Battlefield Archeology at Cedar Creek

Equipment used by professional archeologists: metal detector and headphones (left), survey flags (center), and a shovel (right)

NPS Photo

Written records and oral histories help park rangers tell the story of Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park. But they do not tell the full story. These accounts can be vague, contradictory, or affected by the passage of time. Landscape changes make it difficult to figure out where Civil War camps or battle lines were. Historic maps may no longer be accurate. Sometimes our questions can only be answered by archeology.

Research Questions

Confederates attacked US troops here during the Battle of Cedar Creek. The National Park Service (NPS) wanted answers to several research questions:

1. Were there camps on this property? Many people believe the construction of Interstate-81 in 1965 destroyed most, if not all, of the the Civil War campsites.
2. Can we learn anything new about camp life before the battle? Relic hunters excavated many artifacts here before NPS protections existed.
3. Did combat happen on this property? Historians argue that the fighting done on this ridge was brief and ineffective.

Fieldwork Findings

Archeologists surveyed the Morning Attack Trails with metal detectors. The results of this fieldwork, combined with Geographic Information System (GIS) analysis, changed the interpretation of this stage of the battle.

Professionals metal-detected the property in a grid pattern. They found clear evidence of campsites on land preserved by the NPS. A careful mapping of each location used a high-accuracy geographic positioning system. Recovered artifacts have been cleaned, preserved, and stored in the park's museum collection. Found items included bullets hand carved into art or game pieces, instrument parts, melted lead, and dining ware. These show how soldiers spent their free time in camp.

The archeologists also found a patriotic token associated with voting. The token showed the United States flag and the slogan “If anybody attempts to tear it down Shoot them on the Spot.” Many states allowed soldiers to vote absentee during the war. The token reminds us that those who camped here were also preparing to vote in the 1864 presidential election.

Dropped or fired bullets helped park staff understand the fighting on this property. Early morning combat may have been longer, and harder fought, than previous thought. Bullets fired by cavalry carbines likely came from the US counterattack that afternoon.

Civil War sketch artist Alfred Waud's drawing of the Battle of Cedar Creek

Library of Congress

Artillery

Archeologists found clusters of friction primers. These hand-held tools ignited large artillery guns. Their location matches the reported position of Battery L, 1st Ohio Light Artillery. Before this archeological survey, park staff could only estimate the cannons' locations based on written records. Now we know for certain where at least one gun was, and about how many times it fired.

What Can You Do?

All artifacts are protected by the Archeological Resources Protection Act. Federal law prohibits relic hunting, digging for artifacts, or removing any historical item from NPS property. Violation can lead to confiscation of equipment, arrest, and a felony prosecution.

If you see disturbed earth or find an artifact during your visit, leave it where you found it. Do not pick it up, move it, put it in your pocket or bag, or bury it. Do take a photograph and document the location. Contact park staff immediately.

Thanks to land preservation and the hard work of skilled professionals, visitors can now walk this hallowed ground and better understand what happened here.