Geologyhound
Well-known member
I went out hunting with a friend last weekend. We’ve hit the site pretty hard so we weren’t finding much. When I went back out the gate I stopped and hunted a little next to the road and apparently found a spot we had missed. There were three brass targets in close proximity - a nondescript brass plate, a brass buckle, and what looked like a medal or badge.
On the way home, I decided to stop at a construction site where I have found some good stuff over the last few months. The construction crew had done some more dirt work so I had some fresh areas to check. I am glad I stopped because I turned up a 1918 mercury where some pavement was torn up. But, I was also pleased one more zinc penny signal turned out to be a nice IHP instead. Having been trapped under asphalt, the Mercury has seen better days. But, silver is silver and I will take it!
Now for the post title. When I cleaned up the badge, I was surprised to see the text 7th Army Corps Maj. Gen. Fitzhugh Lee Commander. From what I have found, Fitzhugh Lee was a nephew of Robert E. Lee and served in the Civil War for the last couple months for the Confederacy. Many years later he commanded the volunteer 7th Army Corps in Florida during the Spanish American war. So, while the medal is not Civil War, it apparently is from the Spanish American War. That makes this my first Spanish American War relic!
And the Indian head penny? It is an 1864. On careful cleaning I can see an L on the ribbon under the lowest feather. That makes this the rare “with L” variant of the 1864. It’s too bad this penny has a bit of a rotted rim, but there’s still a lot of detail left on it. I am always amazed to hold in my hand something which was minted during the Civil War. So, that makes two items from two different war eras on the same day!
On the way home, I decided to stop at a construction site where I have found some good stuff over the last few months. The construction crew had done some more dirt work so I had some fresh areas to check. I am glad I stopped because I turned up a 1918 mercury where some pavement was torn up. But, I was also pleased one more zinc penny signal turned out to be a nice IHP instead. Having been trapped under asphalt, the Mercury has seen better days. But, silver is silver and I will take it!
Now for the post title. When I cleaned up the badge, I was surprised to see the text 7th Army Corps Maj. Gen. Fitzhugh Lee Commander. From what I have found, Fitzhugh Lee was a nephew of Robert E. Lee and served in the Civil War for the last couple months for the Confederacy. Many years later he commanded the volunteer 7th Army Corps in Florida during the Spanish American war. So, while the medal is not Civil War, it apparently is from the Spanish American War. That makes this my first Spanish American War relic!
And the Indian head penny? It is an 1864. On careful cleaning I can see an L on the ribbon under the lowest feather. That makes this the rare “with L” variant of the 1864. It’s too bad this penny has a bit of a rotted rim, but there’s still a lot of detail left on it. I am always amazed to hold in my hand something which was minted during the Civil War. So, that makes two items from two different war eras on the same day!
