The A.P. Hill Camp of the Confederate Veterans was organized in 1887 at Petersburg, VA. This is an interesting souvenir likely put out by the camp in connection with the 1907 Jamestown tercenntenial since the upper bronze pinback bar pictures the Jamestown memorial church flanked by oval cartouches with portraits of John Smith and Pocahontas, the latter in her adopted European garb. Crossed cannon barrels and muskets are at the top, “PETERSBURG, VA.” is in raised letters at the bottom. The body of the pin is shaped and textured to look like a peanut- though we would have thought a tobacco leaf more appropriate.

From this is suspended by two chains a decorative bronze middle plaque and from that a three-ring Civil War minie ball by a short link. The middle plaque reads in raised letters on the front: “SOUVENIR – BATTLE OF THE CRATER AND OTHER BATTLEFIELDS AROUND PETERSBURG. VIRGINIA 1864-1865” and the reverse is reads: “A.P. HILL CAMP CONFEDERATE VETERANS CERTIFIES THAT THE ATTACHED BULLET WAS FOUND ON THE BATTLEFIELD PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA.”

The bronze has nice tones. The upper pinback bar has a small maker’s name on the reverse. The bullet shows oxidation to the lead but the three rings are still visible.

We would guess the veterans had a presence at the Jamestown Exposition held at Norfolk and Sewell’s Point from April to December 1907. Various states sponsored “houses,” there were exhibits of modern technology, and even a naval review. Numerous politicians including President Theordore Roosevelt were among the prominent visitors. Attendance had reached three million by the exposition’s close. It was not a financial success, but in World War One set the stage for development of the naval base, which preserves some of the exposition’s buildings.  [sr][ph:L]

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