Bunker Hill dead may lie under gardens

Boston Globe ^ | March 8, 2009 | Brian MacQuarrie

[AnAmericanMother]

It’s just as well, because the Stuarts were generally a bunch of idiots and BPC was a shining example of the breed. But history is written by the victors (especially in this case, because there was a concerted effort to stamp out remaining disaffection). Contemporary writings (even Dr. Johnson who was no fan) seem to indicate it was a much more near-run thing than later claimed.

[sinsofsolarempirefan]

Well, it was pretty near run, because there were hardly any Hanoevarian forces in England at that time, and if BPC had marched on London, there was nothing to stop him taking it.
As I recall, it was only because of a Hanoevarian spy, I can’t remember his name, who gave disinformation that there was a strong force of Government troops stand between him and London that persuaded him to retreat. All he had to do was chance his luck as he had done by landing in the first place, and London would have been his (albeit temporarily)....

[yazoo]

True, but do we want to excavate for brass buttons? I used to be an avid Civil War relic hunter and occasionally we would come across what we believed to be a body. We’d find rusty boot cleats at one end and buttons a few feet above, along with some iron buckles, but never any hint of bones or teeth.

[AnAmericanMother]

True, but do we want to excavate for brass buttons?

In the case of what we believe to be an interment of British regulars, absolutely yes.

Each regiment had its own brass buttons, belt buckles, and helmet badges which would identify the specific regiment. This button, for example, is Revolutionary era from the old 1st Regiment of Foot (Coldstream Guards) - the oldest surviving unit in the British Army (August 1650):

Three companies of the Coldstreams fought in the American Revolution, but I think they were in the Carolinas.

[Sacajaweau]

btt

[AnAmericanMother]

Preservation of human remains depends on the soil type. The good old Southern red clay is highly acidic and when it's damp will eat up bones and teeth like you wouldn't believe. But a nice limestone soil will not only preserve bones but flesh and skin as well. There used to be an old fellow in a glass case at the Smithsonian who died in the Philadelphia yellow fever epidemic (1790?) and was buried in limestone soil in a very damp graveyard. He was beautifully preserved, hair, skin and all, even his silk burial garments and the stockings on his feet.

Scared the bejabers out of me when I was a kid (but probably stimulated my interest in archaeology). They took him off exhibit because he was politically incorrect.

Rest in peace, Mr. Hogenboom.

[Knitting A Conundrum]

I’ve seen whole series of mezzotints on them. They’re funny.

[vetvetdoug]

Corinth, Mississippi, has between 1500 (Conservative estimate) to 8000 (Liberal estimate) unmarked graves from the Civil War battles of Shiloh, Farmington, and Corinth. Diary entries talk of mass graves six men deep and 100 yards long; both Confederate and Union accounts. Right now, only a dozen graves are marked.

[SunkenCiv]

· join list or digest · view topics · view or post blog · bookmark · post a topic ·
	Gods Graves Glyphs	Thanks Thanks Pharmboy and exit82. Just adding to the catalog, not sending a general distribution. To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list. GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother, and Ernest_at_the_Beach
·Dogpile · Archaeologica · ArchaeoBlog · Archaeology · Biblical Archaeology Society · · Discover · Nat Geographic · Texas AM Anthro News · Yahoo Anthro & Archaeo · Google · · The Archaeology Channel · Excerpt, or Link only? · cgk's list of ping lists ·

[Gondring]

On Rev War hats...
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2144318/posts?page=28#28

[AlmaKing]

Anyone notice the inset pic at the top that shows how the shorelines arond Boston and Charlestown have grown since 1775? Is that for real?

Would be nice piece of anti-warming evidence.

[rdl6989]

Thanks for the ping. I hope to visit Bunker Hill someday.

[AnAmericanMother]

John Stewart, who married my great-great grandmother's oldest sister Emily Carolina Bale, was killed at Shiloh and his body was never found.

His monument in the Carmel Presbyterian Church cemetery in Spring Hill AL reads: "Fell in action at Corinth, Miss., April 6, 1862. His body rests on the field, grave unmarked and unknown. 'One by one life robs us of our treasures/ Nothing is our own except our dead.'"

His widow never remarried.

[AmericaUnite]

Bump

[Charlespg]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maccaroni_(fashion)

Today their called queers

[andyandval]

What a refreshing thread. A knowledgeable and articulate crowd you've attracted, Pharmboy.

No surprise there...

[Pharmboy]

They filled in much of the original harbor. Modern Beantown is quite different from the colonial variety...

[mewzilla]

On a GPR-related note....

Archaeologists join hunt for long-lost burials in historic cemetery

And thanks for the fascinating thread, Pharmboy! :)

[mewzilla]

And the fourth paragraph from the end is what’s undoubtedly giving property owners kittens.

[Pharmboy]

You're most welcome, mewz!

From the article you linked to:
...to help delineate some areas on the northern and eastern sides of the cemetery to locate a suspected mass grave for 13 family members who died of botulism from eating contaminated peaches at a New Year's party in 1913.

I think the neighborhood should be safe by now!