Pacivilwarluke
Sr. Member
- Feb 15, 2013
- 270
- 441
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I had an incredible Tuesday digging in Virginia with my friend Isaac! We hit quite a few sites but the last site we got on was loaded with incredible history! My best find was this, my first belt plate! (finally!)
Perhaps this doesn't look like much, but it is a field repaired sheet brass clipped corner Confederate Belt Plate! The backside is pictured here, and there are two solder marks where the iron wire hooks would have attached. These were likely made locally in the South, and they did not hold up. There are two intriguing qualities on this plate. First are the two holes punched by a square nail to repair the plate when it broke in the field. The second is the damage on the right side of the plate. It is period damage, and when you look at the context where it was found, it appears a story begins to emerge. It was dug at a CS field hospital site where a little less than 100 CS soldiers died from their wounds after a large civil war battle. The right side of the plate is mauled, and this was not found in a place that would have been plowed at all. It seems totally shredded. I can only wonder if the right side was hit by a projectile or a piece of shrapnel, and if so whether the soldier made it or succumbed to his wounds at the field hospital. It's a sobering thought. But the recovery of it brings back the very likely forgotten story of a Southern Soldier, who may be buried in the mass grave with his other comrades nearby. It's finds like this that really make me realize why I do what I do.
I also got a musketball there and Isaac got a killer CW related find. I found some other victorian relics there, got a nice suspender buckle there, a 1917 S Merc, two reigns guides from the same hole, a nice skeleton key, a harmonica reed, and more! I also got a great 1817 Large Cent, two fired three ringers, and a small pistol ball.
![FullSizeRender[1] copy 6.jpg](https://www.treasurenet.com/data/attachments/1225/1225057-ed5a2e512c4d91e5583e8c40ff67fbb1.jpg "FullSizeRender[1] copy 6.jpg")
![FullSizeRender[2] copy 6.jpg](https://www.treasurenet.com/data/attachments/1225/1225063-bf622ec3e32ad4b50aa0f6debb9dfd44.jpg "FullSizeRender[2] copy 6.jpg")
![FullSizeRender[3] copy 4.jpg](https://www.treasurenet.com/data/attachments/1225/1225066-c6edd4ff1e9a76725c7c6516873682de.jpg "FullSizeRender[3] copy 4.jpg")
The next day before I left Isaac got most of the good finds! I got a V nickel and a toy soldier though!
![FullSizeRender[1] copy 7.jpg](https://www.treasurenet.com/data/attachments/1225/1225153-f3031369652619ace4a98d89030e3922.jpg "FullSizeRender[1] copy 7.jpg")
It was a great hunt and I can't wait to do it again! Happy Hunting everyone!
Perhaps this doesn't look like much, but it is a field repaired sheet brass clipped corner Confederate Belt Plate! The backside is pictured here, and there are two solder marks where the iron wire hooks would have attached. These were likely made locally in the South, and they did not hold up. There are two intriguing qualities on this plate. First are the two holes punched by a square nail to repair the plate when it broke in the field. The second is the damage on the right side of the plate. It is period damage, and when you look at the context where it was found, it appears a story begins to emerge. It was dug at a CS field hospital site where a little less than 100 CS soldiers died from their wounds after a large civil war battle. The right side of the plate is mauled, and this was not found in a place that would have been plowed at all. It seems totally shredded. I can only wonder if the right side was hit by a projectile or a piece of shrapnel, and if so whether the soldier made it or succumbed to his wounds at the field hospital. It's a sobering thought. But the recovery of it brings back the very likely forgotten story of a Southern Soldier, who may be buried in the mass grave with his other comrades nearby. It's finds like this that really make me realize why I do what I do.
I also got a musketball there and Isaac got a killer CW related find. I found some other victorian relics there, got a nice suspender buckle there, a 1917 S Merc, two reigns guides from the same hole, a nice skeleton key, a harmonica reed, and more! I also got a great 1817 Large Cent, two fired three ringers, and a small pistol ball.
The next day before I left Isaac got most of the good finds! I got a V nickel and a toy soldier though!
It was a great hunt and I can't wait to do it again! Happy Hunting everyone!
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