Neumann and Kravic's Revolutionary War Collector's Encyclopedia illustrates
several styles of spades and shovels, and there are some drawings in The
Book of the Continental Soldier by either Neumann or maybe Peterson.  Hume's
Archaeology and the Colonial Gardener published by Colonial Williamsburg has
a nice illustration of a two-piece spade.  Sorry for the partial references
but none of the books are at hand.  Let me know if you need more information.
 
Peter Ross, the blacksmith at Williamsburg is knowledgeable about specifics
of production techniques and I have done some reproductions of a couple of
styles as well.  If you have specific questions I would be glad to try and
help.
 
Charles Keller
Collections Manager
 
 
 
At 08:17 AM 3/1/97 -0500, you wrote:
>I need some assistance in finding sources that discuss the manufacture,
>use, designs, and analysis of Revolutionary War period shovels and
>spades.  The Lake Champlain Maritime Museum recovered nearly 20 of them
>from the Revolutionary War site Mount Independence.  There appears to be
>six different styles in this collection.  One style has the name S:EDGE
>stamped in block letters into the handle.  I believe this to represent
>Samuel Edge, a blacksmith who appears in the papers of Sir William
>Johnson.  He was a NYC blacksmith applying for a job on Johnson's
>estate in 1772.  This is all I currently know about him.  He does not
>appear in the directories of NYC or Boston.  Any information regarding
>the  supplying of the American troops with tools during the Rev War would
>be helpful.
>
>Thank you
>
>Scott A. McLaughlin
>Underwater Archaeologist
>Lake Champlain Maritime Museum
>Ferrisburg, Vermont
>
>