Civil war ID ring!!!!
- Thread starter Mark1985
- Start date
jewelerguy
Gold Member
WOW! how cool is that?!!
roygpa
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Really cool find! I would go on Ancestry.com and try to find any descendants who might like to know about it.
Roy
Roy
roygpa
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His father was named Samuel and his mother named Jane. Samuel's occupation was a carpenter and his estate was valued at about 1000 dollars as of the 1860 census.
Ancestry.com
Ancestry.com
Last edited:
roygpa
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- Metal Detecting
Was fairly easy to find one of his descendants on Ancestry.com.
DrJoePrime
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A STUNNING Find! Big Congrats! 
This is such an important and historic find that I believe it should be shared with a wider audience than just Tnet.
This is such an important and historic find that I believe it should be shared with a wider audience than just Tnet.
roygpa
Full Member
- Mar 5, 2013
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- Primary Interest:
- Metal Detecting
Hopefully the OP won't be too upset that I just emailed a couple of Gustavus' descendants and directed them to this thread.
VOL1266-X
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Congrats on your first Banner Mark. HH, Q.
AU Seeker
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Great find and congratulations on getting the Banner, well deserved!!
I wanted to thank TheCannonBallGuy for the link to the CW National Parks link, I was able to find several of my ancestors that served in the CW on that site, THANKS!!!
I also look up the owner of the ring you found, and he was there as well...
Soldier Details -
" [h=1]Richardson, Gustavus[/h]REGIMENT NAME:57th Regiment, Massachusetts Infantry
SIDE:Union:
COMPANY:K
SOLDIER'S RANK IN:Private
SOLDIER'S RANK OUT:Private
ALTERNATE NAME:
FILM NUMBER:M544 roll 33
NOTES:
"
Also I used the same site to gain some more info on the history of the 57th and the battles in your area that the 57th were involved in to see which battle would have lead to him losing his ring... (there were 2 battles in your area but only one with a link on the site to gain info on the battle)
Regiment Details -
"[h=1]UNION MASSACHUSETTS VOLUNTEERS[/h][h=2]57th Regiment, Massachusetts Infantry[/h]OVERVIEW:Organized at Worcester and Reedville and mustered in April 6, 1864. Moved to Annapolis, Md., thence to Washington and Alexandria April 18-20. Attached to 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 9th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to September, 1864. 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 9th Army Corps, to July, 1865.
SERVICE:Campaign from the Rapidan to the James May 3-June 15, 1864. Battles of the Wilderness May 5-7; Spottsylvania May 8-12; Ny River May 10; Spottsylvania Court House May 12-21. Assault on the Salient May 12. North Anna River May 23-26. On line of the Pamunkey May 26-28. Totopotomoy May 28-31. Cold Harbor June 1-12. Bethesda Church June 1-3. BeforePetersburg June 16-18. Siege of Petersburg June 16, 1864, to April 2, 1865. Mine Explosion, Petersburg, July 30, 1864. Weldon Railroad August 18-21. Peebles' Farm or Peeble's Farm September 29-October 2. Reconnoissance on Vaughan and Squirrel Level Roads October 8. Boydton Plank Road, Hatcher's Run, October 27-28. Fort Stedman March 25, 1865. Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9. Assault on and fall of Petersburg April 2. Occupation of Petersburg April 3. Pursuit of Lee April 4-9. Moved to City Point, thence to Alexandria April 20-28, and duty there till July -. Grand Review May 23. Mustered out July 30, 1865.Regiment lost during service 10 Officers and 191 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 86 Enlisted men by disease. Total 287.
SOLDIERS:View Regiment's Soldiers »
"
Battle Detail -
"[h=1]Spotsylvania Court House[/h]OTHER NAME:Combats at Laurel Hill and Corbin's Bridge, Ni River, Laurel Hill, Po River, Bloody Angle, Piney Branch Church, Harrison House, Harris Farm
CAMPAIGN:Grant's Overland Campaign
DATE(S):May-June 1864
PRINCIPAL COMMANDERS:Lieutenant General Ulysses Grant [US] Major General Robert Lee [CS] Major General George Meade [US]
FORCES ENGAGED:152000 total (US 100000; CS est.)
ESTIMATED CASUALTIES:27000 total (US 18000; CS 9000)
DESCRIPTION:After the Wilderness, Grant's and Meade's advance on Richmond by the left flank was stalled at Spotsylvania Court House on May 8. This two-week battle was a series of combats along the Spotsylvania front. The Union attack against the Bloody Angle at dawn, May 12-13, captured nearly a division of Lee's army and came near to cutting the Confederate army in half. Confederate counterattacks plugged the gap, and fighting continued unabated for nearly 20 hours in what may well have been the most ferociously sustained combat of the Civil War. On May 19, a Confederate attempt to turn the Union right flank at Harris Farm was beaten back with severe casualties. Union generals Sedgwick (VI Corps commander) and Rice were killed. Confederate generals Johnson and Steuart were captured, Daniel and Perrin mortally wounded. On May 21, Grant disengaged and continued his advance on Richmond.
RESULTS:Indecisive
CWSAC REFERENCE #:VA048
PRESERVATION PRIORITY:
ADDITIONAL LINKS:Find Related Regiments »
PARK LINKS:
Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park » "
I wanted to thank TheCannonBallGuy for the link to the CW National Parks link, I was able to find several of my ancestors that served in the CW on that site, THANKS!!!
I also look up the owner of the ring you found, and he was there as well...
Soldier Details -
" [h=1]Richardson, Gustavus[/h]REGIMENT NAME:57th Regiment, Massachusetts Infantry
SIDE:Union:
COMPANY:K
SOLDIER'S RANK IN:Private
SOLDIER'S RANK OUT:Private
ALTERNATE NAME:
FILM NUMBER:M544 roll 33
NOTES:
"
Also I used the same site to gain some more info on the history of the 57th and the battles in your area that the 57th were involved in to see which battle would have lead to him losing his ring... (there were 2 battles in your area but only one with a link on the site to gain info on the battle)
Regiment Details -
"[h=1]UNION MASSACHUSETTS VOLUNTEERS[/h][h=2]57th Regiment, Massachusetts Infantry[/h]OVERVIEW:Organized at Worcester and Reedville and mustered in April 6, 1864. Moved to Annapolis, Md., thence to Washington and Alexandria April 18-20. Attached to 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 9th Army Corps, Army of the Potomac, to September, 1864. 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, 9th Army Corps, to July, 1865.
SERVICE:Campaign from the Rapidan to the James May 3-June 15, 1864. Battles of the Wilderness May 5-7; Spottsylvania May 8-12; Ny River May 10; Spottsylvania Court House May 12-21. Assault on the Salient May 12. North Anna River May 23-26. On line of the Pamunkey May 26-28. Totopotomoy May 28-31. Cold Harbor June 1-12. Bethesda Church June 1-3. BeforePetersburg June 16-18. Siege of Petersburg June 16, 1864, to April 2, 1865. Mine Explosion, Petersburg, July 30, 1864. Weldon Railroad August 18-21. Peebles' Farm or Peeble's Farm September 29-October 2. Reconnoissance on Vaughan and Squirrel Level Roads October 8. Boydton Plank Road, Hatcher's Run, October 27-28. Fort Stedman March 25, 1865. Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9. Assault on and fall of Petersburg April 2. Occupation of Petersburg April 3. Pursuit of Lee April 4-9. Moved to City Point, thence to Alexandria April 20-28, and duty there till July -. Grand Review May 23. Mustered out July 30, 1865.Regiment lost during service 10 Officers and 191 Enlisted men killed and mortally wounded and 86 Enlisted men by disease. Total 287.
SOLDIERS:View Regiment's Soldiers »
"
Battle Detail -
"[h=1]Spotsylvania Court House[/h]OTHER NAME:Combats at Laurel Hill and Corbin's Bridge, Ni River, Laurel Hill, Po River, Bloody Angle, Piney Branch Church, Harrison House, Harris Farm
CAMPAIGN:Grant's Overland Campaign
DATE(S):May-June 1864
PRINCIPAL COMMANDERS:Lieutenant General Ulysses Grant [US] Major General Robert Lee [CS] Major General George Meade [US]
FORCES ENGAGED:152000 total (US 100000; CS est.)
ESTIMATED CASUALTIES:27000 total (US 18000; CS 9000)
DESCRIPTION:After the Wilderness, Grant's and Meade's advance on Richmond by the left flank was stalled at Spotsylvania Court House on May 8. This two-week battle was a series of combats along the Spotsylvania front. The Union attack against the Bloody Angle at dawn, May 12-13, captured nearly a division of Lee's army and came near to cutting the Confederate army in half. Confederate counterattacks plugged the gap, and fighting continued unabated for nearly 20 hours in what may well have been the most ferociously sustained combat of the Civil War. On May 19, a Confederate attempt to turn the Union right flank at Harris Farm was beaten back with severe casualties. Union generals Sedgwick (VI Corps commander) and Rice were killed. Confederate generals Johnson and Steuart were captured, Daniel and Perrin mortally wounded. On May 21, Grant disengaged and continued his advance on Richmond.
RESULTS:Indecisive
CWSAC REFERENCE #:VA048
PRESERVATION PRIORITY:
ADDITIONAL LINKS:Find Related Regiments »
PARK LINKS:
Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National Military Park » "
HutSiteDigger
Silver Member
- Nov 26, 2012
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Really neat find Mark told yah those trenches are loaded!! I have only seen one or two of these rings before and one of the rings was at Nick's (civil war shop in stafford that you go to) and the other @ a show! you should bring this ring too Nick and show him. This ring is one of the best union relics you can find and most confederate relics! i'd be very proud of finding that ring most IDs that are found are badges/tags but finding ring like that is very rare i would say this is over $1,200s easily looks like you are on the boat of having this ring photographed in a civil war and artifact books/magazine! good job buddy 
Erik in NJ
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These are excellent photos--I really like the reflection back into the glass. Question: was the ring cut or was that the way it was made? From these pics it appears that there is a segment missing. I think you should submit these photos, details of your dig, and the research to the major treasure detecting/treasure magazines for a story. You'll probably get find of the year I would think.
Congrats on making the banner so quickly and glad I got a chance for the first public nomination!
Not sure what the proper thing to do is with a find of this significance and personal context--I'd be curious as to what peoples' thoughts are.
My first thoughts are obviously to try and get it to the hero's next of kin, but perhaps they would want to see it on display in a Civil War museum with your story and the salient research. What are your thoughts as the finder?
I am really enjoying your thread and the unfolding research on this amazing find!
Last edited:
OP
OP
Mark1985
Sr. Member
- Jan 3, 2013
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- Thread starter
- #73
I have seen only a few examples of these rings and from what I can tell is that they are open slit ring may differ not sure mine does have a spot where it's missing a spot the last S in mass but I would imagine that is why it ended up lost I honestly believe that he lost it digging the trench because of his low rank
Erik in NJ
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Hi Mark, thx for the info. Based on the research posted can you tell when they were in your area? Did his unit see action there? If so perhaps it was lost in the heat of battle. They sometimes used odd state abbreviations in the old days so perhaps it only said "MAS"
- May 9, 2012
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A solemn congrats Mark. Banner indeed. Having raised blisters shoveling with a ring on i can see removing it to dig. Cut piece removed to allow fit from summer heat or just a soldiers life. What a recovery you made.
That's awesome! Love the cw relics haven't been hunting long and our area NE MS around Corinth is still holding a few relics but most everything around here has been went thru with fine tooth comb. There are a few places left that we know there are relics on but the land owners will in no way allow anyone on them. What gets me is they don't relic hunt its all wooded so no cgance of any crop damage but still want to tell you no and get off their property.
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