8-19-09 Good Grief ! Went to visit Mom & Dad Sunday, and as I drove past some Missouri State Guard Camps, saw the fields full of Round Bales. Of course, I thought, "Ahhh-Haahh, Now I can get in there and dig a few Summer Bullets." Well, took the poor Diggin' Dogs with me today after all chores were done, and we got there bout noon. It was cloudy at first, then the sun came out, the Humidity rose faster than the percentage of your income taken by Local, State, and Federal Taxes, and we three all Fried !! The grass was not as short as I thought, the Puppies got HOT, and all I could seem to find in a good camp area, was fired bullets ! Finally managed a couple of drops, just about 5:30, but I think I will hold off getting serious bout it again, until fall !
|
 |
| "WHERE is the WATER !?" We DID bring water right ?" Get me some Dang Water Before I Show You How That Squirrel Out Front DIED ! " |
|
|
 |
| "SHE Did Ask for water, right ?? We Need some water now, where did you pack it ? You know, It's kind warm out here, and we haven't found a dropped bullet yet !" |
|
|
 |
| "YOU THINK we're running across that field, while you Dig Fired Bullets, Really !?! Come on Man, GET REAL !" |
|
|
 |
| Well, at least I got two drops, before the Dogs demanded we call it a day ! Nice .54 3-ringer, and a Colt .44 Pistol. Rest are a variety of fired, including round balls, .58s, and one .69. |
|
|
 |
| "OK, WHO's STOOPID, STOOPID, IDEA WAS THIS ! SOMEONE FESS UP NOW ! WE'RE TIRED OF THIS ALREADY ! I WANT MY AIR CONDITIONING AND MY KITTY SHAPE SQUEAKY TOY ! " |
|
|
5-9-09 A little over a week after our last visit to the small US Camp, that
produced the .69 caliber 3-ringers, we decided to give it, and the landowner,
a rest ! So, Wendell Evans and I moved our detecting area several miles
away, to a known Missouri State Guard Camp. A couple of hours detecting
produced only a few pistol bullets, and one or two .58 caliber 3-ringers, so
we decided to move a tiny bit further. Crossing a small stream, we were
soon again swinging our coils. Very shortly, a .36 Sharps Multi-Ring bullet
surfaced ! But, it appeared the nose had been gnawed on by varmits !?
"Dang Squirrels", I thought as we circled around the area. In just a few
minutes though, a perfect example surfaced, and then another, and another !
We sure Got Serious about small signals after that ! Between us, by
the end of the day, we had recovered: 8- of the tiny .36 Sharps Multi-
ringers, 2- of the "round nose" pattern Slant Breech .44s, and 1- of the
more standard looking .44 Sharps Slant Breech bullets ! Also recovered
was some knapsack brass, and a keeper for the M1832 Dragoon Officer's
Waist Belt Plate.
|
 |
| Sharps Slant-Breech Bullets recovered April 21st, 2009, by Wendell Evans & Stephen Burgess |
|
|
5-9-09 Continued- Ordinary diggers would have been chafing at the bit, to race
back to that little Sharps multi-ring camp, but a week later, Wendell and Jack
both had to work. So, I took Tom Bowen to the little hillside Yankee Camp, to
dig some nice .69 3-ringers. He was here from California, on his way to the Civil
War Show in Mansfield, Ohio. First though, we tried unsuccessfully to secure
permission on a ridge nearby. Failing in that, we were soon swinging on the old
hillside. We had cool, pleasant weather, and modest success ! Recoveries
included: 8- Nice dropped .69 3-ringers, a couple of buttons, a kepi buckle,
spoon bowl, and a few other items. Not immense quantity or rarity, but still
great fun diggin those .69s ! [PS. I washed the white looking one one the
right end, to see that it was carved above the top ring. Believe the one to the
left of it is carved the same way too.]
|
 |
| Relics Recovered April 26th, 2009, by Tom Bowen & Stephen Burgess |
|
|
5-9-09 Continued- Finally, after a two week absence, we were able to re-visit
the little Multi-Ring Sharps Camp, of the MSG ! Wendell Evans, Jack Ferguson,
and myself loaded up along with Relic Dogs, Bonnie & Clyde. Once at the site,
we could see that the grass was a bit taller, but not enough to put us out of
business yet. Moving right back to the Sharps Multi-Ring area, it soon became
evident Wendell and I had done a fair job of ferreting them out. After thirty
minutes or so, Jack, who missed the first hunt at this location, dug his first one.
Wendell recovered one, Jack dug another, and I finally dug one. After that,
pickings were slim, and we all began to move out of the immediate area. Jack,
wandered to the base of a small hill, while Wendell and I found a nearby slope,
that produced a few regular .52 caliber Sharps bullets. Shortly, Jack began to
wave for Wendell and I to come over to where he was. Once we both
crossed the distance and arrived, there was Jack's open excavation, and Jack
saying, " You won't believe it ! " Not more than 4-5 inches down, was the back
of what appeared to be a cast waist belt plate ! "What's on the front, " I asked
Jack. " Don't know," he said, " Flip it over and let's see. " I gingerly slipped my
button knife under the edge, and it turned over easily, revealing the eagle on a
Federal Sword-Belt Plate ! " Wow ," we all three exclaimed ! Silver wreath
was missing, and an examination of the reverse, showed the applied tongue
also gone. Several Federal Sword-Belt Plates manufactured in the early to
mid 1850s, had applied tongues, as opposed to the integral cast tongues
of the war-date manufactured examples. This pattern Jack just dug, is
exactly what you might expect in a Missouri State Guard Camp, as likely
" liberated " very early war, from a Federal Arsenal in a southern state !
The belt stay was also broken at the other end, but the plate has the most
beautiful green patina you could ask for ! Most of the plates we find out
here are a very dark green, but this one is colorful ! We hunted only a
short while after that, and our daylight ended.
Congrats to Jack Ferguson !
|
 |
| Sword Belt Plate Recovered by Jack Ferguson, and Bullets Recovered by Wendell Evans & Stephen Burgess, April 28th, 2009 |
|
|
| Bear With Me, Cause I'm long winded, and easily excited !! |
4-20-09 Well, the old country saying goes, "Even a blind hog finds an acorn
every now and then." That saying sure has proved true for myself and hunting
buddies lately ! If you've ever read many Civil War Officer's reports, you'll know
what I mean, when I say, Wednesday the 8th Instant, myself and new relic hunter,
Wendell Evans, went looking for some Yankee bullets. Hit four seperate potential
areas, finding no landowners home. Finally, late in the evening, and heading home,
I told Wendell, we would be passing a small little Artillery camp that USED to
produce a few items, but had been hunted by everyone and their dogs. New
Digger Wendell, said "Heck, at least we could get out of the truck, and swing
our detectors." So, we did, hunting the little spot for about an hour, and coming
up with nothing but a couple of tiny pieces of camp lead. Ready to head home,
I walked out a different way than I had ever gone, a couple hundred yards up a
steep slope thru the woods. Breaking out of the woods near the top of a hill,
got a good signal, more camp lead. We moved laterally a bit, and Whooeee,
I dug a big 3-ring .69 bullet. After digging it, I stood up and swung the coil,
and hit another. Bending down to ready the shovel, I SAW THE 3-RINGS at
the base of this bullet, exposed above the soil ! [No camera] Well, I leaned
back up and swung the coil a bit more, and heard two more within 5 feet ! Went
and got Wendell REAL fast, and we went to work on the little patch. When
the sun went down, we had dug a total of 18 bullets !
About a week later, on Tuesday the 14th Instant, Wendell and I
were back at the new site. Dug a bullet or two in the same small area, and
then they played out, and we started moving south along the edge of the hill,
until Luck intervened, and we hit another small area. Dug 22 bullets that day,
mostly 3-ring .69s, one .56 Colt RR bullet, one eagle I button, an 1853-0
seated half dollar, and several misc. other pieces ! I dug the half, & must
admit got more excited than I wanted when it popped out ! . .lol . .
Finally, on Sunday the 19th Instant, my regular buddy Jack, got
to escape work for a few hours, and he and I went back to the site very
late, after it rained most of the day. With just a couple hours, we hit the
last spot Wendell and I had done good in. Only managed a few bullets
this time, but Jack dug a gold-gilted pocket watch frame, and we each
recovered a few more bullets. About convinced now that this site may
be more extensive than we ever thought. THANKS to Wendell Evans,
for convincing me to check the Old hunted to death spot, or we would
never have found the new one !
SB [ Feeling more like a Digginfool ]
|
 |
| My "Hoggish" share of the first day Wendell and I discovered the new spot, April 8th, 2009 ! |
|
|
 |
| Combined finds of both Wendell and myself on the second visit April 14th, 2009. |
|
|
 |
| Eagle I button, 1853-0 Half Dollar, and WORN OUT 1827 Bust Dime ! |
|
|
 |
| Reverse of the 1853-0 Seated Half. Average condition and nothing special, but representing slightly more than a DAY'S PAY for the soldier who lost it ! |
|
|
 |
| Jack Ferguson diggin a good signal, April 19th, 2009, while "Relic Dogs" Bonnie & Clyde engage in combat in the background. |
|
|
 |
| Yankee Camp, April 19th, Relic Dog Clyde closes in for the kill, and Bonnie says, "Bring it on, big boy ! " . . lol . . |
|
|
 |
| The few relics Jack & I recovered very late in the day, [ after rain ended ] April 19th, 2009. Jack dug the nice gold-gilted pocket watch frame ! |
|
|
 |
| CLICK THE SIXTY-NINE GARDNER TO GO TO PAGE 11 OF JUST OUT OF THE GROUND |
|
|
|