York's famous Machinegun finds a home

[Brad Posey]

This is a photo of a battlefield archaeologist from the South Carolina Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology cataloging artifacts found in this ravine – the scene of the York fight.

To clear up something….. Archaeology is often thought of as guys with brushes and trowels carefully scrapping through layer of earth to recover artifacts. This is not possible on this type of battlefield where a battle was fought on open ground. Please look at what Dr. Scott did on Little Big Horn battlefield in Montana in the 1980’s. (Custer’s Last Stand)

To excavate any battlefield using traditional archaeological methods would take several thousand years to do an area of this size.

Dr. Scott set the standard for conducting such research on battlefields through his research at Little Big Horn (his book is available on Amazon). In short battlefield archaeology is a thorough search of an area where a battle was fought using experienced metal detector operators. Artifacts are identified; catalogued and spatial information is recorded for each artifact recovered. This data is processed in order to produce accurate artifact distribution maps which will be used in the interpretation process in order to come to the best possible interpretation of the events that occurred there.

Relic hunting is NOT archaeology and I know that first hand from having been one for many years.

Much more to come on Dr. Nolan’s methodology and the archaeology conducted at this site.

[Brad Posey]

And finally for my last post tonight a photo of some of the artifacts we found last April after cleaning while they are waiting to be catalogued.

I will add much more, but my better half requires a little time ion the weekend so I will continue on Sunday.

I really appreciate the interest.

[prussian.guard]

brad this has now turned into a thread that is good enough to be put in the virtual museum absolutey fantastic and great credit is due.

[birdie]

I agree Prussian Guard

Unreal job Brad... The Sgt York Defense council rests it's case..

[Killerbee]

This thread just keeps getting better. It should be cleaned up and pinned to the top of the page.

I agree Don... it should be pinned and cleaned up. This type of "education" is why I collect. Can't wait for more... love it.

[Scott Powell]

fantastic thread, i have enjoyed reading the results of your work Mr Posey

[EMSMIT2]

Absolutely incredible!!! Will these artifacts ever be on display for the public? I would love to see them up close one day.

Eddie

[Jean-Loup]

Very nice to see some real professional grade battlefield archeology being done!

The evidence found by Mr Nolan is clearly much more convincing then the cartrige cases found by the other team, and his work is that of a real professional. I am actualy happy that the monument to York was not made at the real site, as the monument will attract tourists, who will throw garbadge on the ground, etc, etc.

JL

[Brad Posey]

Ok, I will try and sneak a few more bits in here and there between now and Sunday night when I plan on getting back at it.

To answer the question about the artifacts being on display:

Dr. Nolan took with him to Tennessee the majority of the American artifacts associated with this fight including all of the unit marked pieces - especially the G 328 collar disk.

He is currently working with the Tennessee State Museum in Nashville and the museum that I believe is at the York house in Pall Mall, Tenn. He hopes to have these artifacts displayed at these two locations.

As far as the remaining artifacts, they are currently in my trust. My intent is that they need to find a good home on display in the Argonne. I am working with a good friend of mine who works with the History Branch of the French Ministry of Defense on this project. There are plans in the making of creating a new museum in the Argonne dedicated completely to the AEF and it is hoped this will be ready before the centennial. This is where these artifacts will go.

I guess some should find a home in the US Army 82nd Airborne Division Museum at Ft. Bragg, NC, but unfortunately it seems that the Army is currently supporting “the other group” led by the Army officer. All of his artifacts have been turned over to the US Army Center of Military History and in their last press release they state that they intend to display some of them in the Pentagon and other Army museums. So unless they ask they will not receive any of the artifacts from Dr. Nolan’s research.

In the meantime I selected the best artifacts that were in my possession and these were put on display in the small exhibit in the town of Fleville which is located a few kilometers from Chatel Chehery. You have to ask the mayor, Mr. Damien Georges, and he will open it up and let you see them. But do not race over there anytime soon. The building they were in, across the street from the town Marie (town hall) is undergoing a re-roofing project so the artifacts have been temporarily removed until construction is complete.

Here are few photos of the exhibit as it looked last October before the construction started.

[Brad Posey]

Another

[Brad Posey]

The lighting was not that good in there that day and the reflection from the glass made some of these a little hard to see.

[Brad Posey]

And another

[Brad Posey]

And the last display photo

[Brad Posey]

Here is an article that summarizes what led up to the April 2009 field research we did.

http://frank.mtsu.edu/~proffice/Reco...rec1710_p2.pdf

And here is a link to the official web site of Dr. Nolan's group. I am not listed on this web site since the April 2009 research has not been added to the site pending the post-field work Dr. Nolan is still working on.

Since I am, in one way or another, becoming a sort of spokesman for the group you will probably see some of the same maps and information I am posting here on this web site in the coming months.

There is a short video on the opening page that describes some of what Dr. Nolan did in 2006, this is before I joined them. Since then a lot has happened as all of you are seeing for the first time here.

http://www.sergeantyorkproject.com

Stay tuned to the thread for much more to come.

[Gene T]

I find the meta-discussion regarding battlefield archeology and the personalities involved in this saga just as interesting and educational as the primary subject matter. This thread should be pinned for any number of reasons, but given that some of this information is being shared for the first time in public, how can we afford to let it slip by?

Thanks for the great effort, Brad

Gene T