Slim Pickins Civil War Hunt, but I Got LUCKY!

[FoxHound0985]

Well, it was slim pickins metal detecting for Civil War relics today. I managed to find one fired .58 caliber musket ball, a Union eagle cuff button that isn't falling apart, a cap to a pewter syringe, a weird brass thingy, a barrel key (probably to a trunk), and a bunch of nails (really exciting, right?!). Notice that the bottom left nail isn't rusted? It's been in the ground since 1865, and it shows little to no rust. How is this possible?? I'll tell you. It was in a very hot fire! The fire produces a layer of mill scale that can protect iron relics. I suspect that the lightly rusted nails were from supply crates that the soldiers burned in their camp fires. Interesting, huh? Oh yea, I got a LUCKY HORSESHOE too! Maybe it will bring me some luck and I'll find something awesome the next time out...

PF

 

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[scruggs]

Good variety of nice finds, congratulations!

 

[DetectorMoe]

Nice g.s. button.. Cool looking square nails..

 

[pepperj]

Nicely done on getting the button.

"The fire produces a layer of mill scale that can protect iron relics." That is something I didn't know, thank you for that bit of knowledge.

 

[relic nut]

That's a good hunt in my book. Sure beats not getting to go.
We have found a few nails like that in one of our camps and couldn't understand why they were not rusted. What you say makes a lot of sense. thanks for the info.

HH, RN

 

[sandchip]

Now that's a nail that I wouldn't mind digging!

 

[FoxHound0985]

Thanks guys! I normally wouldn't bother even digging the nails, but I wanted to locate the fire pits. I figured that would be where the greatest concentration of soldiers were. Unfortunately that idea didn't yield as many relics as it has before. But hey, I'll take what I can get!

PF

 

[trapperart]

Congrats on some nice stuff