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TRANSCRIPT
RRRHA
2013
Year in Review
P.O. Box 209, Unionville, VA 22567 [email protected] & www.rrrha.com
President – Robert Painter Vice President – Earl Mesimer
Treasurer – Bobby Painter Secretary – Jason Thomas
Chaplain – John Graham
Web Manager – John Underwood
With the new year upon us I thought it would be a good
time to reflect back on the previous year and sum up the club’s
highlights from 2013 all in one place. Even though this club is a
rather young, just about two and half years old, it has grown
and become the thriving club that it is today. 2013 Without a
doubt being the club’s best year yet. During 2013 the club had
its first relic hunt, its first picnic, another much larger relic
show, amongst other things as well. Then we have the
member’s finds that were on display each and every meeting.
There were some great finds every month for the membership
to vote on for relic of the month, and let’s not forget the relic of
the year, it was a great find with an interesting story to go with
it. Last but not least with the end of 2013, our faithful
president and treasurer ended their terms and if it wasn’t for
their hard work along with the other officers, 2013 wouldn’t
have been the year it was for the club. Now go ahead and take
a trip back in time and refresh your memory of all the great
things that went on during 2013.
RRRHA Secretary
Jason Thomas
January January was a sign of things to come for RRRHA; we started the year off
strong. Bob Painter announced at the meeting that the club could secure
Meadow’s Farm Cattle Co farm for the first club sponsored hunt to be held in
April. The farm is part of the historic battle of Mine Run. Greg B. won the first find
of the month; I guess this was a sign of things to come for Greg but more on that
later. He dug a lovely Richmond spur. Also in January the club voted for the 2012
find of the year, it was won by Chris H., he dug a rare AVC buckle.
January’s Find of the Month
2012 Find of the Year
January’s Minutes
Click Here
February At February’s meeting, Bob Painter gave a presentation on the “Coins
Soldiers Carried”. There was more discussion on the upcoming club relic hunt,
mostly pertaining to rules about club membership and the cost for members to
attend the hunt. Scott A. brought to the meeting a manuscript ‘I’ button, which
was the overwhelming winner for find of the month.
February’s Find of the Month
February’s Minutes
Click Here
March March’s meeting brought in 18 new or renewing members swelling the club
size to 59 members. There was more information presented by Bob Painter about
the status of the relic hunt to be held the following month. The local Girl Scout
troop approached the club to see if there was interest in having them provide the
club with a spaghetti dinner at our May meeting, the club kindly accepted the
offer. In addition we had some guests from Minelab who were assisting in the
archeological work at James Madison’s Montpelier, they gave a short
informational talk about the activities they were participating in. Then there were
some stellar relics for consideration when it came to find of the month, Don E.
came out on top though with his Georgia cuff button.
March’s Find of the Month
March’s Minutes
Click Here
April The meeting in April was filled with discussion about the Mine Run relic
hunt that was just mere days away. Maps and name badges were handed out.
Bob reported that we had 120 relic hunters were signed up and ready to go for
the hunt, 81 of which were non members. Bob also reported that he had secured
generous donations from Minelab and First Texas so that we could hold a raffle at
the upcoming hunt. Matt J. brought in a silver North Carolina button which won
find or the month. Ironically the month proved to be a good month for the silver
NC buttons as there was another one brought in as well, Matt’s was just a bit
nicer and took the prize.
April’s Find of the Month
April’s Minutes
Click Here
MINE RUN RELIC HUNT!!!!
On April 13 & 14 the club held its first sponsored relic hunt. It was held at
the Meadow’s Farm Cattle Co. farm which was part of the battlefield associated
with the Battle of Mine Run. There were 120 people who attended the two day
hunt. There were some seeded tokens for non members to find, amongst the
prizes associated with the tokens were a silver NC button, and other various
prizes. Amongst the many bullets and buttons found there were some stellar
finds made during the two days. Some of the better finds included two
Whitworth bullets, three shells, a Block A button, a Virginia Button, and a Script I
button as well. Near the end of the two day hunt the generously donated
Minelab detector, the 50% First Texas gift certificate, and other donated prizes
were raffled off.
Click Here for more pictures and hunt memories put together by Bob Painter.
May May’s meeting was filled with good food, good company and excellent
service which was provided by Girl Scout Troop 707. For a donation of $10 a
person the troop put on the all you could eat spaghetti feast. Members didn’t
have to lift a finger as the girls took care of our every need. After stuffing
ourselves Bob reported the final numbers from the relic hunt, as a result the club
earned over $4,000 from the hunt, it was a nice boost in the club treasury to say
the least. Also Bob reported that the Rapidan fire co. approached him to see if we
were interested in taking over the Central Virginia Relic Show that they had
previously put on. Amongst some great finds Earl K. won find of the month with
the Confederate Long Reed shell that he found at the relic hunt in April.
May’s Find of the Month
May’s Minutes
Click Here
June June brought in the dog days of summer, and a slow time of year for us relic
hunters. During this month’s meeting it was decided that the club would take
over the relic show and it would be held in September. Also we decided to form a
picnic committee so that we could have our first annual picnic. The committee
consisted of Greg B, Greg H, and myself. Brian W. brought in an Enfield bullet that
had initials carved into it, which became the find of the month for June.
June’s Find of the Month
June’s Minutes
Click Here
July With the weather alternating between rain and oppressive heat things
really slowed down. John G. brought a DVD from a presentation given at the
Rappahannock Civil War Roundtable. David H. won find of the month with a .69
Garibaldi bullet. The picnic committee announced that the club would hold the
picnic during the October meeting at Lenn Park in Stevensburg, VA. Also a $250
donation was made to the East Orange Ruritans.
July’s Find of the Month
July’s Minutes
Click Here
August August’s meeting was supposed to feature a presentation by Greg H. on the
“Relics of the Retreat Route”, but due to some technical difficulties the
presentation would have to be put off until a later date. Bob reported on the
progress made towards the relic show to be held the following month. Find of the
month went to a rare Major’s collar star dug by Ron P.
August’s Find of the Month
August’s Minutes
Click Here
September At September’s meeting Greg H. gave his delayed talk on the ‘Relics of the
Retreat Route’. Bob reported on the progress towards the relic show to be held
in the coming days. Members volunteered for jobs at the relic show, and without
these volunteers the show would not have been possible. The picnic committee
reported that the plans had been finalized for the picnic in October. Butch B.
entered one of the block ‘A’ buttons he had found and won find of the month for
it.
September’s Find of the Month
September’s Minutes
Click Here
Central Virginia Relic
Show
On September 14, 2013 the club sponsored the Central Virginia Relic Show.
It was held at the Daniel Technology Center in Culpeper VA. Ten dealers occupied
30 tables. Aquachigger, and Nugget Noggin from YouTube entertained the
attendees during the show. Minelab and First Texas generously donated to the
club again so a raffle could be held. In addition to these prizes Bob P. donated
some civil war prints as additional raffle prizes. Between vendor fees, admission,
and raffle sales, the club made a profit of over $500. After talking to vendors,
attendees, and considering the profit, the show was considered a success.
More pictures from the show can be seen by clicking the link for the October
meeting’s minutes on the following page.
October October brought on the first annual club picnic. Greg H., made his
wonderful pulled pork BBQ, Greg B. secured historic Lenn Park, and myself, well I
just bought some plates and silverware. The members each brought a covered
dish and needless to say we had a feast that could have fed an army. If you went
hungry it was your own fault. The ground Lenn Park sits upon was land that the
battle of Brandy Station was fought on. In addition to this just behind the park is
Coles Hill and Hansborough Ridge, site of a huge Second Corp winter
encampment. Lenn Park proved a fitting site for us relic hunters but also tortured
us at the same time knowing that while we stuffed ourselves silly there were
relics sitting right under our feet. A $50 gift card was drawn for amongst the
family members attending the picnic, it was won by Donna W. Also nominations
for the upcoming officer elections were made. Even though we were all stuffed
we still mustered up enough strength to vote on find of the month and Jim A won
with his sword belt plate.
October’s Find of the Month
October’s Minutes
Click Here
November At November’s meeting the plan was to vote for the 2014 club officers who
were nominated at the October meeting, but because there were not enough
members present at the meeting, the vote was delayed until December’s
meeting. We had a few guests who told us their stories from the DIV hunt that
was being held in Brandy Station. As always there were some great relics on
display, Todd H. though took the prize for find of the month with a Mississippi I
button.
November’s Find of the Month
November’s Minutes
Click Here
December As we rounded out the year, the December meeting brought on the
delayed officer elections. The meeting also was the last meeting with our faithful
president Jim at the helm. Jim had to sit this election out due to the club bylaws
only allowing two, one year terms. The elections brought a few changes. Gary
decided to ‘retire’ and with that Bobby P. was elected as club treasurer. Bob P.
also ‘retired’ but his retirement actually became a promotion. We had no
candidate for president and it was a vote of write - ins, and with a majority vote
Bob became the new president. I was elected to club secretary and Earl M.and
John G. were elected to vice president and chaplain respectively. Although not an
elected position, our web site manager continues to be John Underwood. When it
came to find of the month, we ended the year like we started with a spur found
by Dennis T taking home the prize.
December’s Find of the Month
December’s Minutes
Click Here
Find of the Year
2013
Last but not least we round out this review of RRRHA’s year with the find of
the year. Greg B. dug the silver ID ring of Allen McDonald, a private in Company E
of the 106th New York. Interestingly enough the middle initial that is stamped on
the ring is a ‘J’, with a review of the muster rolls there is no Allen J. McDonald to
be found, instead there is an Allen P. which alternates with Allen L. These errors
were quite common for identification pieces as many examples are known to
contain misspellings or wrong initials. After some rather exhaustive research was
done it is very safe to say this ring belonged to Allen P. (or L.) McDonald.
The ring was found in Virginia in an area the 106th was known to occupy
during the autumn of 1863 and on and off again through the spring of 1864. The
106th NY was known as the St. Lawrence County Regiment. It was formed in the
extreme upstate part of the state and Company E was comprised of mostly men
from the town of Potsdam. The 1860 census lists him as a farmhand which was
likely the job Allen left when he enlisted in August of 1862 as the regiment was
being formed. The census records also do not indicate that he had a wife or any
children. This fact is important to note as it would be highly unlikely that a
farmhand would have the means to purchase a silver ID ring. Since he had no
family to send his pay home to, his pay would likely have become discretionary
money so that he could afford such a ring in lieu of the more common and
cheaper ‘ID Disc or Tag’. Only one more record of Allen exists and this is Allen’s
demise. Allen was one of the 137 men of the 106th NY who lost his life from
wounds received in action. He passed away in Fredericksburg, VA on May 9,
1865. The records do not indicate where or when he suffered his injuries. Given
that he died in Fredericksburg one can surmise that he possibly suffered them
during the battle of the Wilderness or Spotslyvannia Courthouse, in May of 1864.
Hopefully this was not the case as he would have then suffered a complete year
before the injuries eventually took his life. This aspect of Allen along with many
others will likely remain a mystery forever. No grave markers for him can be
found in any records. This ring that was bought by him and eventually lost some
150 plus years ago, now being found serves as the only known memorial to one
Allen McDonald.
In my opinion anytime you make a find that can be linked back to an
individual soldier, it is an incredible find that tells a fantastic story no matter
what. However in Allen’s case, he likely became one of the many forgotten
soldiers to be buried in unmarked graves in the Fredericksburg area. Until Greg
found his ring, Allen’s memory was lost to the ages, and without finding it he
would have remained this way. As relic hunters when we find something like this
we have effectively brought his memory back and now the ring serves to honor
his memory. Every time I go hunting just knowing the potential to bring history
back to life makes this hobby special to me, and I know it does for a lot of others
as well.
(The research on Allen McDonald was a conducted by Ms. Nancy Rossbacher)
With that this concludes the 2013 year in review for the RRRHA. Let’s have
another successful and wonderful year, I am not sure we can top 2013 but we can
sure try. I hope everyone enjoyed taking a look back!