CampSite Artifacts  ·

2-21-17 Got a few more relics at the new site and have about figured it out to be a medium size picket post. Just can’t seem to make the productive portion of the site to be much larger than about 30 x 50 yards, and outside of that area there are very few signals except farm junk. However, the picket itself is a very good sign that the camp could be within a few hundred yards. Hope to move out and scan the most logical spots about that distance from this site soon. That said, the little picket post was still great fun ! SB

February 15th, 2017   I was out last Friday trying to locate a new camp, and near the end of the day I finally found some sign, recovering several of the big .69 caliber minies, a few pistol bullets and some other odds and ends. They were scattered in one area and I originally thought I may have discovered a picket post of the camp. However, after returning Monday, more .69s, a few .58s, and several more of the little “teardrop” pistol bullets surfaced along with a couple of buttons. Now, I am thinking I might be in part of the camp itself. Another visit will be made in a week or so and I should be able to make up my mind after that, whether it is a picket post, or part of the camp I'm looking for. SB

February, 2017 – Most of us locals got a late start digging this season due to the weather and/or projects, however we finally did some detecting. Tom Bowen and I hit a small spot he discovered just before Christmas. It was a fairly long drive and the day we went it was near freezing and windy. We dressed for the weather, but once we arrived at the site it began blowing a light rain on us, which soon turned to freezing rain. However, Tom dug several minies and a bowie blade on a previous visit, and 5 minutes out of the truck on this visit, I dug a .69 minie so we weren’t inclined to give up immediately. We managed to last about an hour and though I only recovered three .69 minies, one of them was a real keeper, being a Jenkins Ferry Musketoon bullet. Not long after that Doug Dorothy got out at a different site and among other things dug a brass US bit boss and a Masonic Emblem that may be part of a jewel. Recently, I found a brass butt plate to a civilian rifle in an old camp, while at another old camp, Doug recovered a nice bunch of relics, including an 1854 Seated Half Dollar and several buttons ! A few days ago I discovered an old house site that produced a few items including an iron stirrup, and I’m hoping some coins might pop out next time. Except for the Jenkins Ferry, the Masonic Emblem, & Doug’s Seated Half, nothing special here, but we are in hunt mode now and hope to have more to show before spring ! SLB