Civil War Relic Whatsit?

[{Sentinel}]

Found some trash today while detecting a civil war camp....one is a "ball" with a chain attached...that is the one I'm mainly interested in...in my years of hunting, I've not come across anything like this.....than the square nut...i've dug a ton of these over the years and believe that its a nut off a wagon. Can someone confirm that?

 

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[Montana Jim]

Maybe that little ball and chain is half of a tux/vest button chain, one button on each side to hold the vest together... you know what I mean?

 

[{Sentinel}]

Yeah, maybe so. I have seen them in the old photos of soldiers using them on their vest. I think it must be CW as there was no modern trash in the area. But thanks Jim....that is a good idea.

 

[d2]

The nut looks like it may have came from a piece of farm equipment. Dont know about the other...d2

 

[{Sentinel}]

I was thinkin more like a war wagon. This area is very hilly with deep ravines. Dont believe that it was ever farmed

 

[Monty]

It looks like half of a collar stay. There should have been another round button like gadget hooked to the other end of the chain. Many of those old timey shirts had no collars so they used fake ones. The gadget buttoned into each side of the collar and held it together, much like a cuff lind works on a shirt. Monty

 

[{Sentinel}]

Interesting Monty?? It could very well be that too. Basically where I was hunting was out front of a Big Confederate Fort that in every battle account and map, shows riflepits and works full of Confederate defenders. In the spot where I found this, I confirmed that this was indeed one of the Confederate defense works in front of the fort from the heavy amounts of musket balls and picket rifle bullets that I found. This battle was early in the war too so soldiers still wore a wild variety of clothing. Could have come from a soldier still in his civilian attire, or an officer maybe??

 

[Monty]

I have been reading a three volume set on the Civil War by Shelby Foote. Many of the Confederate soldiers didn't even have shoes let alone a uniform. monty

 

[d2]

Very southern accent on Mr Foote. He will be missed. I think he lived in Memphis...d2

 

[{Sentinel}]

AHH yes, Shelby Foote is one of my ABSOLUTE favorite CW authors. I love his accent also..>VERY Southern. You can catch it in the Ken Burn's Civil War series. He is great indeed. However remember Monty that this was a battle VERY early in the war when all soldiers still were very well equipped and clothed. In this rearguard action both Union and Confederate Armies would have had nice uniforms as it was the first major battle of the Civil War after the Battle of Manassas. The first big battle of the Peninsular Campaign. Whereas Mr. Foote is right in most instances, I think this battle would be a exception to that rule.
So, I do think that it is what you said it was. I will look for the other piece to it.

 

[Monty]

Well hmmmm. I am getting conflicting information I guess. I am also reading "Stonewall" by Byron Farwell and just now getting to the first battle of Manassas. From his account taken from his research, the Confederacy didn't even have a true army let alone uniforms. The only uniforms that were truly uniform were the VMI cadets that wore their academy uniforms. A lot of uniforms in that sentence. Farwell describes the missmatch of uniforms, some captured from the Union stores, many home made with all the ribbons, sashes and plumes associated with the European model. Many wore their plain old farm clothes. General Jackson wore an old blue jacket with a couple of stars hand sewn onto the shoulders (the confederacy hadn't even established an insignia of rank yet). Instead of an army the Confederacy forces was made up of various state militias, volunteers and a provisional Confederate Army that later became the actual Confederate Army. Jackson was promoted to brigadier general in the provisional army June 17, 1861 and the Manassas battle began on July 21, 1861. (First Battle of Bull Run). I'm not trying to argue , just happen to be reading on the Civil War at present and going by what the authors say. The information on the uniforms or lack thereof is what made me form my opinion of what your mystery item might be. Be assured, my opinion is just a guess and I am wrong more often than I am right I think I'm right at about .47% of the time and my goal is .50%. Monty

 

[{Sentinel}]

Yes YOU are ABSOLUTELY right. There were NO uniform uniforms (HAHA that sounded funny) in the Confederacy at this time, however most every soldier did HAVE uniforms. The Confederacy was made up of a variety of pre-Civil War Federal uniforms,state militia uniforms, and even Revolutionary uniforms. I did not say that they had a set regulation uniform...I just said that they ALL were "well equipped and clothed" at this time in the war. Most had all the 'soldier' accoutrements at this time, even if they did not have a standard regulation uniform.