Written by the TreasureGude for the exclusive use of the Treasure Beaches Report.
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Pigeon Island, St. Lucie
Personal Vacation Photo. |
I've been posting some of my old finds that stick out in my memory. Many do, but there are many more that I've almost completely forgotten. Some are remembered because of some quality of the item itself, some because of the situation or conditions of the find, and some are remembered for other reasons.
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British Military Buttons: 54th and 76th Regiments.
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Above are two buttons found on Pigeon Island, St. Lucia. There are several reasons that I remember them so well. They were the first old military buttons I ever found. I also remember them because they were found at a beautiful and historic West Indies site that I was hunting for the first time.
It was generally a memorable hunt, which I've described before. For part of that hunt, I was hanging on a steep hillside. One thing I remember about that was the crabs, which, when I scared them, pulled into their shells and rolled a hundred or so yards down a steep hillside.
While I haven't found documentation of when the 54th regiment of foot was on Pigeon Island, the regiment was raised in 1774 and disbanded in 1881. I did find the following in Wikipedia.
In June 1794 the regiment embarked for Flanders for service in the French Revolutionary Wars. The regiment returned to England in 1795 but then embarked for the West Indies. A second battalion was raised in May 1800 to increase the strength of the regiment...
As for the 76th...
In 1814, it deployed to Canada for the closing stages of the War of 1812 (1812-15). It stayed there on garrison duties for 12 years, followed by seven years in the West Indies from 1834...
I'm not sure that the documentation above accounts for the finds, which were found in close proximity to each other and some other old artifacts, including a musket flint and cock, musket balls, and grapeshot.
It appeared to me that there was action on the hillside that I was detecting, but the musket parts, etc. could have been discarded or otherwise lost, but I doubt that the musket cock would have been discarded with the flint, which I would think would be reusable.
Pigeon Island had a long and colorful history.
And more to the time period of the buttons...
Here is a link for more about Pigeon Island.
On the same trip I found a variety of other items. I saw grapeshot, but left them. One I saw on a second visit a few years later exactly where I left it nestled in the roots at the base of a tree.
There are other stories to tell about that trip, but for now I'll tell only one. I mentioned the musket cock and flint. I first found the flint. Then I saw a twisted piece of rusted metal. I didn't recognize it at the time. It was still very early in my metal detecting days and I hadn't found those kinds of items before. It was too early. I didn't recognize what they were when I first saw them. I regret that to this day. I often say, "I wish I knew then what I know now," and that was one of those cases. I wish I recognized those items when I first saw them, and I don't know when I finally realized they were from a musket, but not too much later it hit me. It would have been a good clue if I recognized them immediately. I would have searched that area even better.
I doubt that metal detecting is allowed on Pigeon Island today, but I'm also sure if you have any skill in eyeballing, you could still find some neat surface finds. There are steep hillsides where things would be uncovered as the hillside erodes and a shoreline where things will occasionally be uncovered.
There were many pieces of blue and white dinnerware scattered along the paths. There are probably still remains of old stone buildings to inspect. And some shallow water areas to scuba. That might include a quick peak inside a cave which you can enter at low tide.
I'm pretty sure that you would not be allowed to metal detect Pigeon Island today, but I'd bet there are still cannons in place. I understand that there are restaurants and a probably museum there today too. When I was there, many years ago, it was abandoned and in disrepair. I've learned a lot since then and would undoubtedly still be able to find some interesting things with or without a metal detector. Again, I wish I knew then what I know today.
I'll have a few more stories of Pigeon Island to post someday soon.
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Nothing but a one to three foot surf on the Treasure Coast for a few days.
Good hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net
