Civil War Rosette?

skb8721

Corporal
Joined
Sep 10, 2014
Location
New Iberia, Louisiana, on Bayou Teche
Today I was metal-detecting near the site of a Confederate encampment that existed from late 1862-early 1863. In fact, what I was trying to do was to find the camp site.

The encampment, according to letters and diaries, was somewhere on a roughly 2,000-acre section of land . . . but where, I have had to guess based on the topography: where would be a good place to situate a camp?

Today I found the below artifact -- I don't know if it means I'm getting close. I don't even know if it's Civil War-related. What do you think? (Sorry it's a little blurry.) This "rosette" is about the size of a nickel and appears to be made of lead; it has the same oxidized patina as a minie ball or bullet.

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Today I was metal-detecting near the site of a Confederate encampment that existed from late 1862-early 1863. In fact, what I was trying to do was to find the camp site.

The encampment, according to letters and diaries, was somewhere on a roughly 2,000-acre section of land . . . but where, I have had to guess based on the topography: where would be a good place to situate a camp?

Today I found the below artifact -- I don't know if it means I'm getting close. I don't even know if it's Civil War-related. What do you think? (Sorry it's a little blurry.) This "rosette" is about the size of a nickel and appears to be made of lead; it has the same oxidized patina as a minie ball or bullet.

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It does not look like a button to me, but I'm no button expert either. I would think it is too small to be a rosette. It looks to me like it is possibly a lead seal of sorts. In my part of the world we call them cotton bale seals as that was the major industry back then and were very common.

It does look old enough to be from the era of the ACW and the star should give anyone pause. But I'm gonna bet it's a lead seal. Others will come along who know more. Thanks for sharing and good luck!
http://www.colchestertreasurehunting.co.uk/baleseals.htm
 
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Well, the place on which I've been searching did produce some cotton in the 1860s, although it was primarily a sugar plantation. (I am in south Louisiana.) So perhaps it is a lead seal for a bale of cotton. I will keep searching the area in question and hope that more turns up. Thanks!
 
Well, the place on which I've been searching did produce some cotton in the 1860s, although it was primarily a sugar plantation. (I am in south Louisiana.) So perhaps it is a lead seal for a bale of cotton. I will keep searching the area in question and hope that more turns up. Thanks!
Keep hunting and don't give up! It is smart of you to check topography. Also try to find old maps to locate roads. Sometimes the roads today were there in 1860s but often times not, particularly long forgotten farm or plantation roads which were utilized by troops. Same goes for old home sites. If you haven't already, there is a helpful web site called historicaerials.com that is helpful in finding such places. Keep us posted!
 
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