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Searching For History

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  • Searching For History

    A friend and I recently hunted an 1840’s -1850’s military campsite where I got my first chance to try out my new Minelab metal detector. During this hunt we found a couple of nice early military buttons as seen in my image. In fact the “V” button my hunting buddy found is an extremely rare find for Nebraska. The first one of these historically significant “V” buttons I had ever seen found was one I found in 1995 on this same site. The “V” stands for Voltigeurs and the "R" for Rifleman.

    From Wikipedia:

    The Regiment of Voltigeurs and Foot Riflemen was a one-year regiment of the United States Army raised during the Mexican-American War. It was active in 1847 and 1848.

    At the beginning of the Mexican American War, Congress changed its policy of attempting to prosecute the war with the Regular Army and ordered nine new regiments: eight infantry and the Regiment of Voltigeurs and Foot Riflemen. The regiment was authorized on February 11, 1847 and the first officers, the colonel and the lieutenant colonel, were assigned on February 16, 1847.
    The Regiment of Voltigeurs was not numbered. It was to be a special unit with half of its men to be mounted, the other half were to be on foot. The intent was to have each horseman paired with a foot soldier who was to get up behind him for rapid movements.
    However this arrangement was never used, the Voltigeurs became a regiment of foot riflemen, armed with the muzzle-loading Model 1841 rifle. The same rifle as was used by the regiment of Mounted Riflemen.


    Click image for larger version

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  • #2
    I never heard of the Voltigeurs. Thank you for sharng this with us.
    TN formerly CT Visit our store http://stores.arrowheads.com/store.p...m-Trading-Post

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    • #3
      That’s interesting. I never heard of them either
      South Dakota

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      • #4
        All right! Those are awesome! No matter how hard I try, I can't find a darn plain eagle button. Just a rare CS button and that's it. If I was to choose an eagle button to dig it would be the V button. It's a good conversation starter.
        "The education of a man is never completed until he dies." Robert E. Lee

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        • 11KBP
          11KBP commented
          Editing a comment
          A CS buttons is a very nice find ...they are hard to come by.

        • Kentucky point
          Kentucky point commented
          Editing a comment
          A friend was digging nothing but eagle buttons one day, and he asked me how I was doing. I pulled out the CS staff officers flat button, and said, "just this little CS thingie. Nothing special." He about threw his detector into the Rappahannock!

      • #5
        And another piece of our history comes to light - Thanks 11KBP for educating those of us who did not know. And all because of a Uniform Button.
        Pickett/Fentress County, Tn - Any day on this side of the grass is a good day. -Chuck-

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        • 11KBP
          11KBP commented
          Editing a comment
          Thanks Chuck. That is why I like locating these early historic sites as you never know what might show up.

      • #6
        Great info, I had never heard of that history before. Very cool finds.
        Hong Kong, but from Indiana/Florida

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        • #7
          Really good finds, love old military buttons. congrats

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          • #8
            Congrats on the unique button, and thank you for adding the information.
            The fact that it is rare is great, what I liked most though is that you took the time to trace down its history.
            Bruce
            In life there are losers and finders. Which one are you?

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            • #9
              I have yet to find a good spot in Kentucky. All I have found is Pepsi cans, Old Milwaukee beer cans, ground bee's and chiggers. I do have a nice spot in PA though that I would like to try out.
              "The education of a man is never completed until he dies." Robert E. Lee

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              • Scorpion68
                Scorpion68 commented
                Editing a comment
                Now KP chiggers are the "Cat's Meow" when it comes to walkin' about. Not everybody is able to find them or vice versa. And just think of how nice them alcohol rub-downs are after you find them.

              • Kentucky point
                Kentucky point commented
                Editing a comment
                I do hope you are joking.

            • #10
              Those are really cool finds. I too had never heard of the Voltigeurs...that's a great history lesson...
              The chase is better than the catch...
              I'm Frank and I'm from the flatlands of N'Eastern Illinois...

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              • #11
                Cool stuff. Congrats on the find
                SW Connecticut

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                • #12
                  Thanks for sharing this with us.Pretty cool/
                  Searching the fields of NW Indiana and SW Michigan

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                  • #13
                    I mentioned I had found one of these “V” buttons back in in 1995 on the same site my friend found his so I thought I would add an image of the one I found as well. The image shows both sides.

                    Click image for larger version

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