Relics a snapshot in time

The 150th anniversary of the American Civil War lends special significance to a permanent exhibit at the Snyder Museum in Bastrop.

Members of the local chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy organized the exhibit -- housed in a simple wooden cabinet -- several years ago.

Founded in 1894, the national UDC is comprised of descendants of Confederate service men who honor their memory through historical preservation. The Bastrop UDC was organized in 1967 and was named for Col. John Milton Sandidge, whose portrait hangs in the museum exhibit.

Sandidge was a Mexican War veteran, U.S. Representative and local planter who organized the Bossier Cavalry shortly after the war began. Later appointed chief of ordnance by Gov. Henry W. Allen, Sandidge carried out instructions to surrender the state archives to the Federal army in 1865.

Most of the artifacts in the UDC exhibit date back to the Civil War and Reconstruction periods. Several items have local ties, and each has a story to tell.

Among the relics is a large tobacco pipe with a woman’s face engraved in the bowl. The pipe was given to W.P. Douglass in 1882 by a steamboat captain who delivered goods to Douglass’ warehouse at Point Pleasant. The pipe was said to have been more than 100 years old when Douglass received it, making it more than two centuries old today.

A pistol and set of bullets belonged to Thomas R. Brodnax, who lived from 1846-1937 and is identified as a “Civil War Soldier and Town Marshal.”

A handcrafted doll named “Biggie” is believed to have been made during the war years, and was given to Mary Miles in 1867. The doll was passed down through several generations and was placed in the exhibit by Miles’ great granddaughter.

The exhibit also contains a sword, cannonball, several minie ball bullets, Confederate Louisiana paper currency and both American and Confederate flags.

A metal Seal of the Confederate States of America is displayed, bearing the image of George Washington on horseback, encircled by a wreath made of the principal crops of the Old South: Cotton, tobacco, sugar cane, corn, wheat and rice.

Perhaps the most intriguing item in the UDC cabinet is a pearl-handled pocket knife with four blades. One side of the handle bears the inscription, “Mrs. Clay to her husband in Fortress Monroe. By special permit of the Secy. War.” The other side is inscribed, “C.C. Clay to his friend J.M. Sandidge.

CIVIL WAR BULLET COLLECTING: A HOBBY THAT HONORS THE PAST

Did you know that during the Civil War, more than 1000 different types of bullets were used?  This is one reason Civil War bullet collecting has become a popular hobby.  Another reason is that the time of the Civil War saw changes taking place in the development of firearms and ammunition.  The old round musketballs of the Revolution were being replaced with bullets in the shape we are accustomed to.  While musketballs are found on Civil War battlefields, the most common type of bullet used was the .58-caliber bullet with three rings around the base.  Many bullets found are splattered out of shape.  If you’ve always been fascinated by the Civil War and firearms, Civil War bullet collecting is a hobby you will enjoy.

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With the advent of Internet buying and selling, Civil War bullets have become more collectible, and the prices have gone up quickly.  Not only this, sometimes sellers are not informed and ask more than the bullet is worth.  For these reasons, if you are just starting out in Civil War bullet collecting, you will want to buy a good price guide.  You can even find a price guide online if that works better for you.

Many Civil War bullet collectors also collect bullet molds and other relics from the Civil War era.  A real enthusiast might even investigate the possiblility of becoming a Civil War reenactor, acting out battles with others in towns and fields across the Southeast.

Civil War bullets can be collected by buying from other collectors, or you can begin by going directly to the battlefields to dig and search.  A metal detector will make Civil War bullet collecting easier.  You may also find buttons from uniforms, bullet molds, belt buckles, and other metal items from the battle.  Some of the bullets may be buried quite deep.  You will need to wear a headset and pay close attention to the changes in tone in your metal detector.  Hunting Civil War relics is prohibited on protected battlefields, but there are still old homesites where battles were fought.  Be sure to get permission from the owner and fill any holes you dig.

Some people have the idea that hunting for bullets with a metal detector indicates a lack of respect for the soldiers who died there.  They get this idea because sometimes bullet hunters find bones along with the bullet.  The fact is, however, that many of the bullet hunters who have found bullets this way have chronicled and mapped out there finds, resulting in many of the facts that we now know about the Civil War.

Warman's Civil War Collectibles Identification and Price Guide

The Civil War in books, an analytical bibliography

The illustrated history of American Civil War relics

Civil War times illustrated

Uniforms of the Civil War, An Illustrated Guide for Historians, Collectors, and Reenactors