On a cold winter’s night in the early 1860s, a couple of union soldiers prepared to hunker down for the night in a farmer’s field in Eastern Hanover, Virginia. They had dug down into the earth, so they could lay their heads below the frost level that was around 18 inches deep. The tent set up, they packed their pipes, and shared a drink as a small campfire kept them warm. Then, suddenly, everything went sideways, the soldiers took off - hastily leaving their campsite – as they heeded the call of war. With little complaint, the farmer filled in the holes in his field and prepared for his next crop.
For over 160 years, the site remained undisturbed – and it would have remained hidden were it not for the hard work and sleuthing skills of a relic hunter with over five decades of experience. Walker Gaulding, Senior Minister of Rappahannock Church of Christ, in Warsaw, Virginia, certainly wears many hats in the community of which he serves so faithfully. In the arena of metal detecting, he has embraced his zest for history and paired it with the abundance of historical sites in his region. In one of his favorite hunts, he unearthed the deserted camp, finding an astonishing 249 unfired bullets, along with smoking pipes, and other amazing finds. It was the sort of discovery that delights the digger and is a wonder to the community where many of the items are cleaned up and displayed for all to enjoy.
Gaulding’s YouTube Channel, The Battlefield Walker, is filled with episodes that detail digs in different regions across the Commonwealth, highlighting the hidden pieces of history buried beneath our feet. His channel is entertaining and completely addicting for those who love mystery, history and using the latest technology to discover forgotten remnants of long ago.
As the episodes unfold, you get a peek into what it takes to find success. In one instance, a picture of soldiers at a campsite was used to track down a plot of land. The current owners then gave permission for a hunt, and the discoveries unveiled were amazing. It is astonishing to see the unique items that were unearthed.
Photo courtesy of Walker Gaulding
Hunts from across the east coast reveal pieces such as buckles and unexploded Dyers.
Gaulding is not alone in his searches. As a matter of fact, relic hunting is a community that is steadily growing in numbers and emerging technology. Mickey Davis, an Essex County native, is also an enthusiastic hunter, who first discovered the lure of tracking down relics back in 1980, when he and his brother found a button and a bullet in a field in Hanover. Davis regularly takes his gear around the region, including the counties of Amelia, King and Queen, Hanover, Essex, and more. For Davis, finding bits of history is addicting.
“When I started out, I got hooked and read more than I ever did,” Davis said, adding that he pursued books that detailed battles in and around the region that he lives in. “There was a site in Jetersville where we hit a camp and found so much stuff our batteries died!”
So, how does one exactly become a finder of old things lost? It starts with a good metal detector. Getting used to handling the long-armed device is extremely important. The machines make different sounds for different types of metals. A good hunter gets to know the difference between a bottle cap and a bullet, and that takes time and practice. No matter what, it is fun, and a lot like fishing. You go out hunting and never know what you are going to find. You also need good shoes, digging tools, and a sturdy set of gloves.
Then you must find your field.
It starts with a search online or with the Library of Congress, where you can look up where local skirmishes or campsites were known to have been. Once you have a site in mind, tools like on X Hunt, a phone app that perfectly details land boundaries. It is crucial to figure out who owns the land. Most important, then, is getting permissions. It is crucial that hunters receive consent to detect and dig on any lands they think are active sites. Without that permission, it diminishes the activity and could lead to people being wary of relic hunters. Gaulding added that sharing the finds with the property owner and the community are also generally considered goodwill. The experience in itself can forge new friendships and create a stronger community.
It is paramount that hunters also note that digging on any Civil War memorial land owned by the government or part of a battlefield trust is a felony. These are sites that once disturbed, cannot be put back and therefore, remain sacrosanct.
Photo courtesy of Walker Gaulding
Relic hunting turns up some of the most unexpected items, including the 249 unfired bullets found at the campsite in Eastern Hanover.
While some hunters do sell their finds, many are content to share them with friends and family. Gaulding is known to gift small relics to kids, hoping to open their eyes to the possibilities around them with history they can hold in their hand. Additionally, he has worked with avid historian and president of the James Monroe Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution, Charles Belfield, with whom he has certain items from local digs on permanent loan.
“It is funny, because we don’t want anyone to know where we hunt, but we love to share what we find,” Gaulding said. That is highlighted in his YouTube show, where he sets out and lets the viewer come with him on hunts and experience the fun of the dig. It would be hard to find a better introduction to the art of relic hunting. He ends many of the episodes going over his favorite finds, and while they may not be of monetary significance, often they actually carry far greater value.
One piece in particular seems to have special meaning to the pastor. It is a tiny medallion, maybe the size of a thumbprint, with the entire Lord’s Prayer forged onto it in tiny type. Just thinking of the mom from somewhere like New York or Massachusetts who gave that to her son before he set off to war - and what it meant to her and him - is a moment of faith reaching out across time.
Interested in taking up the hobby? There are plenty of local resources, starting with Facebook sites, historical societies, and local groups dedicated to unearthing history. Northern Virginia Relic Hunters Association is the longest running of such clubs in the country and holds monthly meetings with presentations on diverse finds all from the Civil War. Many of these groups hold annual shows where their finds are displayed, the latest technology reviewed, and people can make the connections needed to facilitate proper hunts.
Virginia is rife with beautiful fields that have a secret story to tell, just below the surface – they just need a narrator with patience, a strong arm, and the desire to learn and share history.