couple of questions on how to search an old fort site.

[kieser sousa/rip]

If i was to search around the outside of an old fort,What would be the expected range of the weapons used during the French and Indian war? If a fort was under siege were would you expect to find the position of the attacking force ?I'm thinking just out of rifle range ? What do ya'll think ?

 

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[jonesat]

The official effective range of a smooth bore British brown Bess was about 200 yards...rifled muskets would have been rare, but they could be effective up to 400 yards about that time,...and Artillery really depends on what they had and how much of it and how it was positioned. My suggestion would be to stick within 200 yards,...w/o artillery present they may have used Assembly areas (organizational stops just prior to assault) as close as 500 yards. This is also key because these last minute preparations often meant the ditching of excess or non combat equipment, and ultimately a source of found stuff. But to find those areas you would probably have to do allot of research and allot of Walking the terrain and thinking like the commander to find the most likely spots. Tough to do hundreds of years later.

Stay within 200 yards.

 

[kieser sousa/rip]

Thanks Jones !

 

[Blind.In.Texas]

It also depends upon whether or not any of the conflict took place during the night. If it did you will find a great many relics very very close to the fort walls. Also, take note of existing structure and cover. Some landmarks will not change even over thousands of years. In my mind I think about tree stands. Stands of trees will shift in shape over the years. Seeds do best in full sun. As new trees grow old ones die and in the process leave new barren spots. Point is this. Search everything. Around every rock and up against every tree. What once once out in the open is likely no longer and vice versa.

Know what strikes me as odd? Pock marks. The Alamo just doesn't seem to show them. I have seen a few spots where there are a few. I wonder if there repairs done to the pock marks during these years. I imagine so. GL

Laater...