Civil War soldier's pocket watch, dug in Virginia (SOLD)

This is another nice item being offered, it is an excavated pocket watch with key and chain. As seen in the pictures, this watch was recovered in pieces out of the same area of a hut site. It was found in a Union 1^st Corp winter camp in Belle Plain, Virginia.  

It was from these same 1862-63 winter camps, across the Rappahannock River from Fredericksburg, that these men marched to the ferocious December battle and later in the spring to the Battle of Chancellorsville.

During the winter months in camp, soldiers would build log structures over pits they dug out. These huts would generally hold four men. Over time after the war ended, these crude huts would collapse. Recovering relics from these sites the diggers would often have to go down several feet.

Obviously, an item such as this would be cherished by the soldier and I am sure he was devastated when it was lost. This is a fantastic personal item to add to your collection. In my book “The Civil War Soldier – His Personal Items”, I have similar pocket watches pictured. It comes in the glass top display case pictured.