Confederate Buckle and a Civil War Bonanza

[smokeythecat]

This is from today, and a couple days ago. I went to two different sites, and both sites have been pounded in the past. I saw still able to get some nice items out of them. The Confederate buckle is iron and rather non-descript but a si miliar one is shown in "Confederate General Service Accoutrement Plates" by Lon Klein. They were widely used but this is the first one I have found. Another heavier buckle is still attached to the iron strap and has a square nail still in it. They lost a lot of the knapsack pieces, and I have some small iron buckles from the same spot. In the riker mount is some more miscellaneous items including some charcoal from a late 1863-1864 civil war hut!

The little eagle button was attached to a piece of a ration can, and the Deus picked it up about 4" down in the horrible Virginia red dirt. The crotal bell is a No. 5 and late 18th to early 19th century and was found in my PA site. Some of the nails are rose heads and will get cleaned up.

The melted minie is nice, it's half melted. Enjoy.

 

[Phishfarmer]

Great finds! I live in Va and we DO have plenty of challenging dirt (and hot rock). You seem to pickin through it pretty well though.

In the second pic below the bell there is a tongue-shaped piece to the right of the J-hook, do you know what it is? I found it's twin brother day before yesterday and haven't a clue.

 

[dfallis1]

What a year you have had. Amazing discoveries. Great work. That red Virginia dirt isn't for sissies. LOL

 

[CRUSADER]

If you are looking at the last photo with that buckle and flat iron with the nail through it, that is actually part of a McClellan saddle.

How to properly fit a McClellan Saddle
I have never heard of one, so googled it. Still can't work out how that large nail went on leather, must have been multiple pieces? Where on the attached diagram is it? (Just trying to learn more)

 

[Kurios1]

How to properly fit a McClellan Saddle
I have never heard of one, so googled it. Still can't work out how that large nail went on leather, must have been multiple pieces? Where on the attached diagram is it? (Just trying to learn more)

WOW! I never considered how complex a saddle could be! Thanks for the cool link Cru! There is a whole lot of cool old relics available from just a saddle it appears. Amazing information. CHEERS MATE!

 

[Relicific]

More awesome finds
Keep em coming in 2018

 

[smokeythecat]

Relicific, I went back today. Haven't cleaned anything up, but this will blow your mind. I got a goodie, I got a goodie...trying to get the dirt off...

Worm slicer, I think you are correct. All the little buckles shown in the boxes are from the same hole as the big iron thing. There were ten of them, all together.

 

[flatbutton]

Nice! Love seeing CW stuff. Getting hard to find it in my neck of the woods now. Congrats

 

[Worm-Slicer]

How to properly fit a McClellan Saddle
I have never heard of one, so googled it. Still can't work out how that large nail went on leather, must have been multiple pieces? Where on the attached diagram is it? (Just trying to learn more)

It's right where on the diagram it says "Stirrup Strap" follow it up to where it attaches right below "Side Bar" and you can partially see the buckle piece there, it's for the strap to go through. You can see it much better on an actual photo example. It is attached to the wood underneath the leather, so all that you actually see on the saddle is the buckle part. I have some dug examples and also have an actual Civil War McClellan saddle I bought for ten dollars at a farm auction and it still has both attached to the wood(I think the wood part is referred to as the "tree", but I may be mistaken on that part).

 

[smokeythecat]

Well, there was a lot of cavalry action where this was found. I am pretty sure the little buckles go to it also.

 

[Diggin Dude]

Wow! Great stuff! Love the Eagle button. Two Capped bust! OMG!
Merry Christmas!!

 

[smokeythecat]

I went back today with the XP Deus in my Equinox (pun intended) and drove across the fields that were too muddy to get into with a vehicle yesterday. Went to the far ridge and pulled a modern clad dime and some junk, but nothing good. Drove back, avoiding the groundhog holes and couldn't pick any more items from our hot spots we had really pounded. I ran the Deus at the big 74 khz just to see if I could nail any small, deep targets. It's amazing how it went from mudpie to solid enough to drive on overnight.

Anyway, I decided to detect for another crotal bell in the area our vehicles were parked on. It's a set of two small grass strips with 15 year old planted oak trees lining the driveway. I found a clad quarter, some brass shell casing which are modern and then almost went deaf with this signal. At this point, I don't think anything this place produces will surprise me. This is my FIRST actual US belt buckle and I think I overcleaned it the Renaissance wax, however, I believe the wax will evaporate over time. The driveway was an old original road, and the plate was saved by the plow as it was withing a couple feet of the road, and out of the plow zone.

 

[CRUSADER]

It's right where on the diagram it says "Stirrup Strap" follow it up to where it attaches right below "Side Bar" and you can partially see the buckle piece there, it's for the strap to go through. You can see it much better on an actual photo example. It is attached to the wood underneath the leather, so all that you actually see on the saddle is the buckle part. I have some dug examples and also have an actual Civil War McClellan saddle I bought for ten dollars at a farm auction and it still has both attached to the wood(I think the wood part is referred to as the "tree", but I may be mistaken on that part).

Thanks, that makes much more sense now you state it attaches to wood as well. As soon as I saw it I knew wood must be involved hence my guess.

 

[Trezurehunter]

Very nice Capped Bust coins, and Civil War relics Smokey. That batch would make anyone's day. And a Merry Christmas to you.

 

[smokeythecat]

Thank you and Merry Christmas. Now I want to do out digging before it freezes harder than asphalt tonight.

 

[smokeythecat]

The silver ring was made in Taxco Mexico after 1979. I was able to find that much out about it.

 

[TWray]

A killer B find. Busts, Buttons, Buckles, Bullets, and Bells. You suc....not really. Great job.

 

[smokeythecat]

I what TWray? Well, I've been doing almost nothing today. Started cleaning up a few choice iron finds. I hate throwing away CW railway narrow gauge spikes found in campsites. Actually, I don't throw them away, they were used as tent pegs, especially by the Confederates. Yeah, I have too many "B"'s in here. Have to get some "G"'s as in gold.

 

[collector01]

Great finds, cool you saved the coal, I like to add little stuff with the displays from sites.

 

[TWray]

I what TWray? Well, I've been doing almost nothing today. Started cleaning up a few choice iron finds. I hate throwing away CW railway narrow gauge spikes found in campsites. Actually, I don't throw them away, they were used as tent pegs, especially by the Confederates. Yeah, I have too many "B"'s in here. Have to get some "G"'s as in gold.

You go Smokes! And thank you for the encouragement. That’s all. Hehe.

 

[A2coins]

Thanks for always sharing your great finds. you deserve them and work hard for em good job Tommy