Civil War soldier’s water-recovery complete leather belt, 1985 at City Point, VA

The leather belt measures 1 7/8” wide x 35” long. This is one of the artifacts recovered by divers in 1985, from the confluence of the James and Appomattox Rivers, near City Point, Virginia. City Point was the site of Gen. U.S. Grant’s sprawling headquarters and a major supply base during the Siege of Petersburg (see pictures).

A successful blow was delivered on August 9, 1864, when a Confederate operative named John Maxwell planted a time bomb (which he called a "horological torpedo") aboard a munitions barge docked near the shore. The resulting explosion destroyed several large buildings, 180 feet of wharf, two million dollars of munitions and supplies, and killed more than forty workers. The blast rained potentially lethal debris all across City Point, including General Grant’s headquarters. Grant was not injured, but one staff officer was struck, and an orderly killed.

Most of these river-recovered artifacts have survived because of being submerged and covered by silt, creating an anaerobic environment, thereby preventing deterioration. This belt is in nice condition and still pliable even being under water for 125 years. This is a nice piece with a lot of history behind it. It comes in the 8 ¼” x 4” x 4” acrylic display case.