DIV Day 6: Union Cavalry Buckle!!!

At the end of yesterday’s post, I commented that I was happy with lead but I really wanted to find some brass today.  Well, I accomplished that in a BIG way!  The day started off well with a few bullets, two grommets, and an eagle coat button.  I struggled to pull a few more bullets out of the big field where I found them yesterday, but then decided to move on to the large Union cavalry camp that I had heard about last night.  There were detectors everywhere, and a few pits open on the hillside.  With the amount of bullets being found in that camp, I knew there had to be a plate in there somewhere, so I headed up the hill and started swinging.

I wasn’t in the camp very long before I got a shallow bullet signal.  I dug down, but the target was still in the hole.  When I saw a line of green brass showing at about 6 inches I started to get excited.  Clearing away a bit more dirt revealed the loop on the side of a belt buckle, and I knew I was in business!

Pulling it out from the clay, I confirmed my suspicion when I saw the Federal eagle of a saber belt plate.  This type of buckle was used on a Union cavalryman’s sword belt.  Around the eagle, a silver laurel wreath would have been soldered on, but is missing on my particular buckle.

Once again I have to thank God for helping me to make such a historic discovery.  Also, I’d like to offer a huge thank you to John, Rose, and the entire DIV committee for their hard work which made this hunt possible.  I’m so excited to have found such an amazing piece of this nation’s history!!