Confederate finds with ATP

[Grunter]

I found these five bullets on the union side of a battlefield. All of them were 8" plus with the exception of the ball and it was 12" deep. The VDI's were all over the place but if I saw a 67-68 I had a bullet. I found alot of iron shards and wire that was 8-12" deep. Some were no more than a 1/4" section of small guage wire. Can anyone ID these bullets for me as to what model of rifle fired them? Do you think about just the lead or the dead when you dig a bullet fired in combat?

 

[mudpuppy]

Holy smokes! Deep lead! Nice work!
Mud

 

[LaRelic]

Nice finds. They are confederate gardener bullets. The small one looks more modern. Since they are all fired they were deffinately intended to kill. Each one was an attempt on another's life. Not everyone thinks about that when they find bullets.....HH

 

[senda]

Nice finds !! a rare specimen that broken bullet
senda

 

[William-NM]

Nice finds on the Gardner .58s. The Confederates were firing more Enfields, along with captured Springfields (the main Union rifle) and just about anything they could put their hands on, especially during the first two years of the war when small arms were in short supply.

 

[Grunter]

Thanks for the offerings fellows. I found a dropped Gardner on the Confederate side of the battlefield. This battle occured in the spring of 1864. The 150th commemoration of it will occur this spring.

 

[mudpuppy]

Speedbug...very humbling to think the object once may have passed through a human and ended their adventure on this Planet. Gives a guy the shivers looking at those old big bores.
Mud

 

[Grunter]

When I found a bullet ,I would turn towards the ridgeline where the rifle was fired from and could imagine the report,flash and smoke. I also thought I'm standing on the ground where this bullet made its impact. I always get a heightened sense of awareness and respect for the men on both sides of the battlefield. I had relatives on both sides in this particular battle so it really hits home.

 

[Grunter]

Just another tidbit on the dropped I found. It was found about halfway up a ridgeline were the Confederate forces set up a secondary skirmish line. I could imagine that this soldier was trying to load his rifle on the run. He was scared to death,sweating profusely and his hands were trembling. He either dropped the bullet trying to reload or he was dropped on the spot and never had a chance to reload. It could have resulted in one life being lost and one being saved. I like to think he just dropped it from his pouch and lived to fight another day as well as the other person it was intended for. My mind runs wild, my adrenaline pumps and I love it. I would rather find a piece of history rather than a coin, sometimes.

 

[Ytcoinshooter]

Very cool relics! My mind would wander the same way contemplating finds like that from a known battle site. Then again my mind just wanders....

 

[Robert2300]

DANG Grunter! Very discriptive. You should take up
novel writing. You seem to have some talent there. Short
stories are more difficult, believe it or not.
Great hunting.
Robt2300

 

[Mudd Dawg]

Very nice finds! Smashed up bullets can come in slightly higher or lower depending upon shape and size. I dug one that was smashed flat that rung up 80-82 and I have dug smaller partial pieces that rang up in the 40`s-50`s. Nothing like finding a piece of history.

 

[Grunter]

Thanks fellows,and Robert 2300 I appreciate your vote of confidence about my creative writing skills. Maybe when the hunting season slows I may try it. I found a Union cavalry spur on this battlefield. I posted a picture of it on the CW forum.