It’s not very often nowadays that one is lucky enough to dig a Confederate buckle. But luck was with me today (November 27, 2012). I might have missed it if my hunting buddy hadn’t been right beside me.

We were digging a hole behind Confederate siege lines here in Vicksburg and finding ration cans, a few bullets and buttons, and lots of junk. I was also using a metal detector to scan the area. While my buddy was taking his turn at digging, I got a nice signal right beside his hole. While I was shoveling the dirt from that area he asked me to rescan his hole. I did. I got a large signal, which led to the two of us digging more junk and ration cans. In the process, I forgot all about the other signal. I had picked up my metal detector, prepared to go back to work, when my buddy said, “Hey, what’s that thing behind your boot?” As he bent to retrieve it I saw that the object was oval and green. We gritted our teeth in anticipation as he slowly flipped the oval to expose the “CS.” We practically howled with joy. We were lucky. If my buddy hadn’t noticed the relic in the small pile of dirt I had shoveled aside, we might have left it.

 

The buckle is not error free. One hook is missing, and there is a small crack (see photos) that runs from the top of the “C” downward about ¾”. It has a slight bow, probably from being worn. Otherwise it’s okay. It has been only very lightly cleaned so as to retain the original patina (and dirt).