amazing, but musket ball site #4!!!

[Coilcop]

When I found the first site for musket balls,I found a site adjacent to it as well. Both sites about 10-15 sq yds. I found a site a few days ago about 250-300 yds. from the original two. I went out today, and decided to look about the same distance from this new site, as the other to see if there was another adjacent to it. There is! Both again are about 10-15 sq. yds and are set up the same way. It tells me if this was a training area during the Revolution, that they set men in a row across about 15 yds wide, and another row not behind them directly, but behind them about 10-15 yds away. If I drew a chalk line around these sites they would be similar in size, and space between them. Kind of took me back to what that looked like. Anyway, it was a short experimental dig today as it is mid 90s with unbearable humidity. I dug 11 musket balls from new site, which I deem site #4. Looks like I have a lot of digging to do. The interesting part of this site is the musket ball distribution and sizes are a bit different. I am finding some very large ones, but also finding an equal amount of very small ones (about the size of 2 peas). Wish I could turn back time, and see all this as it was happening, but in a way, I already can. Makes me wonder if these sites were used as training at the same moment in time, or years apart? Guess I won't have the answer to that, but the difference in the types, and amount of each type is quite different, I'd vote for separate units, at separate times, but don't really know, just a guess.

[pris]

Does anyone here know of a way for CoilCop to verify training in this area? Would they have kept records of such training way back when? Also, I was wondering if they ever did target practice with cannons? I am pretty ignorant about war stuff, but thought it was worth asking. Maybe CoilCop could find some cannonballs!!!

WTG, though, I can't believe you found another site. I think it's great that you're starting to be able to figure out what the area may have looked like back then. I bet you'll be able to find more, if you can map this stuff out. Have you thought about contacting a local museum or maybe a university to see if they would be interested in the area? Maybe they could figure out what the heck is goin' on there...

[julieburger]

Glad you are enjoying the history and finding those valuable little babies.

[bigbillinsc]

wish i could stumble across something like that.... YOU ARE THE MAN....


GOOD LUCK AND HAPPY HUNTING

[pris]

Originally Posted by boobieinPa

Pris has wonderful intentions but if it were me, I WOULD NOT

notify anyone in government or a museum.

The reason is
If the government would be notified and they deemed the site to be of
historical value

THEY CAN IF THEY DESIRE TO
stop you from hunting the site and confiscate everything you found there including anything they find in your possession or home that they feel might have been removed from that site.

This very same thing happened here in Beaver County a few years ago.

And from what you have found there so far, I would imagine there are articles that they would want for various government collections.

Chuck is knowledgeable in historical digs. I strongly suggest you get his opinion.

Good point, Boobie! I wouldn't want them to do such a thing to CoilCop, especially after all of his hard work and attention to the area. My intent was to get him help in trying to figure out the layout as it would have been way back then...

Do you think he would be able to get any kind of history about this site, or is it probably lost?

[pris]

How would one find out how to draw a map to scale? Do you have any recommended books that explain cartography? Great ideas, Chuck! My oh my, but that sounds like a project.

[exnavyguy]

Congrats again Coilcop! I would have to agree with everyone to hunt that ground till you think you have found everything and then hunt it some more. Keep it up!