Civil War ten pegs and railroad spike question

[smokeythecat]

I have dug several short (4.5" or so) railway spikes from a Civil War battlefield's rear areas in Virginia recently. All were found fairly close together. They were found among other CW relics, mainly Gardner bullets. They are definitely the old style, not modern style. I have read the Confederates used railway spikes as tent pegs. True or fiction? The nearest railroad is about 3 miles away. This is in the middle of "nowhere" otherwise.

 

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[duggap]

I've heard it said that they were used to tie down their horse. I know we have found them quite a ways away from any railroad tracks, but in the middle of relics.

 

[turtlefoot13]

I have found scores of them in my area. The small spikes that I find are from narrow gauge railroad tracks that were used in the logging industry back in the 1870's-1880's. Just a thought/possibility.

Doug

 

[thrillathahunt]

I have also found railroad spikes in old camps here in Texas. I think they came in handy for uses other than what they were made for.