Ever Found Flint With a Detector?

[archaeon]

Howdy folks! I'm new to the board, mainly posting in Indian artifacts and detector finds...this particular day I was actually just walking across a site with my detector on..I was walkin fast to a certain spot on the site, I wasn't scanning really, just swiping every now and then. I got a huge bang and thought it would be a beer can from the sixties, there are alot of them...but I decided to dig this one. I made a nice plug with my Lesche tool and popped it out. Well, what fell out of the bottom of the plug was a square piece of flint. I was at a site that had Indian habitaion at one time, so I thought at first it was a small scraper/micro-tool. I knew it didn't make the signal so I ran the coil over the whole and Bang! I dug with my hand and pulled out two musketballs and about 3 flints with it, scanned again and found three more musketballs and then another 6 flints! I realized that I had found a dropped ammo pouch. They were in a hole abou 3 inches in diameter, bout 5 inches deep at the top of the flints. Tom came over and freaked, he's never seen anything like it.
There were Dragoons on this site, we have found the buttons, and reales from the late 1700's.
It was also shelled duing the Civil War by Union gunboats....I would love to know exactly who carried them, but I'm guessin it was the US troops there, I have found Eagle buttons there too.
Tom knows more about the site than I do, maybe he can post something on the timeline.

 

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[Pepper2004]

Hi and welcome to TNet. Now those are sweet finds! Guess you know you have to do the happy dance now don't you?

 

[archaeon]

Thx Pepper, I've been doing the happy dance since i found them!

 

[emtrescue]

Here, I'll do it with you (the happy dance)

 

[flip]

What a find! Probably older than civil war, flintlocks were outdated by then.

 

[birdman]

Very,very nice! I have a total of five flints just like those that were found in Germany .Some have lead wrapping on them. That is one cool find.Would make a fantastic display.

 

[archaeon]

thank you Birdman, it is my best detecting find, i also found some Reales in the area, i'll post them soon

 

[SwampHunter]

What a find! Probably older than civil war, flintlocks were outdated by then.

They could be Civil War era. Even though flintlocks were outdated long before the CW, there were many still around. The need for servicable arms brought many flintlocks guns out of storage before they could be altered to the newer purcussion system.
Reference: A Handbook of Civi War Bullets & Cartridges by Thomas and Thomas.

 

[unclejesse67]

Nice finds. My Dad and I made a similar discovery in a recently plowed field along the Minnesota River. Little square flints all over in one area. We thought maybe it was the site of a trading post or something but ammo pouch sounds more likely.

 

[GatorsMoon]

That is an awesome find archaeon! Hands down this has to be the best hobby ever. It makes you stop and think about the people and the era in which they lived. To pop something out of the ground and to hold the past in your hand is mind blowing. Keep diggin' Happy Hunting!

 

[David@Dixie]

Study of the flints will indicate origin. Possibly Dover, England. Several competent collectors of native American artifacts are in Florida. Look them up and maybe they can ID the flint. Caliber of musket balls will indicate a period. They should be in the .74 caliber or later .68 caliber. Measure with calipers and check only those still in round. The buttons will give you the true timeframe. I'll let you solve this mystery but it won't be difficult. Nice finds, congrats! David@Dixie

 

[archaeon]

Study of the flints will indicate origin. Possibly Dover, England. Several competent collectors of native American artifacts are in Florida. Look them up and maybe they can ID the flint. Caliber of musket balls will indicate a period. They should be in the .74 caliber or later .68 caliber. Measure with calipers and check only those still in round. The buttons will give you the true timeframe. I'll let you solve this mystery but it won't be difficult. Nice finds, congrats! David@Dixie

i will check the caliber, but i am pretty sure they are .74...and British, or purchased from England.
Thank's for the help.
HH

 

[Cheeko]

sweet

 

[RevJoel]

Vast majority of flints from England come from the mines at Brandon. These flints (for the Brown Bess) are between 7/8" and 1 1/8", dark in color and are square cut. The French flints are usually yellow/honey colored agate and have a rounded back, making only one side usable. When you wear out on side of the Brandon flint, you can turn it around and keep shooting.

Pax Christi
Rev. Joel+

 

[archaeon]

This is a beautiful find. Please always keep it together.

always

 

[capt1989]

Man that is AWESOME! The damage inflicted when shot by one of those must have been massive. My 50 cal. kicks pretty good, I can't imagine how much a 74 cal. would kick. Congrats

john

 

[tomclark]

Man, what a find!

Actually I've found many flint artifacts while detecting cause I'm looking at the ground, including similar musket flints like those and smaller pistol flints of lighter material (same site as archaeon). Hav'em Plenty Points, and marbles and sherds and shards etc etc, LOL.