Fall Trip to one of my Indian Wars Sites

[Mason Jarr]

I just got home from my yearly trip to a site in Oregon I hit each fall. The owners are pretty tight on who they let onto their place so I'm always glad to have access. I let them pick through all the finds and take anything they want for their collection.
Most finds this year were the typical bullet casings, bullets, pieces of lead, uniform items and horse tack. I did find two pieces of a rifle butt plate which I believe went on a Model 1841 "Mississippi" percussion rifle. The Model 1841 was one of the most durable percussion rifles and stayed in use until after complete conversion to metallic cartridges firearms. I also found two perfect buttons...one a general service coat button and a General's Staff cuff button. Another uncommon find was part of the eye piece for a collapsible pocket glass.

Probably the best finds were two sutler tokens, one for 50 and one for 25 cents. Andrew Snider was the sutler in that region and is the only sutler in Oregon to issue tokens. His base was in Lakeview OR. These tokens are pretty rare and highly sought after. One of the 50 cent tokens sold for $1000 in July this year

 

[robertk]

That's a lot of really cool relics, IMO. And this is from a site that you have already hit repeatedly? Very impressive.

 

[Mason Jarr]

That's a lot of really cool relics, IMO. And this is from a site that you have already hit repeatedly? Very impressive.

Yes. This is the 4th year I've gone there. As far as I know they only let one other person detect there. Thanks!

 

[billb]

Outstanding Achievement
Thanks for sharing

 

[xr7ator]

I like the epaulette's! Very nice and thanks for sharing this with us.

 

[E-Trac-Ohio]

Great looking old Relics - congrats !

 

[Mason Jarr]

I like the epaulette's! Very nice and thanks for sharing this with us.

I'm beginning to think the soldiers broke these on purpose. Its not like they had to worry about a saber strike from the natives. They didn't have to polish them if they broke, right? I find a lot of these.

 

[TORRERO]

I just got home from my yearly trip to a site in Oregon I hit each fall. The owners are pretty tight on who they let onto their place so I'm always glad to have access. I let them pick through all the finds and take anything they want for their collection.
Most finds this year were the typical bullet casings, bullets, pieces of lead, uniform items and horse tack. I did find two pieces of a rifle butt plate which I believe went on a Model 1841 "Mississippi" percussion rifle. The Model 1841 was one of the most durable percussion rifles and stayed in use until after complete conversion to metallic cartridges firearms. I also found two perfect buttons...one a general service coat button and a General's Staff cuff button. Another uncommon find was part of the eye piece for a collapsible pocket glass.

Probably the best finds were two sutler tokens, one for 50 and one for 25 cents. Andrew Snider was the sutler in that region and is the only sutler in Oregon to issue tokens. His base was in Lakeview OR. These tokens are pretty rare and highly sought after. One of the 50 cent tokens sold for $1000 in July this year

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First picture .. isn't that part of a rifle buttplate ? broken of course..
those Epaulet pieces could have been threaded together and over time the thread rotted away and it got scattered..

 

[oldmxrat]

Looks like a very good time out there, congrats!

 

[Mason Jarr]

First picture .. isn't that part of a rifle buttplate ? broken of course..
those Epaulet pieces could have been threaded together and over time the thread rotted away and it got scattered..

Yes. The two pieces fit together in an L shape. If you google a Model 1841 Mississippi rifle I'm pretty sure that's what it was a part of. The little scales of the epaulettes were held on with metal brads and then a brass piece ran around the outside. I've found a few whole ones before. Thanks for looking.

 

[Mason Jarr]

Looks like a very good time out there, congrats!

It's a nice trip each year. Hard on my old back though. Hard ground and lots of digging. Thanks!

 

[xr7ator]

I'm beginning to think the soldiers broke these on purpose. Its not like they had to worry about a saber strike from the natives. They didn't have to polish them if they broke, right? I find a lot of these.

Interesting that you find lot. My theory would be that they are the same as buttons in that clothing that is burned or discarded, the metal survives and is scattered, etc. I've got some buttons! lol Maybe one day if I can keep getting on old properties out here.

 

[Mason Jarr]

Interesting that you find lot. My theory would be that they are the same as buttons in that clothing that is burned or discarded, the metal survives and is scattered, etc. I've got some buttons! lol Maybe one day if I can keep getting on old properties out here.

Find the fort sites and try to get permission. 200 men drop a lot of things over 10 years. Battle sites and movement camps will have some things, but the permanent camps will have the most.

 

[Gare]

Mason Great finds and report WANT me to go WITH YOU NEXT YEAR ? hehehe

 

[TORRERO]

Yes. The two pieces fit together in an L shape. If you google a Model 1841 Mississippi rifle I'm pretty sure that's what it was a part of. The little scales of the epaulettes were held on with metal brads and then a brass piece ran around the outside. I've found a few whole ones before. Thanks for looking.

I have one I dug in Spain, from a Brown Bess Rifle supposedly. It came from a skirmish site of the Napoleonic wars in Spain and is complete but the L shape is bent to a U shape, or broken like yours which all the ones we dug in that site were. We believe that they were intentionally bent to prevent the losers or scavengers from using them again.

 

[Mason Jarr]

Mason Great finds and report WANT me to go WITH YOU NEXT YEAR ? hehehe

Come on out. Mid September normally. Thanks!

 

[TORRERO]

Come on out. Mid September normally. Thanks!

Hey 👋 don’t forget all the rest of us 😂🤣

 

[TORRERO]

Hey 👋 don’t forget all the rest of us 😂🤣

I would even let you keep anything I found (unless it’s something spectacular 😂)

 

[Gare]

Maso Jarr Mighty nice of you to offer But be careful some might take you up on it LIKE ME

 

[TORRERO]

Maso Jarr Mighty nice of you to offer But be careful some might take you up on it LIKE ME

Me first 😂