Civil war relics in farm fields?

[JustinG.MDguy]

Hi everyone,

Nice to have a Civil War forum!

I'm pretty new to relic hunting, and my question to the veterans out there is about finding CW relics in farm fields. I'm just wondering if fields near marching routes/ retreat routes might be good places to detect.

How could these relics get there? Is it efficient to hunt vast fields for the seemingly few relics they might hold?

Thanks for the time,

Justin Gaver

 

[woodchiphustler]

Justin,
Troops are on the move most of the year so following known routes is good. Now throw in a creek, spring or any source of water. Look for old period or earlier house sites for forage. Hey a big old tree in the middle of a field has made me happy many times in a long career. Go to your local library, check out old maps. Best of luck

 

[huntcav65]

fields are good to hunt, a lot of the old hunters would not hunt fields, it is also real easy to miss stuff in a big field, hard to hunt tight because you don't have a lot of close references

Richard

 

[Keith @ Port Hudson]

Leave no stone unturned. A lot of farm land today was farm land then. A good place for large camps. A lot of the sugar cane fields along the bayous and rivers here In Louisiana still turn up a few relics. most of these were farm land. (plantations)
Hope this gives you encouragement.

Keith

 

[Cajuncoinhunter]

I find MOST of my old silver seated coins and spanish reales in old soybean fields here in LA. Like the above post stated, many fields now were fields back then... and during the CW. cch.

 

[sc14fan]

Hello every, I am also New to relic hunting. I have been doing it for the past 6 months cause my girlfriend bought me a Garrett Ace 250 for Fathers Day. I have a guy at work that takes me every once in a while, but I'm sure he don't want to show me his GOOD spots, which I don't blame him. He's been doing it for 20 yrs or longer and probaly took him a long time to find them himself. I am not originally from here and I just love going, here being Tennesse. I am from Alabama and have alot of family there, how would I go about finding spots back home and getting an 1878 map, cause he told me thats what I need for homesites. What is that kind of map called and where would I go to get it? If anyone lives close to Nashville on here and would let me go somewhere with them thatd be cool too. I appreciate any information anyone has, like I said I'm new so I don't know a whole lot about mapping. I have found some Civil War stuff going around here different places and I'm freaking hooked on it now, I love it! Thanks ,

 

[Hank68]

I start in the middle of the field and work outwards.

 

[huntcav65]

look at this site, some good maps, Virginia, Georgia, Alabama,Tennessee and others


alabamamaps.ua.edu/historicalmaps

you might find something to help you


Richard

 

[JustinG.MDguy]

Thanks everyone,

I just happen to have my eye on a likely farm on the route to gettysburg.
The house looks pre-Civil War, and there is a nice stream running through the property. Now all I need is permission...


~Justin G.

 

[woodchiphustler]

And when in Rome dress like the Romans. If that old site is an active farm a good John Deer hat and pleasant greeting has gotten me permission.

 

[GRAY GHOST]

Hey Justin! I've made a lot of good finds in farm fields - if the area has been habitated or farmed at all, they usually span from about the 1770's thru the present. Look for pieces of brick, pottery, or nails laying on the surface. Searching any sizable farm field takes time, so be patient and grid back and forth. It takes a bit of discipline to pull it off and leave little doubt that you've missed very much. Run and sweep the distance, take three steps to the left or right, turn around and continue on your way, and look up occasionally to sight a landmark to stay in alignment with your sweep path.

I usually go over a field twice, regardless of it's size. Your library and State's Historical Society should have plenty of vintage maps and other info you can use. You might be surprised what's happened in your back yard in the past! Once you dig an old flatbutton or a very old cent, then it becomes possible to dig anything in that field. Hope it helps, and good luck.

 

[richmondbuff]

Hey ghost are you from the richmond area?

 

[csbutton]

I find MOST of my old silver seated coins and spanish reales in old soybean fields here in LA. Like the above post stated, many fields now were fields back then... and during the CW. cch.

CCH is absolutely right...many cleared fields in agricultural use now were cleared originally well before the Civil War...try looking near a water source about a quarter mile or so from the wartime road for camps, and near a stream close to heavily used wartime roads for places where soldiers just stopped to rest and water horses. Many spots (at least in Louisiana) have been found using that approach. Don't overlook trees in the middle of a large field...many times those are old home sites, always a target for foraging soldiers.