Bill Young had an interesting article about an experience he had back in the 1950s as a Boy Scout.
His troop went to a camp out on private land near the Cold Harbor Battlefield and were told that once the campsite was up and running, they could go looking for any relics they could find--and they would get to keep whatever they found.
The excited boys took off right away. One scout found a rusty Union canteen-- bull's eye type with seven rings on the side. The letters US could still be seen stamped on its neck.
The patrols found the remains of trenches and a piece of grapeshot just sitting there. The scoutmaster told them that they were loaded into cannons and fired liked a shotgun.
Another patrol found horseshoes near a marker saying that Union cavalry charged near the spot during the battle and were driven back with heavy loss. The four horseshoes were found by each other so the scouts believed it must have been from the same horse. They also found an iron stirrup near the same area.
Yet another scout had found a flat lump of lead with teeth marks. It was decided that someone bit down on it while their arm or leg was sawed off, hence the term "Bite the Bullet."
Now, Talk About a Better Way to Get Youth Interested in History. I'd have to Believe That All of Those Boys Developed a Keen Interest in History After That Trip. --Old B-R'er
The Battle of Fort Fisher, N.C.
