Land Battle Evidence

Land Battle Evidence. Artifacts Key to Battlefield. , In 2000, archaeologists at Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum examined three areas, including the hill directly ahead. The research was funded by the National Park Service’s American Battlefield Protection Program., None of the artifacts found on the hill could be positively linked to the War of 18 12. However one iron grapeshot, one elongated lead musket ball, one round lead musket ball, and one impacted lead musket ball were recovered nearby, and have been identified as War of 18 12 artifacts. They may represent ammunition which was fired but missed its target. By mapping out the locations of military artifacts, the movements and actions of units involved in a battle can be reconstructed., For this reason, uncontrolled metal-detecting and collecting on battlefields is very destructive, as it removes potentially valuable information about the engagements. , [Captions:] , Cannon on traveling carriage, courtesy Round Shot and Rammers, by Harold L. Peterson, 1969, Stackpole Books., Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum archaeologists, Keith Heinrich and Gareth McNair-Lewis, screening soil for War of 18 12 artifacts. The backpack-carried Global Positioning Satellite Receiver, worn by Keith Heinrich, shown at right, was used to determine the location of War of 18 12 artifacts found during the excavations. GPS uses signals broadcast by orbiting satellites to triangulate position’s longitude and latitude. The receiver was provided by the National Park Service., Military-Objects Found-Ornaments and Armaments-Several War of 18 12 artifacts were found during the 2000 archaeological investigations, including lead musket balls (upper left) an iron grapeshot fired by cannons (below center). Other artifacts found in the same area may be related to the war., They include a fragment of a large buckle or box lid decoration (upper right), and pieces of a copper or brass ornament in the shape of a cross with grape leaf clusters (right). The ornament was probably sewn onto a uniform or hat., All artifacts above are shown at actual size. Funding provided to the Friends of Jefferson Patterson Park and Museum, Inc. by the Chesapeake Bay Gateway Network, National Park Service.