Any Civil War Diving Buffs?

[porgyhunter]

No real battles to speak of up north here,so I was wondering if anybody south of Gettysburb has ever recovered any Civil War relics from river, lakes or Ocean? Some research in the logging industry in N.H. has produced some real interesting finds.

 

[Skarn]

I'm curious as to this question as well! I live in MD and would love to look for Civil War, war of 1812, etc but no one seeems to do that!

Skarn

 

[mike_s]

Check your local/state laws on recovering Civil War relics from rivers.

Our state has (had) laws on this and actually charged some divers with violating these acts and they ended up having to go to court over it.

Just know/learn our local laws first before doing such.

 

[Skarn]

Check your local/state laws on recovering Civil War relics from rivers.

Our state has (had) laws on this and actually charged some divers with violating these acts and they ended up having to go to court over it.

Just know/learn our local laws first before doing such.

Good point! thanks

 

[scotthowes]

Found these in up state n.y the sash buckle is from british light infintry war 1812.the ball probbaly a musket seems to be harder than lead and very heavy

 

[porgyhunter]

Hey nice finds...I wonder if N.Y. has any laws against relic hunting? I wonder were states draw the line on artifacts? Why would old bottles be OK and say a cannon ball be illegal?

 

[Lee Taylor]

We have some Civil War shipwrecks offshore North Myrtle Beach. Coastal Scuba in North Myrtle will take you to them. The trigger guard, the rifle butt plate, and the medicine bottle in the photo are all off of the Civil War wrecks offshore North Myrtle Beach SC. I have seen lots of bullets, and a few cases of rifles come up. On very rare occasion a US or CSA brass belt buckle will be found.

The rifle butt plate is part of an 1886 Henry Winchester.

 

[driftwood]

Not diving but,

One guy I know used to work at a preserved fort. After hours he would walk the moat poking with a metal rod. When he hit something solid, he would dig. Ended up with an impressive collection of bottles.

In Texas relic collecting is covered by the Antiquities Code. Basically, if it is one private land, free to collect. On public lands or right or ways (rivers, public streams, bays or estuaries), if it was made before 1899, its protected.

 

[Sean222]

Hey nice finds...I wonder if N.Y. has any laws against relic hunting?

They sure do. Do a search on NY antiquities laws.

I wonder were states draw the line on artifacts?

Commonly they draw the line on anything abandoned for over 50 or 100 years

Why would old bottles be OK and say a cannon ball be illegal?

Most states don't make a distinction. Some states are more progressive like SC
There you can get a hobby license and collect items. Massachusetts has an exemption for isolated fiinds and certain exempted shipwrecks. Some, like RI won't let you touch anything: bottles, portholes or Grandads sunglasses that were lost in 1960.

 

[Sean222]

Found these in up state n.y the sash buckle is from british light infintry war 1812.the ball probbaly a musket seems to be harder than lead and very heavy

Beautiful finds! The ball is in all probability a piece of Grape or Canister shot.