Chickasaw Bayou Relics

huskerblitz

Major
Joined
Jun 8, 2013
Location
Nebraska
Chickasaw Relics.jpg

I recently purchased these online and figured I would share. They are from the Chickasaw Bayou battlefield, which is something that I didn't have and wanted for my small, but meaningful collection. The ball is listed as a Confederate Tower Bullet found on the far west of the battlefield. The location of the tent rope tightener was not specifically known.
 
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That is awesome, Huskerblitz!! By any chance, was your ancestor killed at or near the far west end of the field?
No, Alan, unfortunately he was killed near Mrs. Lake's Plantation House more in the center of the Confederate defense line near the corduroy road. So quite a ways away from there. The Union tent tightener he wasn't sure where it was dug.

Nice CS Tower. It looks like a 69 cal which is a rare bird.
Thanks. I know really nothing about it. He has another he is selling currently. I will say it is heavy, took me by surprise at the weight compared to other bullets I have.
 
I recently purchased these online and figured I would share. They are from the Chickasaw Bayou battlefield, which is something that I didn't have and wanted for my small, but meaningful collection. The ball is listed as a Confederate Tower Bullet found on the far west of the battlefield. The location of the tent rope tightener was not specifically known.

View attachment 168391
Unfortunately the tent rope tensioners have sparked quite a debate in Civil War Collecting circles and the general opinion is that they are post war. ACW period tensioners were wooden and it wasn't until the 1880s that the red brass tensioners were specified by the War department, in fact the first patent wasn't until 1880, by Henry B Thompson. The reason so many of these are found in ACW sites were the many reunions and ceremonies at each battlefield. Keep in mind that the reunions and various ceremonies went on for at least a half century and many more tents were emplaced on these fields than during the brief period of the war. Also, what made a good camp ground in the 1860s would make it the same for the next 50-75 years.

No pictures that I am aware of, show anything but wooden tensioners.
 
Unfortunately the tent rope tensioners have sparked quite a debate in Civil War Collecting circles and the general opinion is that they are post war. ACW period tensioners were wooden and it wasn't until the 1880s that the red brass tensioners were specified by the War department, in fact the first patent wasn't until 1880, by Henry B Thompson. The reason so many of these are found in ACW sites were the many reunions and ceremonies at each battlefield. Keep in mind that the reunions and various ceremonies went on for at least a half century and many more tents were emplaced on these fields than during the brief period of the war. Also, what made a good camp ground in the 1860s would make it the same for the next 50-75 years.

No pictures that I am aware of, show anything but wooden tensioners.
Wow, I had not heard that, so I’m glad you at least passed along to us the latest debate on it. I have one I found in a Union camp many years ago and assumed it from the war. It’s good to keep abreast of any late developments.

Could you pass along where your information comes from specifically so that I can catch up on the issue?

Thanks.
 
Unfortunately the tent rope tensioners have sparked quite a debate in Civil War Collecting circles and the general opinion is that they are post war. ACW period tensioners were wooden and it wasn't until the 1880s that the red brass tensioners were specified by the War department, in fact the first patent wasn't until 1880, by Henry B Thompson. The reason so many of these are found in ACW sites were the many reunions and ceremonies at each battlefield. Keep in mind that the reunions and various ceremonies went on for at least a half century and many more tents were emplaced on these fields than during the brief period of the war. Also, what made a good camp ground in the 1860s would make it the same for the next 50-75 years.

No pictures that I am aware of, show anything but wooden tensioners.
I was wondering about that actually. I searched for them and found several sites with ones like I now have that also declare them from the Civil War but I have also seen wooden ones like you mention. Disappointing but understandable.

But I will also mention I kind of knew this going in that the tent rope tightener wasn't going to be near where my relative fell. Of the nights they were engaged soldiers of nearly all regiments near the 22nd Kentucky indicated they slept on their arms without tents and without cook fires that would give the Confederates an aiming point. But the tensioner was cheap so I figured I would not be out much if I got it.
 
In any case, I do have the Confederate Tower Bullet and the guy told me exactly where he dug it. So at least I do have at least one item from the site from the time the battle happened. At least I hope so....
You’ll never know with certainty. However, the caliber (.69) certainly fits in with what the majority of Confederate troops carried during that battle. The Enfield (.57) really didn’t come in use for Rebel troops involved with the campaign until spring of 1863 - and even, then, only some units. So a .69 caliber Towers certainly fits that profile.
 
@huskerblitz what you need to do is get a detector and go dig your on relics. @Package4 is spot on Ive been digging relics for 45 years a whole lot of camps and many battlefields and I have NEVER dug one.
 
This issue is controversial. Some people love to hunt for relics while others believe it harms battlefields.
 
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