Civil War artifacts uncovered at Harding House site

Some 40-50 artifacts were recovered July 12 near the Stones River Battlefield on the first day of the Harding House Civil War History Survey, a geospatial/archaeological project that is being conducted this month on land slated for development this summer.

Dr. Tom Nolan, director of MTSU’s Laboratory for Spatial Technology, along with archaeologist Zada Law, led the all-volunteer team on its first day of the survey, which yielded Civil War-era artifact finds such as lead shot, a minie ball and a canister shot, among other battle-related discoveries.

Some 25 selected volunteers, including MTSU anthropology and history students, as well as members of Middle Tennessee Metal Detectors, used metal detectors and GPS equipment to survey and map the area around the Harding House site, where Brig. Gen. Philip H. Sheridan’s Union division held up the Confederate advance during the first day of the Battle of Stones River on Dec. 31, 1862.