Surprise find - French Rev War regimental button!!

[Bill D. (VA)]

Went back to hunt another area of the early coin spill site for a couple hours late yesterday. This part of the field had given up maybe 25 flat buttons and other misc early 1800s relics in a couple previous trips. Went the first 15-20 minutes without a decent hit, then finally found the first flat button. Then only about 3 feet away from that spot I got another similar sounding target. I was a little shocked when out pops this French 13th regimental button from the Rev War. This button was worn by the 13th Bourbonnais infantry regiment serving under Compt de Rochenbeau during the final days of the war at Yorktown. Exactly one year earlier on Dec 4, 2010 I found a French 85th button at a site now far from this one. I'm still a little stumped as to how these buttons came to be lost in this area as the troops never made it down this way according to the records. Anyway, guess none of that matters as I'm just happy to be fortunate enough to have swung my coil over both of these little pieces of history. Below are pics of yesterday's finds (which were paltry other than the button) as well as a depiction of what the French regimental uniforms would have looked like that these 2 butttons were lost from. Guess I'm really going to have to slow down and hit this place hard, although with the electric fence and transformer right next to the site its a real pain to hunt there.

 

[texjim]

awesome job on the button...

 

[VB Sanddigger]

I love the shank on that button! Sweet find.

Good job on detecting!!

 

[Rhode Hog]

Nice button hold on to it ,it's quite rare .I found one in Newport R.I. where the French landed 6,000 troops on July 10 ,1780 after spending almost a year there they left Newport on June 10 1781 and walked all the way to Yorktown Va. and fought with Gen Washington in the 3 week battle leading to Cornwallis defeat on Oct 19 1781. After wintering in Willamsburg Va. they walked all the way back to New England where sailed from the port of Boston.

 

[Bill D. (VA)]

Nice button hold on to it ,it's quite rare .I found one in Newport R.I. where the French landed 6,000 troops on July 10 ,1780 after spending almost a year there they left Newport on June 10 1781 and walked all the way to Yorktown Va. and fought with Gen Washington in the 3 week battle leading to Cornwallis defeat on Oct 19 1781. After wintering in Willamsburg Va. they walked all the way back to New England where sailed from the port of Boston.

I found this one south of the James River which doesn't make sense as Yorktown and Williamsburg are on the other side. It was also found in a field right next to a home that dates to 1811 which is 30 years after the war ended. Wish I knew the story about how it ended up there. Same deal with my other French button.

 

[GatorFrog]

Nice button hold on to it ,it's quite rare .I found one in Newport R.I. where the French landed 6,000 troops on July 10 ,1780 after spending almost a year there they left Newport on June 10 1781 and walked all the way to Yorktown Va. and fought with Gen Washington in the 3 week battle leading to Cornwallis defeat on Oct 19 1781. After wintering in Willamsburg Va. they walked all the way back to New England where sailed from the port of Boston.

I found this one south of the James River which doesn't make sense as Yorktown and Williamsburg are on the other side. It was also found in a field right next to a home that dates to 1811 which is 30 years after the war ended. Wish I knew the story about how it ended up there. Same deal with my other French button.

Great find Bill !
As to French troops south of the James River, they were some:
"Halfway House (on road from Yorktown to Hampton and Back River) was the site of other parts of the Saintonge regiment. This regiment relocated to Hampton in February 1782, when the 'Lauzun Legion' vacated Hampton to go to North Carolinia border. " This legion would stay behind, in Wilmington, until 1783.
They used military courriers from one camp to another...

http://xenophongroup.com/mcjoynt/vacamps.htm

 

[Bill D. (VA)]

Nice button hold on to it ,it's quite rare .I found one in Newport R.I. where the French landed 6,000 troops on July 10 ,1780 after spending almost a year there they left Newport on June 10 1781 and walked all the way to Yorktown Va. and fought with Gen Washington in the 3 week battle leading to Cornwallis defeat on Oct 19 1781. After wintering in Willamsburg Va. they walked all the way back to New England where sailed from the port of Boston.

I found this one south of the James River which doesn't make sense as Yorktown and Williamsburg are on the other side. It was also found in a field right next to a home that dates to 1811 which is 30 years after the war ended. Wish I knew the story about how it ended up there. Same deal with my other French button.

Great find Bill !
As to French troops south of the James River, they were some:
"Halfway House (on road from Yorktown to Hampton and Back River) was the site of other parts of the Saintonge regiment. This regiment relocated to Hampton in February 1782, when the 'Lauzun Legion' vacated Hampton to go to North Carolinia border. " This legion would stay behind, in Wilmington, until 1783.
They used military courriers from one camp to another...

http://xenophongroup.com/mcjoynt/vacamps.htm

That's a great link - thanks! I used to live about a mile from the Halfway House you were talking about and made quite a few finds there from the Rev War to the War of 1812 to the Civil War, but never found any french buttons. A friend of mine found a nice coat size French 84th regiment button near the downtown Hampton area a couple years ago, and your link explains why it was there. Still no clue as to why my 2 buttons were found south of the James. But if they were wintering on the peninsula maybe they ventured across the river from time to time and these are just random drops. Probably never know for sure. Thanks again for your input ..... Bill

 

[Woodland Detectors]

Oh it's in nice shape too Bill.. Congrats

 

[Whitebeard]

Nice piece of history, would like to know the story of how it got there.

 

[The Patriot]

Lucky 13! Nice save! Congrats

 

[Lanny in AB]

Great finds!

All the best,

Lanny

 

[ruck]

What A Button!