Tennessee/kentucky rifle balls?

[TNGUNS]

I have yet to go to one of my sites on the river and not dug these balls. No CW skirmishes etc to my knowledge but have found an Eagle GS there. But CW relics are scattered everywhere in the area. Frequently find them in the general area of the little ghost town started in 1812. The site on the river may be earlier with all the flat buttons and the one colonial buckle. The balls are usually between .36 and .44 caliber. I think they are to large for a fowler and unlikely ball & brace so I feel they must be from the civilian rifles but would like input. Found 4 today in a small area where I have recovered many more in the past. Less than an acre around the old home site. Most are fired with some obviously hard strikes, and a few appear to be drops. I know all the civilians had rifles and you should find a few. It just seems like you find many more when CW relics are also in the area. What do you think .... Civilian Rifle?

 

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[tennessee digger]

Those are probably much older than the civil war. We have found many of roughly the same caliber in some early sites (late 1700's to early 1800's) here in middle Tennessee. If you are finding them in a concentrated area than you may have found a place that they either target practiced or had shooting matches.

 

[roaddust66]

The Tennessee River was the interstate highway in the first half of 1800's before the railroad. Old settlements there included Kingston , Washington Ferry , Blythe's Ferry , Agency on the Hiwassee. And the community of Sale Creek is much older than Chattanooga its self or Ross's Landing. Cool finds

 

[DanKnug]

Tennessee balls probably. They look pretty small.

 

[TNGUNS]

roaddust66, I am hunting near one of the ferries. Got a colonial knee or stock buckle the other day and lots of flat buttons and pewter on prior hunts. This is one of the only sites in the general area I had not dug at least one CW bullet or button then got an Eagle GS a few days ago. No doubt there was a lot of troop movement on the river. Dug and odd little black glass button this afternoon that came out when digging a flat button. No idea if it is early or not but virtually no modern trash so far but tons of square nails. The odd thing is that I have found several virgin home sites along some of these spots but NADA on coins. They must have all been as poor as Job's turkey.

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

Possibly from Pennsylvania longrifles used in Tenessee. ;-)