Revolutionary War Caltrop recovered many years ago at Boston, Massachusetts (SOLD)

This is another nice early piece coming out of a 60-year collection of French & Indian War/Revolutionary War artifacts. Being offered is a Revolution War Caltrop, sometimes referred to as “crow’s feet”. It is a four-pointed barbed wrought iron device, each branch measuring 1”, used by militaries since antiquity. There were three of the caltrops in the collection, this being the last one. This example was recovered in the early 20th century in the Boston, Massachusetts area.

When dropped, three of the caltrop’s points act as a base while one-point sticks up, making it dangerous to humans and horses alike. When placed in groups, caltrops effectively deter enemies from approaching or traveling through areas, much like modern-day land mines.

Caltrops have been found in pre-Revolutionary sites of the English colonies in America, including Jamestown and Ticonderoga, but not in large numbers. This may be because they were individually made, so there weren’t huge quantities to begin with. In "Soldiers of the American Revolution", by Don Troiani, there is a caltrop shown (see pictures). In the book it states, “The British were recorded as using them at Boston in 1775”. There are also examples of caltrops in “Collectors Illustrated Encyclopedia of the American Revolution” (see pictures).

The Siege of Boston was the eleven-month period from 19 April 1775 to 17 March 1776 when American militiamen effectively contained British troops within Boston, and after the Battle of Bunker Hill, to the peninsula of Charlestown. The American, or Provincial, armed forces, were initially called the New England Army (formed from the militiamen who answered the alarm on 19 April 1775) and then became part of the Continental Army when it was established in June 1775.

During the Siege many residents moved out of Boston, and some Loyalists from the surrounding countryside moved into town. Conditions within the town were harsh for all who remained; although the British maintained control of Boston Harbor, provisions dwindled while they waited for supply ships to arrive.

The Siege continued until George Washington, commander of the Continental Army, seized and fortified Dorchester Heights, just outside Boston, on the night of March 4th, 1776. Using artillery captured by an expedition led by Henry Knox from Fort Ticonderoga and Crown Point, Washington's forces aimed cannons at British ships anchored in the harbor. On March 17th, the British were finally forced to evacuate Boston.

The caltrop remains in very nice condition, having surface rust but solid, typical of being an early recovery. This collection began in the late 1950s and the collector meticulously displayed and cataloged every piece along with its provenance. This is the first time this caltrop has been on the open market, and it is truly a great piece of early American History.

Boston recovered artifacts are rare and desirable because the area is so built up now. It definitely merits a place in an advanced collection or museum. As with all the pieces in this esteemed collection, a Certificate of Authenticity will be included.