Relic Hunting with Capt. Bushrod

While on a break from filming the motion picture "Gods and Generals", I took a short drive from Hagerstown, MD to Antietam Battlefield.  I had not visited the battlefield for quite some time; it has always been one of my favorite places to visit.  I had brought my metal detector with me when I reported for duty with the Core Company of reenactors for the film; knowing that I'd be in some prime "buggin'" territory for an extended period of time, I figured perhaps the opportunity would present itself for me to put the machine on the ground sometime during the production period.

       Upon arriving at Antietam (Sharpsburg....sorry..my Southern roots are showing), I took a drive around the area, hoping to entice some landowner to let me try my luck on his/her property...as I figured, all I spoke with were adamant about not allowing relic hunting on their property.  Having been a relic hunter for over 30 years, I can attest to the fact that certain unscrupulous individuals who sneak onto private land without permission, dig on Federal property and leave their holes, etc, have made things tough for honest folks like yours truly.

       Before I gave up, though, I tried my hand at contacting the owner of the last prime piece of private real estate left on the battlefield proper..the triangular field located between the Smoketown Road and Cornfield Avenue, along the southern edge of the infamous Miller Cornfield...the scene of the most intense fighting at Antietam....the battle lines had raged back and forth across this ground for over three hours during the opening phase of the battle.

       Finding the folks not at home, I took a chance and left my name and phone number at the motel for them to contact me; I then headed back to Hagerstown, admittedly not very optimistic about receiving a return call....  after all, that little piece of land was so prominent, surely it had been "currycombed" by countless relic hunters over the many years.  Little did I know how wrong I could be!

       The very next morning, I received a call at my motel room from the landowner, a very gracious Southern lady who, obviously impressed by my courtesy of asking permission to hunt on her property, not only granted my request, but said I could at any time during my stay in the area!  I was on the road in ten minutes....eager to get as much time "on the ground"as possible before sundown on a beautiful autumn day.

       I started my search on the extreme eastern edge of the field, near the East Woods where Gen. Joseph Mansfield was fatally wounded as he led his XII Corps into battle.  Sweeping in broad, low strokes,I used a tight search pattern back and forth...didn't want to miss anything. No more than three minutes into my search, the detector sang out loud and clear...a turn of the earth and a dropped .58 caliber 3-ringer saw the light of day after 139 years.  Not bad, I thought...maybe there's some stuff left in this field after all!

       Working my way slowly westward towards the Hagerstown Pike, it took me over eight hours to cover the field sufficiently to assess what lay beneath the surface.  I was frankly astounded at the fact that so many artifacts still rested where they had lain since the battle (see photo).  Over 100 minie's, from .58  to .69 caliber, 3-ringers, Gardners, round balls and even canister...a bayonet scabbard tip, pocketknife, belt adjuster, "one thin dime". and some very pretty eagle buttons...one cuff size with the gilt still shining.  My last finds were the Gardners...as I walked toward the Pike one last time, I noticed a little swale about 20 yards from the edge of the Cornfield...not much of a depression, but enough for an attacking Southerner to "go to ground" one last time before assaulting the cornfield.  I figured perhaps a couple of rounds dropped from his cartridge box as he rolled over...as soon as I put the machine on the ground, it howled in my ears...lo and behold, within two feet of each other lay a couple of dropped Gardners...as southern as you can get...and not 50 feet behind the Texas monument...what a way to end the day!

       Shouldering my machine, I sauntered towards the setting sun with complete satisfaction in my efforts...I had expected to find perhaps 2-3rounds; instead I found a basically "unhit" spot, right smack in the middle of the battlefield!  Perhaps others have searched it with their machines; if so, they missed a lot...for me, even if I never get a chance to return, I'll always have my finds in a prominent location in my Relic Room!

       P.S.  As it turned out, I was luckier than I thought...when her husband returned from his trip, he announced clearly that NO ONE would ever be allowed to relic hunt that field again....he wanted it and whatever lay below ground to be left as is.

 

 

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