Confederate Camp

[randyinarkansas]

I've been hunting a piece of land that is supposed to have a Confederate Camp on it but I'm having a hard time finding anything to confirm. This is the first site like this that I've hunted so any tips you all can give me will be appreciated.

The land has an old house place and a road that dates back to this time period and several springs are on the property and lots of open fields.

 

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[BamaBill]

For openers, look for the highest piece of ground between the springs and the old road. If its a ridge, start a few feet from the top on either side and work your way down the ridge. If the highest ground is only slightly higher than the springs, look for the best drained, levelest part you can find. A camp would have had to have access to water, wood, have dry ground to pitch on and it was desirable (but not always possible) to have a good vantage point to observe the road. These camps often show up like a needle in a haystack, so patience is paramount to success here. These are not the only keys to success, but should help. While you're looking for the camp, you probably need to keep working on research to see if you can find a written account in somebody's diary that will help pinpoint it. Also, have you talked to any of the neighbors around to see if anybody knows anything, like picking up a minnie ball in one of the fields?

 

[Shortstack]

If that house place was standing during the CW, then officers used it for shelter. Sketch a map of the area showing the house location, the sites of the springs, the higher elevations, and the road. It wouldn't have to be accurate to the foot, but should be as accurate as possible as to the relative locations of those points listed and the distances from the house. Enlisted troops would have be detailed to bring water from springs to the house for the officers. Pickets would have been posted on the road at about a quarter of a mile to half a mile from the main group to watch for enemy movement.

The absolutely BEST information about finding camps and deciphering its layout is on the CD, Exploring Civil War Campsites, by Dave Poche and Wayne Rex. They have graphics showing how Federal and Confederate camps were laid out and how they were usually located in relationship to water sources. It is a most excellent CD / book for CW relic hunting. I found it at http://www.dixie-metal-detectors.com . It cost me $29.95 plus shipping and is worth every penny, in my humble opinion. And, no I am not affiliated with those folks other than being a satisfied customer.

 

[dragon6banger]

find the water and start from there..