In the Union Lines

“At last the orders came to turn the right flank of the enemy. We passed down into the hollow, filed off still farther to the left, and passed over another elevation, when we came to the railroad, just below the brickyard. Then, with General Parke at our head, we pushed on, passed in rear of the breastworks of the enemy, and as we came upon the high open ground behind it we came under a raking fire from the rifle pits across the railroad and the brick-yard, where the enemy lay in large force.”
JOHN WRIGHT,Major, Comdg. First Bat. Fifth Regt. Rhode Island Vols.

“Where do you want to go man? The Fairgrounds?” N.Y. Rob asks as we look for some 9v batteries in his garage. “Naw, I mean that place has been hit so hard and the only thing we’re going to find is trash and pennies. Lets try behind the woods behind the Toyota dealer. The Union marched right down the railroad tracks there.” I say, and off we go.

"The first one of the day!"

Me and N.Y. Rob are getting spooled up quick on the CW battle of New Bern, and due to gaps in our relic hunting schedule which is usually filled with fossil, bottle, and Indian relic hunting days I’m rekindling my Civil War passion and he’s just starting his.

“We pushed on at the double-quick until we came under cover of the trees, where we formed in line of battle and prepared to charge on the enemy in the battery. As they had retired, I was ordered first to send one company and afterward the whole battalion, and to proceed cautiously and find out what the firing was on our left. I sent the adjutant ahead to find out the direction we should take. As it was pointed out by the general's aide, Lieutenant Lydig, we passed down into a hollow and ascended the left-hand side cautiously until we reached the brow of the elevation, when we came in view of the enemy and immediately opened upon them a brisk fire, which immediately had an effect, for their fire slackened and stopped when we ceased firing.

We opened upon them two or three times afterward until we were afraid of firing upon the Fourth Rhode Island, who were advancing upon them on our right. When the Fourth charged upon them we ceased firing and awaited orders.”
JOHN WRIGHT,Major, Comdg. First Bat. Fifth Regt. Rhode Island Vols.

"Relics right off the front line of battle!"

N.Y. Rob is just about jogging thru the woods swinging his detector way too fast and high, he’ll learn I think to myself. This little patch of woods between Hwy 70 and the tracks has been hit by hundreds of enthusiasts over the decades, and the woods are clean as a whistle. No relics and like a good detectorist no trash either. I have the right tool for this deal the mighty Excalibur, and I’m moving slow and steady.

After a while I’m kind of resigned to not finding anything but enjoying my after work fun with Rob and eyeballing some of the remaining CW entrenchments still in the woods when “BANG” the Excalibur sounds off with a deep target. As I dig I don’t expect to see what is in my hand when the dirt is moved around. A nice expended .58 3ringer. Man! What a thrill to find a actual front line bullet shot by some Reb at one of N.Y. Rob’s relatives.

Rob comes over and I stay a few yards off the railroad grade and soon am rewarded with more fired rounds. The Excalibur penetrates thru rotting wood and any deep and missed rounds are mine to keep. It really was quite a nice way to close out a day, and reinforces the metal detecting mantra “No place is ever hunted out.

Searching the Neuse

Searching the NEUSE

The other day me and N.Y Rob finally got our schedules insync! We both had high hopes to find a few Yankee or Rebel war relics around Rob's neighborhood as he lives right behind the front lines for the Battle of NewBern N.C.

N.Y. Rob way out in the river looking for something good.

Since we just started daylight savings time here in the east, so me and Rob had a few hours of daylight to poke around the area after work. We first hit the back acre of his house for a few minutes with nothing to show, then decided to hit the beach along the Neuse River. The beach starts at the end of his lane and once long ago during the war had fortifications with a 4 Gun shore battery.

Just downriver from this spot are the front lines of the battle anchored by Fort Thompson which today sports a subdivision on its high ground. Hopes were high as N.Y Rob's father in law talks of his childhood days when the locals would roll cannonballs home from the river during low tide, and as luck would have it today was a unusually low evening tide.

Also, N.Y.Rob has found a few CW pipebowls, and lead poker chips among other period pieces right on the shore.

BBS technology really works in the water!

My Excalibur worked excellent on the Neuse and penetrated deep into the muck, finding stuff a foot and a half down. The matrix was a few inches of muck, 6 inches of sand, then clay. I'd love to tell you I found some relics, but only a fired bullet was found and that was on the shore in the river bank.

However, I think with a little luck and perseverance a arty shot will be pulled someday. I'll keep you posted!