Tom Hughes
Sergeant Major
- Joined
- May 27, 2019
- Location
- Mississippi
I dug this lead item in a civil war camp in Clinton, MS.....It distinctly has the reverse number 12 on the surface of the piece. I'm thinking it is some type of seal stamp...but who knows? Maybe somebody on this forum can confirm or has seen something similar.
You certainly find all types of "unusual" items in camp sites.
Here it is in my hand. It almost has that "field-made" look to it.
Here's a photo of the bottom.
I did some research and did discover that the 12th Mississippi regiment was composed of several central and south Mississippi counties including Hinds county where the Raymond Fencibles were recruited from. Raymond is only 7 miles from where I found this piece. Could this number 12 be a regimental designation?? Just a speculation, of course. I guess I'll never know for certain.
I've never seen anything quite like it. But it's unusual because most seal stamps were made of brass or pewter, not lead...but this was clearly made to stamp a number "12" into a soft material.
Thanks for letting me share my unusual item from a civil war Mississippi camp with you all.