old fort find

[tabsrus]

I have a picture but i dont know how to post them.. It is of a horseshoe and an old chain. I have heard that confederates used horseshoes to put on the bottom of there shoes and this is a small horseshoe. The chain has a round link in the middle can anyone tel lme what they were used for/

Thanks

 

[d2]

A small horse shoe, the first thing I think of is a mule shoe. They were narrower than horse shoes. And the chain with a round link in it again the first thing I think of is a trace chain. But it's hard to tell with out a picture. Keep trying and you will figure the picture thing out...d2

 

[tabsrus]

here is the pic

 

[d2]

That aint no mule shoe looks like a horse shoe and the chain does appear to be part of a trace chain...d2

 

[tabsrus]

what is a trace chain?

 

[d2]

Trace chains were attached thru the harness that was on the mule or horse and then hooked to the single tree that was attached to the wagon or plow stock or what ever was being pulled. I find 'em all the time, like yours its just a piece and not the whole thing...d2

 

[tabsrus]

where i found this was ontop of a ridge in an old earthenworks fort, research has lead me to beleive there were several mountain howitzers ontop of this ridge. My friends have found some canister shot there as well. I read that some confederate soldiers put horseshoes on the bottoms of there boots because they did wnat to were out there shoes?

 

[d2]

I have never heard of them putting horse shoes on their boots. Probably what they were talking about were heel plates. I have seen pictures of heel plates that had a star on the inside or a crescent moon and some fit just around the outside edge of the heel, shaped sorta like a horse shoe. They were placed on the heel to save tear and wear. I am sure if you were to google heel plates you would get some pictures. I dont know how to find a picture and then move it to here or I would...d2

 

[Rockfshr]

Here is a picture of heal plate photo courtesy of a e-bay auction.