Sorry for going incommunicado for the day, but the hunting was most excellent today! Not even time to break for a real lunch - we had to eat cold beanie-weenies in the field, using pretzel sticks as chopsticks!
We went back to several sites first thing in the morning to search for Bill's pill bottle that contained his 1/2-penny that he lost yesterday. No luck. This is a huge loss. We are all sick about it.
After searching for the lost pill bottle, we went back to Site #1. Yesterday, we located what we felt was the battle lines. This morning, we hunted them pretty hard. It produced lots of Sharps bullets and a few neat odds and ends. Randy dug another shell fragment, as did Rick. Bill found what he thinks is the Eagle that sits on top of a flag pole... not sure on this one - but if it is from the period, it is a BIG find! Rick dug most of a breastplate - it had unfortunately tangled with a plow a couple of times, but it is still a cool find. I dug bullets... We talked with the land owner. She is going to call us when they harvest the fields that we could not hunt. These should produce lots of fired bullets and shell frags, we hope. She also offered to get us onto the other side of the road... should be some goodies over there too. We sealed the deal by letting her know that we will be sending her a display back up of some of the stuff we found. We've got exclusive hunt privileges on this land now.
In the afternoon, we drove north to a town where Bill had gotten permission for us to hunt a hilltop where our research showed an artillery encampment. 30 seconds with the F75, and I was back to the truck - man was it trashy!!! I was ready to give up - but Bill and Rick stayed out there while Randy and I discussed the situation. Within 5 minutes, Bill had dug some camp lead, so I unpacked the Whites XLT and dove in. It wasn't long before I found a .69 caliber bullet, and then another, and then another... come 5:00pm, Rick had to physically drag Bill off the field to start the trip home!!!
Bill got a nice Scabbard Tip at this site, and he also dug 4 2-ring .69's - these are rare.
Taking stock of all that was found...
Over 75 bullets, a few button backs, a scabbard tip, several nice shell fragments, a couple of gun tools, a gold ring, a 1/2-penny, most of a breastplate, a possible flag pole finial eagle... we are all in agreement that this was a successful trip. Everybody did well. Randy has almost certainly doubled his Civil War Collection with his finds from this trip!!!
Oh yeah, the BIG KITTY... drum-roll please... was unanimously awarded to Wylie Bill. Yes, I hate losing. I REALLY hate losing to Bill, but there was no question that his gold ring, scabbard tip, 1/2 penny, and shell fragment all beat my bullets. Come to think of it, Rick's breastplate and shell fragment and Randy's shell frags and, heck, his knap-sack triangle for that matter all beat my bullets. I found bullets, though.
We are on the road heading home now. If I can get Rick to stop for a few minutes, I'll post some more pics of some of our finds. We've got several more pictures to post, so keep watching - I'll get them up this week.
Dig-it!
ARMY OF THE CAROLINA'S, 1st DIVISION
In the Field, April 13, 2008 7:18PM.
Major-General Ellman,
Commanding Army of the Carolina's:
GENERAL: I have the honor to inform you that the Army of the Carolinas has achieved victory this weekend!
After 2 days prior of heavy engagement with the enemy, the tables turned in our favor today. Despite suffering a great personal loss yesterday, General Stiles carried the day, and is well deserving of the honor and credit bestowed upon him. Colonel Baker's cavalry is equally deserving of our praises, having transported us over 800 miles on this campaign. For his extraordinary efforts in the field in the face of the enemy, Major Gatchel has been awarded a field-promotion to the rank of Colonel. General Stiles' entire staff agree that he is deserving of new equipment and hope that a requisition will be approved by the Quartermaster-General - J. Gatchel.
The Army of the Carolinas is en route to our home base of operations for resupply and recuperation. We expect to be back in the field by next Saturday, moving to the vicinity of Allendale County, SC.
Your obedient servant,
C. L. Watson,
Colonel, 17th SC Cavalry, Div. of Engineers