Try to get a military map of the area, search some on line archives for the order of battle, read the reports from the commanders. Find water in the area, look for the high ground and overlay a modern map to your research map that you locate. I have recently found a map made in 1835 that even has a clump of palmetto bushes still there in 2008 in one area that I recently detected. I have been researching the road from Tampa, Florida to Ocala, Florida known as the Ft King Highway. I have looked at endless maps and when the turn goes away from private land it pays nice dividends. I dug three musket balls today in Ocala. You can always get someone with some military map exp. to help you. I would not start detecting until you have done your homework and researched the area to the max. Go to the civil war archives or look up your county history books. Find out which units fought in these battles, you can also read the order of battle by unit. Good luck, if you would like some help provide me with the area, city, date and some general information about your site and I will send you some links. Also go to your local public library or find a civil war cemetery in your area. I have walked many cemeteries near battlefields that have told me many things. Whenever I see graves for Texans in Tennessee, my hair stands up on the back of my head. I know that out there somewhere in the area surrounding Nashville some buttons are calling my name from the state of Texas. I just have to find them when I go there on business. Anyway good luck.