A Hurricane Exposed Relic

[Tom Hughes]

41 years ago this month, on Sept. 12, 1979, Hurricane Frederic ravaged the Mobile, AL area.
A few weeks after the storm had passed and the roads were cleared, I was introduced to civil war relic hunting by metal detecting in Spanish Fort, AL. The hurricane had blown down large trees and relics were exposed in the root systems.

This massive chunk of lead is part of the sabot to a 6.4'' Britten shell that I dug under a blown down tree.

Notice the solid lead base.

We found numerous mortal ball fragments, a few field shell fragments and some minie balls. I had no idea this sabot even went to a 6.4'' Britten shell until a couple of years ago.
Even though the site is now covered up in residential housing, I'll never forget the hunt that started my obsession with studying the civil war and the artifacts associated with it.

 

[lupaglupa]

One of my cousins was an avid arrowhead hunter. He loved to go out after a big storm - he said he found the best things then when the earth was disturbed.

 

[Tom Hughes]

One of my cousins was an avid arrowhead hunter. He loved to go out after a big storm - he said he found the best things then when the earth was disturbed.

I love looking for arrowheads as well. You're right, a hard rain will expose them in loose earth.

 

[lupaglupa]

I love looking for arrowheads as well. You're right, a hard rain will expose them in loose earth.

He used to heads for creek beds. The rushing waters after a big storm would cut into the sides and expose lots of things. He had an amazing collection of arrowheads.

 

[Pete Longstreet]

Cool back story. Thanks for sharing.

 

[mofederal]

I have found a lot of interesting things in crop fields, and around small streams. In archaeology field school we had to walk a lot of fields looking arrowheads, flakes, beads, and pottery fragments. After awhile you develop an eye for such things. I have found Civil War relics the same way. It looks like you found some great things hunting.

 

[RobertP]

41 years ago this month, on Sept. 12, 1979, Hurricane Frederic ravaged the Mobile, AL area.
A few weeks after the storm had passed and the roads were cleared, I was introduced to civil war relic hunting by metal detecting in Spanish Fort, AL. The hurricane had blown down large trees and relics were exposed in the root systems.

View attachment 373131
This massive chunk of lead is part of the sabot to a 6.4'' Britten shell that I dug under a blown down tree.

View attachment 373132
Notice the solid lead base.

We found numerous mortal ball fragments, a few field shell fragments and some minie balls. I had no idea this sabot even went to a 6.4'' Britten shell until a couple of years ago.
Even though the site is now covered up in residential housing, I'll never forget the hunt that started my obsession with studying the civil war and the artifacts associated with it.

I remember that storm. We had just moved to Lafayette, La., and Frederic was looking like it was surely headed that way. But it swung left and battered Mobile with 150 mph winds IIRC.

 

[nc native]

One of my cousins was an avid arrowhead hunter. He loved to go out after a big storm - he said he found the best things then when the earth was disturbed.

Your are right about disturbed earth being the best for finding arrowheads, hide scrapers and other Native American artifacts. When I was a kid, I used to love to walk in the fields of our family farm after they were first plowed in the Spring or after a heavy thunder storm and see what I could find. I still have that shoebox full of arrowheads, stone knifes and hide scrapers I found at my house to this day.

 

[farrargirl]

41 years ago this month, on Sept. 12, 1979, Hurricane Frederic ravaged the Mobile, AL area.
A few weeks after the storm had passed and the roads were cleared, I was introduced to civil war relic hunting by metal detecting in Spanish Fort, AL. The hurricane had blown down large trees and relics were exposed in the root systems.

View attachment 373131
This massive chunk of lead is part of the sabot to a 6.4'' Britten shell that I dug under a blown down tree.

View attachment 373132
Notice the solid lead base.

We found numerous mortal ball fragments, a few field shell fragments and some minie balls. I had no idea this sabot even went to a 6.4'' Britten shell until a couple of years ago.
Even though the site is now covered up in residential housing, I'll never forget the hunt that started my obsession with studying the civil war and the artifacts associated with it.

Wow...I definitely remember it. I lived through it in Spanish Fort Estates! We had no power, no water ( no internet yet ) for weeks. You would, no doubt, have found a few jewels, just in the downed trees in my yard. Especially the big live oak that crashed through my daughters bedroom :+))...

 

[Tom Hughes]

Wow...I definitely remember it. I lived through it in Spanish Fort Estates! We had no power, no water ( no internet yet ) for weeks. You would, no doubt, have found a few jewels, just in the downed trees in my yard. Especially the big live oak that crashed through my daughters bedroom :+))...

There were relics all in those woods where they were building houses and subdivisions. One street we went down and found lots of stuff on was called "Yankee Trove". I can't believe I still remember that street name.

 

[Story]

I had to go look that one up - so most likely fired by some variant of a Confederate 32 pounder?

Ridgeway Civil War Research Center, A virtual examination of artifacts of the American Civil War

Not sure what was among the Confederate land batteries at Fort Blakeley, but the CSS Huntsville had a 6.4" and some 32s.

CSS Huntsville - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Tom Hughes]

I had to go look that one up - so most likely fired by some variant of a Confederate 32 pounder?

Ridgeway Civil War Research Center, A virtual examination of artifacts of the American Civil War

Not sure what was among the Confederate land batteries at Fort Blakeley, but the CSS Huntsville had a 6.4" and some 32s.

CSS Huntsville - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Yes, fired from a 32 pounder. It would be pretty cool if this sabot came from a Britten shell fired from the CSS Huntsville.

 

[Story]

Yes, fired from a 32 pounder. It would be pretty cool if this sabot came from a Britten shell fired from the CSS Huntsville.

Somewhere out there is a cannon forensicist who could tell you if that was fired from the Huntsville's 6.4" *.

Looking at the rifling marks on your chunk, seems to go with the Huntsville having only one 6.4" rifled gun and the rest of the 32s were smoothbore.

CSS Huntsville - Encyclopedia of Alabama

The CSS Huntsville was a Confederate ironclad named for the city of Huntsville, Madison County. It served as a floating battery in Mobile Bay beginning in August 1863 and defended Mobile, Mobile County, and provided gunnery support to Confederate forces during federal attacks on Fort Blakeley...

www.encyclopediaofalabama.org

 

[Tom Hughes]

Somewhere out there is a cannon forensicist who could tell you if that was fired from the Huntsville's 6.4" *.

Looking at the rifling marks on your chunk, seems to go with the Huntsville having only one 6.4" rifled gun and the rest of the 32s were smoothbore.

CSS Huntsville - Encyclopedia of Alabama

The CSS Huntsville was a Confederate ironclad named for the city of Huntsville, Madison County. It served as a floating battery in Mobile Bay beginning in August 1863 and defended Mobile, Mobile County, and provided gunnery support to Confederate forces during federal attacks on Fort Blakeley...

www.encyclopediaofalabama.org

Very interesting. Thanks!

 

[CowCavalry]

Hurricane Andrew felled trees in hammocks in the everglades and Big Cypress National Preserve in FL and you could find shards of Indian pottery and arrowheads in almost any root ball you looked at. Hammocks are the higher ground "islands" that for the most part, stay dry out there.

 

[UCVRelics]

Nice find. I grew up digging Spanish Fort and Blakley in 1972. My Great uncle was the head caretaker of all the International Paper company land there at Blakley and he would load me up and take me to the old town and turn me loose for the day. Hwy 225 did not even have a bridge across where Mr. Buzby had his fish camp. We had to go into Blakley by boat. Mr. Buzby was a big time relic hunter and had massive amounts of art shells. His fish camp is where the union army built a pontoon bridge across.

 

[Tom Hughes]

One of my cousins was an avid arrowhead hunter. He loved to go out after a big storm - he said he found the best things then when the earth was disturbed.

One more thing I forgot. At the time, I was an arrowhead hunter exclusively. I had never even heard of people using metal detectors to hunt civil war relics. My friend said that if I would go with him to Spanish Fort, he would put me on an area where he was finding lots of indian pottery. That's what inspired me to go in the first place. When I got down there I got hooked on civil war relic hunting. And guess what? I didn't find any pottery!!

 

[farrargirl]

Nice find. I grew up digging Spanish Fort and Blakley in 1972. My Great uncle was the head caretaker of all the International Paper company land there at Blakley and he would load me up and take me to the old town and turn me loose for the day. Hwy 225 did not even have a bridge across where Mr. Buzby had his fish camp. We had to go into Blakley by boat. Mr. Buzby was a big time relic hunter and had massive amounts of art shells. His fish camp is where the union army built a pontoon bridge across.

Wow. You were sooo lucky! The history on the Buzby bridge is intriguing! I moved back to the area in 1977. We lived on General Robert E. Lee Circle ( Ha! ), which backed up to the intersection of Hyway 31 and 225. All woods in my back yard through to 225. By the time I had reasons to use 225 on business in Montgomery, the bridge was there. Now I will study the Battle of Spanish Fort in greater detail. Always knew about the presence of Civil War artifacts, but with a 18-month-old and a nine month old, during Frederic, I had my hands full :+)))...

later.....
I have studied a little on the location of Fort McDermott.......Oh, no...
My 2nd house was on top of it!! Here's what I found. I lived at 118 Spanish Main. My best friend lived behind me on Confederate Drive....

She and I would see folks all the time going between our houses.
Not having fully realized any events in the Civil War, at that age, I could kick myself. Became a student upon retirement, as I began the world of genealogy.

 

[farrargirl]

There were relics all in those woods where they were building houses and subdivisions. One street we went down and found lots of stuff on was called "Yankee Trove". I can't believe I still remember that street name.

Hey Tom,
Here is what is/was around Yankee Trove. No wonder! More like Treasure Trove :+)))

 

[UCVRelics]

She and I would see folks all the time going between our houses

My uncle and I were probable some of them as the area your house was in was heavily shelled by the union gunboats trying to get up to the river to Blakley. Buzby found many shells and we would always stop by and see him.