Caltrops / Cripplers

[JARMAN]

Found at an Antique Shop. Owner thought they were kids jacks. But i had seen the first photo on a relic site for $55 each dug.#2 photo is mine. Do you think that these are the real thing or wishful thinking. Even if there jacks its a dollar well spent. Thanks for your comments.

 

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[BuckleBoy]

Thanks, MJ That would be nice to bust a myth . I'm not 100% sure on the items, Just some good information has been provided that gives hope. And in the same token not enough has been given to make one give up the hunt. I do appreciate the time folks on the forum put into research,to assist and safeguard other members.That is whats made The TN top of the line on the web. Sometimes controversy strengthens the outcome.

Well said, JARMAN.


Regards,


Buckleboy

 

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[JARMAN]

Thanks Buckleboy,
Funny, sometimes you take a trip,you never know where it might end.

 

[Siegfried Schlagrule]

In the early days of several wars well-meaning inventors and equally well meaning relatives sold and purchased many worthless items for the troops. I recall that the governors of several states asked that the bodies of their residents killed in the first Battle of Bull Run "be tenderly preserved in ice and returned home via railway express". That policy was never adhered to and never could be adhered to. There were just too many dead.
I have personally found many armored new testaments that were kept in the pocket over the heart and were supposed to protect the owner. Many were presented by the home church of the soldier. Several were pierced by shrapnel and one by a bullet. The cover was a thin piece of brass sheeting. They might deflect a bayonet but were worthless as protection from most shrapnel and all bullets.
The point that i am making is that these caltrops seem to be bargain basement and are not ideal. Faced with a looming attack by cavalry would you use them if they were all you had or just sit there cussing because they weren't the best ones? Most of us would use them and ream the supply sergeant and tell him not to get that kind again. He (the supply sergeant) may even have told the troops that they couldn't get the new improved caltrops until they used up "existing stocks". That would get the boys out there spreading them around.
siegfried schlagrule

 

[rmptr]

I'm sure the caltrops could have been effective if someone would have been able to get enough of them in place before a cavalry charge. Especially if ground conditions were suitable.

I'd sooner be shootin' at 'em than throwin' pebbles, though!

Anyone know if smallish anti-personnel mines were used in the CW?
I know floating mines, (torpedo), were employed against ships...

Picture posting... I like 'em!
And I grab 'em here and there, as they catch my fancy.

I figger anything sent past my keyboard is henceforth in the public domain...

I WILL take responsibility for my actions, though.
Anything I grab will NOT be used for commercial purposes.
If an original author remains offended, send me a bill.
I'll forward my 2 cents when the price of stamps comes down.

...As I consider it more, the plot thickens!
I'll post elsewhere on the subject.
HH
rmptr

 

[Elvis]

Hey Charlie,
Sorry for the delay. They are about the same size as a penny. We have found some that are like the ones in the photo above next to the minne ball. These were found on private property around the base of Missionary Ridge in TN. This was part of the battle of Lookout Mtn. I used electrolysis to clean them. It did not take long at all. after cleaning, I sealed them with spray clear coat.

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

Well, finding them on-site of a battle area certainly lends credence.

I think I upset Digger-girl, and that was not my intention. Jarman did post them here on the "What is it" forum and I tossed in my 2¢. It's not a case of "innocent until proven guilty". It's a case of "Unknown until proven otherwise". Like a letter home from a soldier stating: "Those 5/8" calthrops were quite the bother today. Flicka was rather hobbled up so we missed the battle."

Your finds could as well have been a previously unknown and particularly nasty close range cannister shot for cannon. Or perhaps the first exampe of a cluster area denial weapon - tiny cannon launched calthrops? Or some unscrupulous arms supplier figured if he was paid by calthrop count instead of weight he'd make 'em tiny.

If Jarman had posted these on "Civil War Relics" I'd have stayed out of it, or at least been less inclined to offer a contrary opinion.

I did post the image on a Civil War reenactment forum (some of those guys have wonderful reference materials at hand) and have had no positive identifications and many doubtful responses.

 

[JARMAN]

CharlieP,

You need to know that your comments,information and pictures was of great help to me. And as well, by no means did you upset DiggerGirl. I spoke with DG to set up an upcoming hunt, and she was on cloud nine, because of this thred. She was very moved that all of you guys treated her, and her opinions,as you would anyone ealse, and not with kid gloves. It's like being on a two way street going two directions, and someone is in the right direction. I took your information and went the other,because some were so alike, other then size. Thank you for the continued research. I would realy like to know one way or the other, the outcome. Before allowing myself to get back into this wonderfl addiction " The Tnet. Forum", I hung out and read and learned much from your's and all the others research information.
Thanks again,
JARMAN ___________Please forgive if spelling is not up to par,its late,I don't have my reading specks and the spell check for some reason has stoped working on this forum.

 

[mrs.oroblanco]

This thread is extremely interesting and informative.

Made me do some more "fact finding" on these things.

I read that they were also used by the pioneers - they would sprinkle them around their campsites to help stop indians from creeping up on them. I thought that was cool.

Here's another spot I found interesting (especially towards the bottom)

http://www.cavhooah.com/horses.htm

B

 

[JARMAN]

Thanks, Mrs. O,
Just learned something new. I bet the war cries from the real sharp ones would wake up the pioneers.

 

[mrs.oroblanco]

I could just imagine, when I was reading it, a hunched over indian, going "oo, ow, ouch, ow, oo" I wonder how easy it is to get those things out of moccasins!!



B

 

[eathan]

By the way~ I've always heard, that unless a photo is copywrit-ed, once it hits the net, it's fair game for anyone to use. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Copyright is still copyright, regardless of posting to the net. I actually had one company try to collect $1000 because a design template I had downloaded from another company off the Internet included one of their images.

As for the "caltrops", they look too worn. Do you have any period nails from the same area? My guess is they'll be somewhat sharp. These are warn and rounded well beyond what I'd expect from age and weather. Tumbling media sounds spot on, but did they use any sort of tumbling media back then?