Question for all of you Civil War guys...

[Lodihunter]

I have been following this forum for a while now, and can't figure out how you all get onto these battle sites. Here in California, EVERYTHING is private property other than parks. Our biggest claim to fame is gold country. But even then, people get all sorts of crazy if you ask to go on their land to hunt an old area because you might be taking their gold. Is land just open to hunt back east???? If so, I want to come visit!!!! Thanks.

 

[ironman200081]

Find landowners, be polite and direct, ask permission. No "open ranging" or you will get what happend to a detectorist in S.Central MO recently; prosecuted for trespassing.

 

[diggertrigger]

We have a few spots here in Georgia that are county property, and you can hunt those, if you know where to go. Otherwise, we have to get permission to hunt private property. We don't have much gold here, just in a few spots, so it might be easier to get permission. If I had gold on my property, I don't think I would let people on my land either.

 

[Cajuncoinhunter]

Well, I do my research and I know what field / woods that I should be going in so I make a few passes during farming season until I run into the farmer(s). I live in a simple country like town and area. The country folks down here are pretty friendly .... friendlier than most in my opinion. Almost all farmers i know dont mind you going on thier property as long as you ASK permission and be respectful (fill holes, dont dig in freshly planted fields, stay clear of active plowing etc). Never had one tell me no. Only NO i got was from someone I knew... go figure. Best of luck. CCH

 

[EL Pulltabio]

Here in Carolina research is the key. There are plenty of absentee land owners living out of state. I use Google Map to isolate
a promising site and then track down the owner on the computer. I send off a letter and hope for a positive response.
What might help is explaining that you'll conclude your detecting effort within 3 days. Without that assurance the owner
might fear that you plan to hunt his/her property forever.
Another way is to be on the lookout for land clearing crews at work. Ask the foreman for permission.
Good luck!

 

[Dirtyray]

Very well said..As said above i do my homework i Ask too detect and i fill in ALL HOLES ...take everything i dig up including CANS PULL TABS GLASS and if someone wants too see what ive got there free too look at what i did clean up that was in the ground and now in the trash were it belongs...HH

 

[kraykepler]

"I have been following this forum for a while now, and can't figure out how you all get onto these battle sites."
It's probably worth mentioning that most finds aren't found on battle sites; they're found on travel routes and rest/camp sites. Battlefields are usually very hard to get onto.

 

[dextersteve]

Hi-I'm new to this site and have been collecting treasures and relics for years. Here is a picture of an item found not long ago I could use some help with if any of you kind people have any information. I think it's a pommel ornament or saddle shield because of the size and shape but have never seen one like this before. No size anywhere and nothing on the back just script "FJ on the front. It measures about 1 3/8 x 1 3/4 inches. Not a replica for sure. Hopefully of civil war vintage. Thanks, Steve

 

[dextersteve]

Hello-Here is another couple of boot heel plates I'm having trouble identifying. Both are brass but different sizes. I have never seen this type before. Most of the time I find thin ones with hearts and clovers in the middle. Does anyone know if these are military (union confederate) heel plates? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks, Steve

 

[skystitch]

Good pictures. Wish I could help you!

 

[SWV Coin Hunter]

"I have been following this forum for a while now, and can't figure out how you all get onto these battle sites."
It's probably worth mentioning that most finds aren't found on battle sites; they're found on travel routes and rest/camp sites. Battlefields are usually very hard to get onto.

I agree with that but the question is,how do you find these travel routes and rest/camp sites? I have done as much research as I can at the local library and at the local historic society but cant find anything on routes and camp sites. I do have a small battle site close to my house (the Battle of Cranesnest on hwy 72 between Coeburn and Clintwood VA) and another larger one located in Wise county VA(then called Gladeville - http://vagenweb.org/lee/CivilWarWise.html ) but so far as routes and camp sites,I have no clue as to where to start looking. The only good led I have is a story told to me by some long time residents that years ago. An old house,right across from where I now live,was being torn down. When one of the walls collapsed,old Confederate paper money fell out of the wall and was blown all around the neighborhood by the wind. This was at the very least,60 years ago. Great led right! Well the problem is that once this was torn down,alone with the other old homes,the land was filled in with many feet of fill dirt so it is highly unlikely that one would find anything now. But. I would think that somewhere there would be a camp site or something. Especially with all of the activity this land saw back in those days. Where would I look and what would I look for? Did the soldiers try to camp on high ground (which I have plenty of) or did they stay close to creeks and rivers?

It you were to look at a map of Coeburn VA,you will see highway 72 that runs between here and Clintwood VA. This area is very old and was the site of an settlement from the frontier days (although no one has found any evidence of the forts exact location) and was originally called,Guest station. The fort was supposedly located very close to down town and I would think that hwy 72 started out as a wagon road between here and Clintwood so I'm sure there is stuff to be found around here.

I've done my research. I know the history of this area from the time of the late 1800's and I know where most if not all of the old towns,stores, schools and coal camps once stood. But as far as any info on anything older then the late 1800's like maps and such,I'm keep coming up with zero.

I sometimes wonder if hunting really old relics is more luck then anything else.

 

[Dick from NC]

SWV you can go on line and google to Guild Press of Indiana, Inc. "The Civil War CD-ROM". This cd is a compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederates Armies. This cd hold all the records and reports made during the civil war. Battle reports, routes of march, where they camped, what rivers they crossed and where, but even with this information you still have to do some research. I've had my cd so long I can't really remember how much materials is in it. Something like 130,000 pages of material. You can even go on line and pull up the material and read the reports but its nice to have a cd so you can print the reports and read them over and over. Good luck and happy hunting.

 

[senda]

Research. Read all documents that you can. See Maps and Google Earth. Knowing who, how and where they came from. Including names of officers and names of regiments. Search sites suitable in size and strategic position for camping, defend or attack. think like them, get in their boots. Find the old ways. Etymological study or geographic place names in the area.The best relics of a battle I found looking at the road where those who lost fled.
These are mainly things that I discuss when I search a battlefield. Of course luck is a very important factor.
I wish I could explain these points one by one but my English is poor and some potato google translator.
best regards from Spain