What is this chain I dug in a Union camp?

[kdn502]

Hi All,
Went back to an old Civil War Union camp and dug up this long chain that measures 26" from end to end with some type connector at one of the ends....

Any thoughts on what it would have been used for?

Thanks, Kevin

 

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[NHBandit]

Pocket watch chain.

 

[dignkansas]

Looks like an old foothold trap chain the connector mounts on bottom of the trap used to catch racoon

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Looks like a cow tie.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

pic

 

[diggummup]

Good Id BigC and the length is right too.

 

[NHBandit]

pic

Am I missing something ? Not being familiar with "cow ties" the catalog picture you posted says they are 4 1/2 FEET long. The one pictured is very small compared to that. Is it for a miniature cow ? If they were used to keep cows from wandering off I would think they would be longer, larger, & stronger than the chain that was found. That being said I'm rethinking my theory that it's a pocket watch chain since most of those I've seen were silver or gold, not steel. Please enlighten me on the use of cow chains.

 

[ivan salis]

its a 26 inch part ( about 2 1/4 feet -- 1/2 of it ) of a cow tie down aka as a "hobble chain" to keep them close by so they did not wonder away * thus it only 1/.2 of the full lenght of 4 1/ 2 feet -- the cross bar is way too wide to be a pocket watch chain ay almost 4 inches wide

 

[NHBandit]

pic

Am I missing something ? Not being familiar with "cow ties" the catalog picture you posted says they are 4 1/2 FEET long. The one pictured is very small compared to that. Is it for a miniature cow ? If they were used to keep cows from wandering off I would think they would be longer, larger, & stronger than the chain that was found.

BigCypresshunter is right...
Look at the "t" portion.
On a watch chain, that is supposed to go in a buttonhole...
That thing is 4" long or more....(T portion)

Agreed. That's why I love this place. Full of good info.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Am I missing something ? Not being familiar with "cow ties" the picture you posted says they are 4 1/2 FEET long. The one pictured is very small. Is it for a miniature cow ?

I dont know the answer to that except to say that it appears your piece is just part of the total assembly.

It could also be from an animal trap.

We have had these posted here before but I cannot get cow ties to come up on a search. There was a mention of these possibly being CW related but it was not proven.

 

[ivan salis]

it two chains that are connected in the middle the t bar goes in the chain links -- around the animals feet -- it keeps the animal its used on from running fast or far away ( be they cow or horse)--it "hobbles" them keeping them close by so they do not wander off -- think of them as a sort of chain gang leg shackles -- except for cows & horses-- it allows the animals to freely graze without allowing it to wonder far off

 

[Newt]

I'd say you found yourself some early handcuffs.
Newt

 

[kuger]

It is not part of a trap.(I guarantee that)I think its called a Trace?I have seen them dug in C.W. period sites but am not sure what they specifically were for.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

It is not part of a trap.(I guarantee that)I think its called a Trace?I have seen them dug in C.W. period sites but am not sure what they specifically were for.

Yes I think its called a trace. It could be for a lot of different things. http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,285797.0.html

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

It looks like a chain Breezie posted above labeled as an artillery trace chain. I dont know where she got the pic. It looks like one end is bent and broken.

 

[kdn502]

Thanks for the input everyone!

My picture didn't help much but it is identical to the chain Bigcypresshunter posted from Breezie. It is just missing the one end.....

I'll try to clean it up some more and take a better photo....

Thanks again!!

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

it two chains that are connected in the middle the t bar goes in the chain links -- around the animals feet -- it keeps the animal its used on from running fast or far away ( be they cow or horse)--it "hobbles" them keeping them close by so they do not wander off -- think of them as a sort of chain gang leg shackles -- except for cows & horses-- it allows the animals to freely graze without allowing it to wonder far off

good information ivan