Grandson Chris and I went metal detecting yesterday. It was one of those days made for such an activity. It was clear, calm, and sunny with the temperature in the 50's. Chris lives on about 9 acres, mostly woods. The adjoining land is also wooded and there are no fences, so we had a couple of hundred acres to roam around looking for Civil War relics. A local historian has told us that there was a civil war encampment with about 10,000 soldiers in the next valley less than a mile away. Chris has already found two miniballs (bullets) almost in the shadow of his house.

So away we went went with a metal detector, shovel and other tools. The first thing we saw was a deer, a buck, that was soon out of sight in a thicket. The first hit we got with the detector was a fence staple in a place where no fence was visible. But we took that to mean that one had been there a long time ago. Sure enough, we found some badly rusted fence wire a little later.

On another hit, Chris speculated that we had found another staple. He was right. They tell me experience will soon enable you to do that, but I'm not sure I understand how. A beep is just a beep to me.

Other finds included a square nail of the type used about 1900, a survey marker, some bottles. and the remains of an old wash tub. The bottles were found along with some cans and other metal objects where somebody dumped their trash a long time ago.

We found an old road bed winding through the forest. It was covered with leaves and small trees which indicates that it had not been used in a long time.

We never found any Civil War stuff, but a great time was had, and we plan to do it again soon. I just know there is a CSA belt buckle waiting out there somewhere.
Howard