[Marc in VA]

Was digging out a hut yesterday and finding eagle buttons and 44 caliber pistol bullets and roundballs and of course the usual hundred nails. Nothing special. In fact I was getting discouraged since I wasn't finding any bottles. That discouragement changed really fast when my last good target of the day turned out to be my first readable ID tag. Front reads War Of 1861. Back reads Ira C. Evans. Co. C. 12th Reg. Concord. He mustered into the New Hampshire Infantry in Concord in 1862 as a private/musician and mustered out at the end of the war as Chief Musician. He fought in Fredericksburg, Gettysburg, Chancellorsville, Williamsburg, Petersburg and Richmond. He died at Concord in 1902. The 12th New Hampshire was very decorated. They were known as the Mountaineers. They lost the 5th most soldiers of any unit during the war. So happy to have found and saved this piece of history.

 

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[Marc in VA]

Just learned that a fellow relic hunter acquaintance dug a silver drum tag with the same soldiers name back in 1983. It was also dug in Stafford and most likely at the same camp. Two marked items from the same soldier being dug is unheard of. The story of his find was in the North South Trader some years back.

 

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[CRUSADER]

Have you given any thought to returning it to his next of kin?
Meanwhile: Banner, for sure.
Don.....

to me its a no brainer, but I know I'm in the minority....

 

[BigWaveDave]

Amazing find.... Congrats on earning another banner!

 

[jeff of pa]

to me its a no brainer, but I know I'm in the minority....

I suppose I'm in the Minority also.
But if I was the Finder, I believe I would have more Respect for it then someone with the same Last name,
Who may have never cared enough to research Them, Let alone know they were related.
or to give it to someone pushing 90, Who perhaps knew them, So they could smile & put it in a Drawer in the old folks home .

Sorry !

I respect historical artifacts too Much

The persons would need to have been Very close & Lost the one person before
they should Have. by accident, crime or illness
& way more Recent, to the point of it meaning something for sure. imo

 

[sutphin]

YOU ARE ONE LUCKY SON OF A DAY. AWESOME FIND . AND THE HISTORY TO BACK IT UP.

 

[relic nut]

I suppose I'm in the Minority also.
But if I was the Finder, I believe I would have more Respect for it then someone with the same Last name,
Who may have never cared enough to research Them, Let alone know they were related.
And to give it to someone pushing 90, Who perhaps knew them, So they could smile & put it in a Drawer ?

Sorry !

I respect historical artifacts too Much

The persons would need to have been Very close & Lost the one person before
they should Have. by accident, crime or illness
& way more Recent imo

You make a good point Jeff. I guess it would depend on the family. If it were me and the family was interested, I'd show it to them and then make that call. That is totally up to the finder. The important thing is that the history has been saved.


HH RN

 

[mr helton]

It's amazing when you can attribute a find to a specific person in history. Unbelievable find and well deserved banner!

 

[billpa]

Thats a great find.

 

[jeff of pa]

You make a good point Jeff. I guess it would depend on the family. If it were me and the family was interested, I'd show it to them and then make that call. That is totally up to the finder. The important thing is that the history has been saved.


HH RN

yes the problem is how do you read minds before letting them know you have it.
they may insist it belongs to them, thinking it's worth a mint.
then trash it when they get disappointed that the value is historical.

yes, it would definitely depend on the family.

 

[danjsargent]

Amazing find! Even more great to attach a person to the history. Congrats!!!

 

[CRUSADER]

You make a good point Jeff. I guess it would depend on the family. If it were me and the family was interested, I'd show it to them and then make that call. That is totally up to the finder. The important thing is that the history has been saved.


HH RN

Agreed.

Jeff of PA, you have almost made an assumption.

Me I would do the opposite. Even if they couldn't care less, they would get a free return. Just the way I was brought up, sorry.

Everyone is different.

 

[ScubaDetector]

I just saw this post and I agree, BANNER. Awesome.

I have had plenty of experience returning gold rings to deceased persons relatives. NEVER again. You are out time, shipping, the value of the gold and for what? Absolutely nothing. I never even got a thank you from the USAF pilot ring from 1947 or a class ring from the 50's. Relatives just don't seem to care. My free 2¢

 

[mspence]

Stellar

 

[Marc in VA]

Ira C. Evans
Co. C
12th Reg
Concord

 

[Worm-Slicer]

No distant relatives (three or four generations passed) just deserves to have this handed to them. First off, if they had even one kid, and that kid had two and so on and so on you are talking hundreds of modern relatives. So just random pick one? Just craziness to even consider giving that to some random family member when they might run as fast as they can and stick it on Ebay for sale(Besides, what makes it fair for all those other distant family members that don't receive it?) If you did want to give it to family, the ONLY way you would know it would go to someone that cherished and respected it was offer it to them at fair market price and if they were willing to pay that, I think they would take much more care of it. That's just my two cents, each has their own opinion and I'm not getting into any argument just stating how I feel.

 

[jeff of pa]

Agreed.

Jeff of PA, you have almost made an assumption.

Me I would do the opposite. Even if they couldn't care less, they would get a free return. Just the way I was brought up, sorry.

Everyone is different.

yes I made the assumption going by what the Majority would say to look Good Here

Sorry ! I try my Best to be Honest.

I'm not saying Your Not, I'm just saying I don't believe the Majority of those who Claim
they would, Really Would

Back at the turn of The century I returned several rings, & the ones returned to relatives , didn't even get a verbal thank you . the one I sent out,
I would have never even known they got it, if I hadn't requested Confirmation
from the post office. it even took them several days to sign for it.
My guess they hocked them.

The supposed Relatives answered ads in the Paper, where I listed rings & initials .
and if They called & said it was a relatives, I made arrangements to meet Or send.

one ring had 2 relatives call for. The first one Got it.
were they really Relatives ? I don't know.

Being extra Honest just seemed dumb after awhile.

would I do it all Over ?
Probably. was good P.R. ... But Maybe Not LOL

anyway Off Topic I guess
is a Great Banner Find ,
Not found every other Month

 

[cambria09]

Hello Marc in VA. I must add my kudos for your find...but...you are ruined now...how are you ever gonna top that? LOL. HH. C9

 

[scruggs]

That's the way you do it! Nice one!

 

[driftless]

Amazing find, congratulations! The kind of stuff that keeps us digging.

 

[jwarner51]

That is absolutely incredible! Especially to be able to even know what he looked like, amazing. Great save!