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RELIC DETAILS
• Excavated Civil War conical lead projectile that has been heavily deformed by impact.
• Visible remnants of the original body and base rings/grooves on one side; the opposite side and nose are smashed, folded, and opened.
• Large irregular cavity and flattened “splat” profile typical of a Minié-style bullet that struck wood, stone, or another hard surface on the battlefield.
• Gray excavated lead patina with soil traces and age oxidation—no modern polishing.
• Displayed as recovered so collectors can see both the original form and the battlefield damage.
CONDITION
Honest dug, battlefield-impact condition. The projectile shows expected 160+ years of burial plus clear evidence of having been fired and striking something solid. Surface wear, folding, and the open cavity are original to recovery. The modern display case is in good used condition. Sold as an excavated relic, not a pristine dropped example.
BATTLE OF SALEM CHURCH (May 3–4, 1863)
Part of the Chancellorsville Campaign in Spotsylvania County, Virginia. After Union Maj. Gen. John Sedgwick’s VI Corps took Marye’s Heights at Fredericksburg, it pushed west along the Orange Plank Road to join Hooker. Confederate troops under Cadmus Wilcox, later reinforced by Lafayette McLaws, made a strong stand on the ridge around Salem Church. Fighting in woods and thick underbrush produced heavy casualties on both sides (approximately 4,600 Union and 4,900 Confederate). The Confederates stopped Sedgwick’s advance. Relics from this action are valued because the fighting was intense and in the 1980s by Mr. Richard Hammond of Virginia, a respected pioneer Civil War relic hunter who began detecting historically important private properties in Northern Virginia in 1954. He documented finds by location. This piece comes from his collection, acquired when the collection was saleed in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Hammond is a foundational figure among Virginia relic hunters; documented pieces from his collection remain desirable.
IMPORTANT NOTES
• Sold as an excavated Civil War period relic from the Salem Church battlefield area. No individual soldier attribution is claimed.
• Adult collector item.
• Display case included as shown.
• Combined shipping available.
• Gift wrap available on request.
WHY BUY FROM THE FAITHFUL AVIATORS — TREASURE HUNTER STORE
Authentic excavated relics, real photos of the exact item, and clear provenance when available. Descriptions stay honest so collectors know precisely what they are adding to their collection.
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