I got a new spot

[ppratt]

Well I did it, I found a Civil war camp site to do. Now all I need to do is travel 5 hrs to get their. Once I'm their I don't know what the hell to do with it. Us northern folk don't get to do this kinda stuff alot. As far as I no and the owners say the land is pretty virgin. It's near Brandi station in Culpepper VA. My new nephew's family owns a large farm where a big camp site was. Where do I check first how do I start? I mean do I look for impressions, start a grid, AH HA I got I think I'll just start running around like chicken with his head cut off. That always works

 

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[rhedden]

The first thing you should do is buy some insect repellant. I live in MD close to the VA line, and it's been tough to go anywhere this summer without having ticks, gnats, and mosquitos wreck the fun.

Also study up on your civil war relics before you go. Otherwise that "junk" you threw into the bushes might turn out to be a CW relic you didn't recognize.

Good luck.

 

[geatley]

A few suggestions.

Look at the lay of the land. Troops are just like campers today.
They are not going to set up tents in low spots where water will build up.
The High ground gets a better breeze than the low ground check just below their crest. Water is important and heavy, troops will travel to it by the easiest way possible. Do the same.
Winter encampments would set up with wind breaks (Tree lines, ridges) on the upwind side to protect themselves. Scan for depressions in the ground on the outskirts of the camp area. They could be trash dumps or latrines good areas for droped items! No one is going to retrieve a coin from a latrine!
Some time in well used camps, trails are forged which leave depressions.
Look for wheel ruts that most likely have grown over by looking for gaps in the tree lines or an extra dip in a saddle of a hillocks.
Check with the local Libary or the intranet. and see if they have any pictures of the encampment of diarys of those who camped there.
An last but not least. Buy a Chicken...........

 

[Fred]

OK Geatley,you got me! Why a chicken? Fred

 

[geatley]

ppratt said:
I think I'll just start running around like chicken with his head cut off. That always works.
Thought he may need an example. LOL

 

[Fred]

Ah Ha,LOL on me. I guess I should have paid closer attention to what I was reading. Thank you! Fred

 

[ppratt]

Does the grid pattern work in the field. I know it works up in the north but I only detect homes and parks. I know were to look. This is a field. I have never seen so the impressions in the ground and breaks may not be their. Do I just walk around till i get a couple of hits or set up a pattern of grid work as soon as I get their.

 

[Holyfield]

I smell a nasty ole hairshirt..Hello Birdoflard.

 

[sgtfda]

ppratt

Where are you from in W Pa. I am from the South Hills of Pgh.

 

[tennessee jed]

great stuff!

hey, that is some good info.sounds like these guys have you going in the right direction! my pointer is, put the coil down and go for it!!! good luck!!!

 

[MDnoob]

LOOK MA! I FOUND A BULLET ...lodged in a skull...
Just kidding...

Good luck relic hunting! Very soon here I am going after the cannon which I mentioned in an earlier post...

 

[FLauthor]

Get four lengths of 1/2 inch PVC pipe with 90 degree elbows to form a square. Cut four stakes, lay the 8 foot square down and drive the stakes into the corners. Now hunt the entire interior of the square. When you finish, just flop the square over and drive in two more stakes. This is called "Hunting a Grid". It saves you from rehunting an old area. Its slow and time consuming but you will get everything if you hunt in All Metal and dig every target. We've used this method in digging Indian sites and screening the dirt down to four feet with good results here in Florida. Virginia soils has more clay in it than sand so screening is probably out of the question. But the same technique applies.

Harry

 

[diggerbob]

Just moved back north into western Maryland from near that area in Virginia. I have hunted around Brandy Station and have some interesting relics. The area has been hunted hard and some of it is off limits (the designated battlesite). I hunted on private property. When we hunted, we more or less hunted randomly in all metal until signals appeared and checked them out. Some of the iron started coming up as projectile shrapnel. Then you slow down and hunt the area good. That's usually the way I hunt areas. Good luck and if you need any research material on that area, I'd be more than welcome to share it as I have done a whole lot. By the way, that was the largest calvary battle during the civil war. Lee's troops camped there prior to moving towards Gettysburg.
Diggerbob