Rapidan River at Elys Ford, VA

[njcommercialdiver]

im heading down to Lake Anna this year for 2 weeks to prospect with my club and am thinking of trying up at Elys Ford in the rapidan river where several members have used gold dredges and found some civil war artifacts. ive tryed to research the area but havent found much on it, found several troops crossed when heading to richmond. i also know the wilderness battlefield is pretty close to the south west. anyone have any more info

 

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[njcommercialdiver]

never made it up there last year, but will get a few days in this year, im heading down this weekend

 

[fyrffytr1]

Good providence, as my brother used to say.

 

[njcommercialdiver]

thanks, did find out in my research, in addition to the troops fording the river, there was actually a minor skirmish there during the chancellorsville battle with the union on the northern bank and the confederates on the south bank for a couple days and some "incursions" into the lines at the edges, so im gonna keep my fingers crossed. one of the guys in my club said, you cant believe the heart racing when you find 3 or 4 minis in the same crevice

 

[njcommercialdiver]

all of my gold club members that were going on the trip this year backed out for various reasons so it was just me, the wife and the dogs but i made it up there one day for a scouting trip while heading to the store since it was rained for a couple days. they are doing bridge work (welding and repainting) there and it was down to one lane with a stop light to alternate traffic across. the workers parked in the lot at the ramp and there was alot of work activity right next to the bridge and there would have been alot of eyes on me. the water level was also down about 2 ft below the end of the concrete boat ramp. the far side of the sandbar island in the middle that starts just below the ramp looked pretty good and one of the older members from my club that has been there before in past said theres some nice rock catches on that side

 

[GDub62]

all of my gold club members that were going on the trip this year backed out for various reasons so it was just me, the wife and the dogs but i made it up there one day for a scouting trip while heading to the store since it was rained for a couple days. they are doing bridge work (welding and repainting) there and it was down to one lane with a stop light to alternate traffic across. the workers parked in the lot at the ramp and there was alot of work activity right next to the bridge and there would have been alot of eyes on me. the water level was also down about 2 ft below the end of the concrete boat ramp. the far side of the sandbar island in the middle that starts just below the ramp looked pretty good and one of the older members from my club that has been there before in past said theres some nice rock catches on that side

Looks promising

 

[ticndig]

If you stand in the road on the Spotsylvania side of the river and face Culpeper look up along the ridge line and you'll see a rifle pit. beyond that gate is an old farmhouse on a bluff over looking the river. as far as civil war relics go , that area has been beat to death for the past 50 years. seeking permission is more of a challenge than digging relics along Elys ford road . I hunted that area for over 30 years when I lived just a few miles away.
on another note there's great small mouth fishing at that location.