Unknown Artifacts

[hpotter]

These were found in the breastworks in Knoxville. For specifically they were found in a cannon emplacement. Does anyone have an idea what they are. So any of you relic guys or gals out there please weigh in.

[Busterbuttonboy]

Heath
Oh those forms look familiar. What else was found in situ with them? Or at least in the immediate area.

[10TnVI]

Don't know what they are, but I can offer a few observations that might help-

The larger object appears to be a handle, bracket or step. The tapered shape of the 'legs' suggest they were designed to be driven through wood. likewise the apparent lack of rivet holes, the peening over of the ends, and the differential deposition of the corrision suggest the ends were exposed to a differing oxidation regime, such as a piece of wood that is now gone.

The little piece is anyones guess at this point-does it show signs of being part of a larger object, such as irregular/broken ends etc.? or is it a stand alone object. How much of the apparent shape is dirt and corrosion?

Perhaps a check of just what artillery unit was using the emplacement may provide as lead to the identification. Was it used by Field artillery or heavy artillery? what type of gun was being used by the occuping unit? Were these found over at Fts. Dickerson and Stanley or in the seige lines on the west side of the river?

[hpotter]

I know that a US belt buckle and a tin plate were found, but I'm sure other stuff was recorded as well.

[hpotter]

These were found in the Confederate trenches astride the Kingston Pike on Morgan Hill near the intersection of Neyland and Kingston. They were field pieces and I don't recall the unit. I have a large copy of the army engineers map, but it doesn't list units.

[Eric P Giese]

I can tell you with almost certainty that the larger, U-shaped object is a simple boot scraper. It would have had straight prongs at one time and driven into wood, then curled over as they protruded thru the other side. These were very common for centuries and it is not surprising to find one associated with war-time artifacts. Without a cleared photo of the other item, and some dirt or loose debris carefully removed by a conservator, I would be only shooting darts at a board!

[ScottCross]

Originally Posted by hpotter

These were found in the Confederate trenches astride the Kingston Pike on Morgan Hill near the intersection of Neyland and Kingston. They were field pieces and I don't recall the unit. I have a large copy of the army engineers map, but it doesn't list units.

That's pretty close to the Armstrong/Locket House isn't it? I've forgotten which Confederate general had his headquarters there. That area has really been disturbed over the years with construction.