I'm thrilled that the gentleman who built this collection had the great wisdom to see that it was passed on to wonderful new caretakers who will ensure its continued preservation so that future generations will be able to learn from it. There's a lesson there for all of us - we are temporary caretakers of the relics we find and must ensure they will be preserved to that future Americans can learn from them.
Had this been donated to a museum, we’d never see 90% of this, and all the time he invested in this great hobby would never be appreciated. Thank you for being the kind of man that this collector felt would do his collection honor. And thank you for sharing this first look with all of us! Incredible!! Thank you!!
I am 70 and I haven't been this excited since last year when I got to ride a horse for the 1st time in 50 yrs... Thank you for posting. Can't wait for more
I have mixed feelings about museums. Some essentially confiscate items they get their hands on, so unless you intend to give them the items you have to be careful about letting them take possession without valid paperwork that protects your interests.
@@G53X0Y0Z0 You are correct! I let a museum use some of my artifacts. Cannon balls buckles and shells. I even let them use my GG Granfathers bibles on both sides of my family. Now I wasn't able to get them back? I had a lawyer friend that was there when I loaned my relics to the museum and am hoping ,with his help to get my things. You advice should be heeded!
What a fabulous collection, he certainly loved what he collected and took care of it. Lifelong passion that's not going to be forgotten, and he certainly handed it on to the right person. Enjoy your new collection it's beautiful.
Thanks Mich, but it's not either of us. The new owner just wanted the world to SEE it, without the world knowing where it would be kept, if you get my drift . . .
If this entire collection was given to a museum literally 99.99% of these items would be put in boxes and placed in permanent storage. Nobody would ever see them except the museum curator. It wouldn't be surprising if the museum eventually deaccessioned the items and sold them to the public. Many have done that. Almost every Civil War museum already has a full collection of ordnance, bullets, belt buckles, etc. The only thing of interest to them would be the most rare items, and only if it can be attributed to the battle the museum represents.
An absolutely amazing collection. We see people like Aquachigger finding a 'box plate' or an 'eagle rosette', but to actually see what a cartridge box looks like inside, with the plate on the outside is just so informative. All this stuff would make a wonderful museum exhibit, and a lasting legacy to its original owner. I subscribed, I look forward to seeing it all in detail. Thank you.
My Great Grandfather was in the 26th. Ill Infantry (wounded at the Siege of Corinth) and re-enlisted in the 5th Ill Cavalry upon recovery. Three other relatives were in other Illinois units and two in Iowa Infantry/Cavalry units. Seeing such relics is awesome!
We just last week came back from Gettysburg where it was the 160 th Anniversary of Gettysburg Address and Bike Week! We did 4 days of battlefield tours and pure history before that began. I was in awe! This collection pushes my interest in war history even further down the rabbit hole! Thanks Walker! Can’t wait to see more!!
Absolutely amazing collection I was glued to the screen and didn’t dare fast forward in case I missed anything. The history that all this collection can teach others is immense and will continue to do so for generations and generations.
I was completely astonished at the treasure trove of history gathered in that room. I started my Civil War addiction, as a 6 year old boy, living in Urbana, MD, 6 miles south of the Monocacy Battlefield. Visiting nearby Antietam, Harpers Ferry and of course, Gettysburg in the early 1960's. An awesome collection to see unveiled, thank you!
That's just amazing, and to think it was all owned and collected by one man. Your collection really needs to be in a museum somewhere, where it could be displayed and examined by all...........
No one particular item caught my attention, yet every piece did. I had many ancestors fight in “The War of Northern Aggression “ and it is like looking back through a window in time. If we don’t learn from history, we’re destined to repeat it. I look forward to more videos from y’all !
Cool first sentence Texas. You're the only one who's said that. Agree with everything you said! #2 landing on Friday, stay tuned. Is your picture Army Air Corps? Or Air force?
The Battlefield Walker, Thanks for sharing this collection with us to see. Looking forward in seeing many more videos to come. I'm happy this collection was dug individually and history has been preserved. Donnie- Martinsburg, W.V. 🇺🇸
Thank you for sharing this collection with us. It would be great if some of it could go to a deserving museum, so millions of others could appreciate it too.
@thebattlefieldwalker2841 0 seconds ago I believe the new owner MAY start a museum of some kind - right now, he's just trying to wrap his head around his new responsibility!
That’s normally something you only see in a museum. Everything in that room is priceless. That is one lucky person to be gifted something like that. Awesome collection
What a wonderful legacy this man has left behind. He knew that his friend would cherish every item as he had done himself. Decade after decade he searched and compiled this collection of memories from history. The awe and reverence you both show as you uncover the pieces of the past is truly inspiring. This is a museum. Just Wow! ❤
I’m so excited for you! I hope you are able to set this up as its own museum, perhaps close to one of the battlefields. I don’t trust museums to do the right thing. Good luck and best wishes! 🍀🍀🍀Bren
I'm really jealous of that stuff man because my ancestor was in the Irish volunteer and the very first battle he fought was Battle Of Bull Run. He was in the war from start to finish and survived luckily.
@@thebattlefieldwalker2841 I fully get the attraction to collecting 😎I’m no detector guru lol 😂 fancy myself a bit of a bottle fella 😎but that’s amazing thanks 🙏
Just shows that nothing really "belongs" to us. We're just caretakers. What an amazing collection! Great video and I can't wait for more. Plus I'm a new subscriber.
The marked canteen is a CWera canteen that has been recovered in canvas for use during the later 1800’s through the Span Am War. There were so many surplus canteens left over after the war that the government just removed the bottom sling guides, recovered them and issued them out. The recovered ones are much more common than unaltered CW examples but still very cool.
In my view, one of the most important things to look for in this collection are items which can be identified by soldier and/or regiment. Since the vast majority of items were dug, such identifications are no doubt few in number. You said the man who found or acquired these items kept meticulous records. If you can dedicate a video to presenting the records which point to identifications by soldier or regiment, I'd be very much obliged. And if you find anything from the 169th N.Y., which fought in Virginia and South Carolina, among other States, and tell us about it, I'd be supremely grateful!
Agree 100% I've seen nothing so far that could be linked to one soldier. Somebody said the canvas canteen cover's "39" was the individual soldier's number. I don't know. No ID tags, or initials so far. But I've had little chance to closely examine. Hoping some of the plates have a name scratched in. If I find out ANYTHING, it will be in a future vid. Promise.
Watching this today takes me back to when I was a kid, a friend of the family had his own little museum built off the side of his house. All four walls were covered from top to bottom and all the way across each one with swords and sabres, show cases of anything and everything from just the civil war period. Rifles and pistols gallore. I miss being able to go see what new pieces he might have found, with out a doubt he has probably passed away by now. I miss the fun days like that.
You are one of a disappearing breed Hero. Back then, those magnificent collectors like your friend, loved sharing their collections. More and more, they hide them. For fear of theft, and even seizure. Thank you for your comment!
I can’t wait to see more videos on this collection. What an incredible gesture to leave it for someone who appreciates this history and educational opportunities this collection offers.
Absolutely incredible collection. So THAT’S where are the relics are that we can’t seem to find lol! Such an amazing collection…thank you for sharing and bringing us along on your journey!
@@thebattlefieldwalker2841 .... thumbs up buddy ... I live in the Revolutionary history belt .. !! * if ya metal detect around here a helicopter shows up and scares you off ;-)
Amazing collection , I too am a long time detectorist and the one thing i was looking for and did not see was a Civil War Bronze Star and Madallion. I found both here in Western Maine on a dig i was doing last year. Are they rare to find, is my question to you.?
Richard, I'm afraid that's above my pay grade, but I would venture a guess that they must be pretty rare. I've never heard of one dug around here . . .
And in the HEAT of summer! I just hoped a trooper wouldn't stop the guy in his truck and discover 75 artillery shells in the bed! (Though perfectly legal to own and transport. Just hard to explain!)
Good that big shell come from a railway mortar? What a cool and priceless treasure. It needs to be well housed and protected. The person who collect all this has done us a incalculable favour. Thank you for showing us this. :)
Appreciate the kind words Dennis. YES, a railway mounted Mortar is sure possible. This collection is currently being reassembled at its new home. The new owner is considering how he might make it accessible.
Hello from Canada. I’ve always been fascinated with the American Civil War. This is a museum. Fantastic. Would have loved some uniforms in this collection
Agreed Canuck. Uniforms would have been cool. I think this collector was more of an opportunist, than someone trying to assemble a collection. Whatever he could dig up, and whatever crossed his path otherwise, he tried to secure it. Thank you for your kind words, Northern Neighbor! I only recently learned that a few Confederate officers and politicians fled to your country at the close of the war.
How lucky are you? I'm a couple of weeks shy of my 70th birthday, live in the UK and have held a deep fascination for ACW since I was a kid. This must have been like walking into Alladins cave! What I wouldn't have given to have been in your shoes for a while. Many thanks for sharing.
Budgie - I was thinking the same thing as I gazed! Kind of cool that quite a few Confederate items were made in the UK and got here on blockade runners! Cheers, and thank you!
I'm a 63 year AZ native and I'm impressed, that was kinda like opening King Tuts tomb of civil war artifacts a true treasure worth it's weight in gold, I'm definitely going to share this highly interesting video with everbody and anybody I know cause you sure don't see this historic collection of civil war artifacts all the time.
Imagine what might be found if people were allowed to use metal detectors on Civil War and other battlefields. Those who do use them must be trained in how to restore the dig upon recovery of the artifact.
We often hear of the war dead, but never do we hear of the injured. The number of people who survived, but would die prematurely as a direct result of their injuries, must have been staggering.
5:42 something for everyone. im into m1 helmets and guess what i spy with my little eye right here! 15:19 i think i see another one. and maybe some span-am slouch hats? 20:03 didnt you know walker? cats rule the interwebs lol. their cameos are generally good for ratings as well. nice willys jeep btw. what an amazing collection and a hell of a mancave.
Before I moved anything I would take pictures and document everything that's sitting in right position this man took pride and sorting things in order😊
This is miraculous! There is no other word. Miraculous! Congratulations, and thank GOD that this treasure is in the hands of true Gatekeepers of History!
Wow! That reminds me of the collection that an old gentleman I met in the late 1970’s or very early 80’s, in a small town in Virginia when visiting some family near Blue Grass, VA. The gentleman gave me a tour and I was just in awe!
First time viewer. This is an amazing video with a literal treasure trove of relics. The knowledge, passion, and respect shown in the video stood out to me the most....also, that this one man dug/discovered enough pieces to fill a museum. This is a historian's dream!
Jenn, you and I are cut from the same cloth! Glad to have you aboard, and since you're a first-timer to the Battlefield Walker, be sure to check out the follow-up videos of this collection. Part 2 deals with ordnance and miscellanea, Parts 3 & 4 are Buckles and Plates, and Swords and Muskets.
This is an amazing collection. I had the opportunity to see a private collection in Texas back in 88. Not near as much ordinance but racks of rifles, cases of pistols and mass native American Artifacts. It is truly a rush to see so much history in someone's house.
Holy God Our Father!!! The SIZE of those munitions!!! What a FIND...EVERY Hair on my neck stood up the entire video!!! You guys are Great showing the reverance needed when handling that Huge part of American History. God Bless You fellas
A friend and I once found any civil war through 1890's Tunics frocks and sack coats, boots belts ect from a a very old costume shop in down town Milwaukee . With that we picked up swords bayonets and assorted cartridge boxes , a rev war hunting sword , an 1840.s French Curras and we missed a out on a Sumurai suite of armor and helmet
Thank you so much for showing this rare collection of civil war pieces. It was an honor to just peer through the screen and witness the many years of serching it took to aquire this many priceless artifacts. Once again thank you, take care.
WOW, What more can or even needs to be said. To be able to find all these pieces, display them for 50+ years, and then for you to be able to touch and inventory these just blows my mind. Will they be put on public display or going into a private museum? I'd be honored just to see them in person.
Steve, that's the question of the hour isn't it? New owner is still reeling from the responsibility (and windfall!) If something public happens, you'll hear about it here first!
What a fantastic collection. Please, please consider donating it in its entirety until the gentleman’s name to an appropriate museum. It should not be broken up, sold or hidden away in your or anyone else’s collection.
He found all this stuff, so amazing that the leather is still in shape let alone the cloth items wow! I am always interested in "barn finds" but this is on another level. Your responsibility in conserving and somehow assisting in interpretation and eventual display of collection is mind boggling. 😮
WOW Just stumbled on this channel . All i can say is that it blows my mind that one guy, within my own lifetime, could go walking and find so many artefacts in and on the ground. It feels like a fantasy. No doubt never to be repeated.
I've never seen a collection of this size and magnitude. The word "incredible", doesn't even come close. Imagine all the soldiers, and their stories connected to these relics. Boggles the mind.
My initial thoughts was about the men/women whose lives these relics touched, in one way or another, some who lose their lives so long ago during the second war for independence. Silently I said a prayer for all those men and women who gave the most in the fight for liberty, and freedom. Just imagine the lives that was taken from some of these relics and you are touching them, over a hundred years later. Well done.
When I was 18 I took a summer job for an HVAC company. We were installing HVAC in a plantation home in Maryland complete with slave quarters. The old wooden bunkbeds were still there from the 1800's. The plantation was purchased by a John Walsh, Jacklyn Kennedy's gynecologist. He was only there twice that I remember, otherwise the home had no occupants. We worked for about 3 weeks installing units and ductwork when we reached the 3rd floor. We set our units in the attic and began running duct work to the 3rd floor. We also had line sets to run to the ground for outdoor units. We had opened a section of wall from the 2nd floor to the basement. I had the job of crawling into a kneewall on the 3rd floor to get the lines to the 2nd floor. I crawled in the kneewall with a flashlight and drilled holes down to the 2nd floor. As I finished up I shined my light farther back in the kneewall and saw... something. I crawled back to find several muskets with bayonets a box full of balls and gunpower plus a larger box which was locked. I told the guy I was working with and began to bring it all out. The last thing I drug out was the locked box which was pretty heavy. As I lifted it to get it out of the hole we made to get in the kneewall and just as I started it through I heard a voice. It was Mr. Walsh asking how thing were going and noticed all the guns and me getting the locked box out. He had us take it all downstairs for him and put it all in his car. We were kinda bummed because it was just all so cool and Mr. Walsh had no clue that stuff was there. 3 days later Mr. Walsh came back to the house and gave us each $20.00. The proceeds to tell us the locked box was full of gold coins and hand made silverware pre Civil war... as were all the guns and ammo. Then tells us he sold just the contents of the box for over 100k. He gave us $20.00 each...
Man, that's a little on the chincy side, I'd say. I mean it was HIS, but he never would have known about it with out you. Wow. Having said that, you got to EXPERIENCE this!! I've heard of some wonderful, weird discoveries, but this one is SUPER! My guess would be that the homeowners hid this stuff when the enemy (US? CS? Never know in Maryland) was closing in. For whatever reason, the person or persons who hid it, never made it back alive. 160 years later YOU stumble upon one of the great lost treasures of our time. Just WOW man. I SO appreciate you telling this story!
@@thebattlefieldwalker2841 That is about what we figured too, whoever hid the items didn't make it back alive. That portion of MD fought for the south mostly, but MD was all over the place in the civil war, so who knows for sure. Yeah, it was a pretty awesome experience finding the items. Like finding treasure on a sunken ship lol. We weren't happy about the $20, but it was technically his even though he had no idea any of it was there.
@@thebattlefieldwalker2841 I haven't really given a ton of thought to my experience in many years. The find was in the summer of 1988, before I started college. But now you got my mind wondering just what was in that locked box again lol. The guy I was working with at the time of the find and I assumed there was perhaps jewelry in the box along with the silver and gold to get 100k back in 1988. I mean the box weighed approx. 80-ish lbs. It was pretty ornate looking too. I remember thin steel or iron hinges that just looked so old and hand made, the lock was one of those skeleton key locks and was fairly hefty. Approx. size of the box was about 18X18X30. The man's name I remember clear as day, John Walsh, he was pretty proud of the fact he was Jakie O's gynecologist. The plantation estate was in Tunis Mills MD. and I can't for the life of me remember the name of it... Just wondering, in your experience, any way to find out what he did sell in that find?
Man, you need to let this one go, brother. I think that ship has sailed! But I share your curiosity! I guess the only way would be to contact a surviving spouse or child, and hope they (A) know something and (B) are willing to reveal it. Both of which I sadly doubt. But if you ever find out, my mind is spinng to. Please reveal! Cheers to you my friend. @@Zappy1210
I know a man whose great aunt lived in Memphis Tennessee. She was born in about 1890, lived her entire life and died in the same old Antebellum house that eventually was swallowed by the ever-growing city in what is now east Memphis. When she died about 1990 at almost 100 years old, she had not sold any of the furniture that was in the house, and it was like a museum of pre-civil war times. They found complete confederate uniforms in trunks in storage that were in pristine condition. Boots, swords, an officer's complete uniform, pistols, and other artifacts. I think they were all donated to a private collector in Mississippi for protection and display.
