Just wondering why

[2 Much Trash]

Seems like most folks , not that it's a bad thing or good thing, have more appreciation for a bullet they dig that has been dropped more so than one that's been fired. I would think the fired one tells more of a story.

 

[Grunter]

The fired ones are my favorite especially the 2 ringers I find on the Union side of a battlefield. I don't like the 3 ringers that have been fired that I find on the Confederate side. I think the fired bullets have more character and weave a more of a story of the reality of war than a dropped bullet. The drops could have been by accident,could have been dropped while trying to load in the heat of battle or when found in small clusters a soldier was hit and spilled their cartridge pouch. My relatives fought for the CSA for the most part so I'm a little partial.

 

[brianc577]

Dropped bullets tell you a soldier was standing right there, that is awesome!! Shot bullets are great but don't exactly zero in where the soldiers stood

 

[Grunter]

Maybe so but do they possibly have traces of DNA of a real person imprinted in the bullet? I wonder if you could find a bunch of drops at a field hospital? That dropped bullet is a dud,it didn't get to do what it was designed for,didn't add to the battle at all.

 

[HanoverDigger]

I don't believe all dropped bullets are duds. I have found many drops in the same hole. My brother found 9 in the sidewall of a confederate trench. He also pulled over a dozen at a hospital spot out the same hole. Hard to believe that many bullets were duds . Just my 2 cents.

 

[2 Much Trash]

Dropped or shot digging either gets me pumped. If they'd shot as many bullets as they dropped the war might not have lasted as long. LOLg

 

[HanoverDigger]

Dropped or shot digging either gets me pumped. If they'd shot as many bullets as they dropped the war might not have lasted as long. LOLg

I'm with ya on that!!

 

[jimmyk]

You have to remember these were paper cartridges for the most part and were useless when wet. Living in tents and being outdoors for the most part left them at the mercy of rain and wet conditions. "Drops" were in actuality probably mostly discarded bullets. I love digging any bullet. The realization that the last person to touch it was a Civil War soldier gives me a rush. That's why I love relic hunting. I get to touch history....literally.

keep on diggin'

jimmyk in Missouri

 

[2 Much Trash]

You have to remember these were paper cartridges for the most part and were useless when wet. Living in tents and being outdoors for the most part left them at the mercy of rain and wet conditions. "Drops" were in actuality probably mostly discarded bullets. I love digging any bullet. The realization that the last person to touch it was a Civil War soldier gives me a rush. That's why I love relic hunting. I get to touch history....literally.

keep on diggin'

jimmyk in Missouri

There ya go Jimmy

 

[Grunter]

Don't get me wrong they all have a compelling story behind them. I Love to dig all bullets and other pieces of metal from a CW site. I would rather dig bullets than worthless coins any day of the week. None of my bullets will ever be sold while I'm alive. Alot of times I'll pull a bullet out of my finds and tell a possible situation about it to my grand children. Unlike those bullets found in a museum my grandchildrem will get to touch them,hear unique stories about the reality of war and history. And I'm not going to charge them admission and the ones I've found have been in the same place for 150 yrs. It would have been another generation passed before these bullets were found by an Archie if ever. I really dig History but not the sterile kind found in a museum. Many of my relatives fought in the battle where most of my finds have been. I can't begin to express the feeling that overwhelms me when I think this one may have been dropped,fired by my G,G grandfather or Uncles. And having tasted,smelled,touched and seen war first hand it only makes the moment more bitter-sweet.

 

[2 Much Trash]

Thanks guys for y'all's response to my post. It's nice to know we who share this forum are on the same page and of like minds as far as the meaning of these Civil War relics we all search for and recover. Ya know, finding a buckle, breast plate , or a nice button is a thrill only us civil war relic hunters can truly understand. But when that feeling has subsided I can hold that buckle, etc. in one hand and a bullet, camp lead, etc. in the other and both have the same meaning and value.

 

[Digger70pa]

Civil war history is fascinating. I think that's why we do it. HH

 

[hershey1]

A lot of times there were guys running up and down the lines making sure everyone had bullets. Sometimes you can establish where these lines were and make more excellent finds. I like most like finding any bullet because the last person that touched it was a soldier. HH

 

[Cajuncoinhunter]

I liked dropped bullets because for the most part, they "display" better. They stand at attention as most fired bullets cannot be stood on the cone end.

 

[david bull]

I've been working a small Union camp and amongst the many .54" drops/pulls are a dozen or so Confederate fired bullets of several varieties.It really tells the story of what may have occurred at this site.

 

[CampCache]

To me they are all special and they each have their own story. Just imagine marching 12 miles barefooted in the blowing snow through water that is waist deep all while crossing several creeks along the way. Then camping on small mounds of dirt in the middle of a swamp because that is the only high ground in the area without having to march another 6 miles in the dark. Or imagine a 30 mile forced march in 100+ degree heat with 6 inch deep dust and absolutely nothing to drink except for scummy mud. Going into camp and resupplying getting ready for a fight the next morning and still haven't had anything to drink other than the scummy mud. Knowing the hardships most of the troops faced I can't for the life of me figure how each and every single item is not important.