A picket, or sentinel,  was the eyes and ears of the army.  Posted as close to the enemy as possible, the picket was
responsible for noting any movements of the enemy and alerting the main line or camp of an enemy attack.  An
additional duty of the picket was to prevent desertion from his own ranks.  Ironically, most deserters escaped from
their own lines at Petersburg while serving on picket duty.

   Generally, picket post locations were selected
    for their proximity to the enemy, panoramic
    view, and concealment.  On campaign,
    pickets were to remain hidden from the
    enemy's outposts and not make his
    presence known.  However, as the siege at
    Petersburg evolved, so did the tactical
    positioning of the picket.  Picket posts at
    Petersburg became permanent, well
    entrenched positions which were representative
    of standard defensive earthworks.  The
    positioning of pickets at Petersburg illustrates
    the strategy of the Federal Army to control as
    much territory as possible.  Picket trenches
    were constructed as close to the Confederate
    line as possible with little regard to terrain
    features.  As a result, the Federal picket line
                    View of the Confederate (front) and Union (back/right) picket lines                 between Elliot’s and Colquitt’s Salients
                            in front of the Crater (Photo by: Brooke Blades, Jan. 1999).                        received a terrible infiltrating rifle fire from
                                                                                                                     Confederate soldiers occupying higher ground.

    National Park Service reconstructed picket trench in Petersburg
    National Battlefield.  (Photo by: Gail Brown, July 1999)
 
 

The Federal picket line was chosen for excavation for several reasons.  First, Petersburg National Battlefield Park
was interested in locating the precise location of the Union Army's entrenched picket line.  While the park knew the
general location of the trench, all visible trace of the earthwork opposite of the Confederate line at the Crater had
vanished.  Second, this excavation would provide data to be compared to that recovered from a 1979 excavation
of the Confederate picket line at the Crater.  The excavation would also shed light on the impact an early-mid
twentieth century golf course had on the landscape.  Further, the park wished to develop a public archaeology
program.  This program would provide visitors with an opportunity to understand archaeology, its potential for
recovering lost or poorly documented history, and be introduced to the Federal Government's role in protecting the
Nation's archaeological resources.  The public archaeology program would then be evaluated and used as a model
for future public archaeology projects in the park.

Archaeology is simply not the excavating of neat artifacts.  Long before the first shovel full of dirt is moved on the
site, archaeologists must properly prepare for the project.  First, archaeologists much decide how they are going to
approach the project, and what they hope to learn from the excavation.  A excavation proposal is put together and
helps guide the project through completion.  Archaeologists then must decide where they intend to dig.  For the
Federal picket line, archaeologists decided to use a metal detector survey.  This survey provided a general location
for the picket trench, and gave archaeologists an idea where best to establish their excavation units.  Once the site
had been established, archaeologists worked with their crew and National Park Service staff to produce interpretation
materials and solve logistical issues.

Over the course of thirteen days, archaeologists excavated a 20'x7' area which revealed a cross section of the
Federal earthwork.  About half a foot below the surface, a 6'-7' wide band of very compact, gravely sand was
uncovered which ran the width of the 7' wide trench.  Archaeologists had hoped by digging a 20' long trench they
would find a portion of the picket trench.  Instead, archaeologists found the picket trench lying in the center of their
excavation units.  Within the picket trench, archaeologists found approximately 400 fired and unfired percussion caps,
unfired Federal bullets, fired Confederate bullets, tin cups, a ration can, half a canteen converted into a frying pan,
two cartridge box tins, remains of a leather bayonet scabbard and canvas knapsack, and large pieces of rubberized
canvas.

    Photo showing the four units during
    excavation.  The units were excavated
    at different levels resulting in their
    stair step appearance. (Photo by: Gail
    Brown, July 1999)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

  The compact sandy dirt which the picket
  trench was filled with matches soils found
  in Taylor's Creek, located in the rear of
  the Federal picket line.  Historic
  documents indicate that soil from the bank
  of this creek were used to fill sandbags
  which were then carried to the picket line
  and placed in front of the entrenched
  troops to provide them protection from
  incoming Confederate projectiles.  It is
  believed that soil containing the dense
  concentration of military objects was
  once piled in front of the trench and later
  used to fill in the earthwork.  The soils
  surrounding this compact sandy matrix
  contained few artifacts and quickly
  became an artifact free, natural soil, thus
  confirming the location of the Federal
  trench line.
Not far beneath the surface excavators came across this feature (note the lighter colored
soil).  This feature is the refilled picket trench.  At this point it was around six feet wide.
As the trench was excavated it became narrower. (Photo by: Gail Brown, July 1999)

Archaeologists had hoped to
at least find a portion of the
picket trench within their 20 ft
long excavation trench, but
were very happy to find the
picket line located in the center
of their four units.  (Photo by:
Gail Brown, July 1999)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

    Archaeologist attempting to recover
    one of two cartridge box tins.
    Because the metal objects were very
    brittle, archaeologists had to leave
    them encased in some dirt.  Above,
    the archaeologist has tied some
    twine around the artifact and its
    surrounding dirt to help hold it
    together while it was being
    excavated. (Photo by: Gail Brown,
    July 1999)
 
 
 
 
 

  While excavating, archaeologists not
   only look for artifacts, but changes
   in the soil.  By exploring these
   changes, archaeologists can see
   how the trench was built and later
   filled in, as well as seeing how troops
   may have lived within the trench and
   changed it to fit their needs.  By
   viewing where the artifacts lay in the
   context of the trench, archaeologists
   can piece together what activities
   were taking place in different sections
   of the trench line.

Photo of the units before they were refilled.  The average depth of the excavation was around
three feet, with some units and test holes going as deep as four and a half.
(Photo by: Gail Brown, August 1999)
 
 

  All artifacts recovered from the picket trench were
   taken to the archaeology lab at the University of
   Maryland.  In the lab the artifacts are cleaned and
   cataloged.  Notes must be taken on all of the
   artifacts, and they must be examined to determine
   how they fit into the larger picture of life in the
   trench line.  Notes taken in the field are used with
   those taken in the lab and archaeologists map
   where the artifacts came from and how they are
   related to each other.  By doing this,
   archaeologists can use the material to explore
   military culture in the mid 19th century.
 

Photo of artifacts after being washed in lab.  After they dry, the artifacts will be
cataloged and documented further. (Photo by: Gail Brown, August 1999)