John Foster dug these relics from two different wars. At left is a Federal 2nd Corps badge from the War Between the States, found in Central Virginia. Although the regulations called for a cloth emblem, many officers and some enlisted men opted to buy commercially manufactured badges like this one. Beside it is a shoulder sling buckle from the Revolutionary War dug in East Virginia. Photo by Ran Hundley (Vol 6, Issue 5)
Bryan Jordan was hunting in the South Carolina Lowcountry when he dug these two buttons. The early Navy is backmarked “Carter, Lombard Street,” and dates no later than 1802. The tombac button has a palmetto tree and a “C” scratched on the face. Bryan was searching a plowed field just after a rain and recovered these stone tools and points. Photo by Bryan Jordan (Vol 6, Issue 5)
Billy Smith had a busy four hours of detecting in April 2010 at a house site in Central Virginia. One of his first finds that day was a “local” Confederate “I” Infantry button, and then, in rapid succession, he dug 27 flat buttons, a toe plate, two small hammers, an 1853 Half Dime, an 1861 Three Cent coin, a Large Cent, plus an 1861 (and also 1862) Indian Head penny. This was in addition to the many bullets and other relics he found. Photo by Tom Goodloe (Vol 6, Issue 5)
On March 12, 2010, longtime relic hunter Dan Patterson was able to cross this item off of his “bucket list.” It is a massive clip point bowie knife of the type carried to war by many Confederates in the first few months of the conflict. This one measures 16 inches long, has a copper or brass guard, and was found in a hole along with numerous unfired bullets and a lone Eagle button. Photo by Dan Patterson (Vol 6, Issue 5)
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