Sounds like the tags that were put on bags of mail.  The initials and
numbers generally indicated the rail route, however, I cannot remember a
CT&P.  There was a Texas and Pacific.  Possibly some short line.

Stephen P. Austin


-----Original Message-----
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Sent: Wednesday, May 10, 2000 9:13 AM
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Subject: (no subject)


Hello Everyone: 

I need some help identifying an artifact recently found at a site in 
Missouri.  We are mitigating a small, middle-nineteenth century site 
(believed to represent a small farmstead or rural home site) located on the 
floodplain of the Missouri River opposite the community of St. Charles.  
After removing the plowzone, only two features were uncovered -a small pit 
and a relatively large, wood-lined cellar.  As we are still in the field on 
this project, a thorough analysis of the artifacts will have to wait.  
Nonetheless, the artifacts in the cellar appear to represent materials from 
the 1850s (and probably1860s?) and include several three-piece military 
buttons along with the more usual domestic debris.  The artifact in question

is a large (1 ¼" diameter) tag similar to a military "dog tag."  The copper 
tag (which appears to have been cast) has a hole on the top and is marked
"C. 
T. P. / 6973/ 1862" in raised letters (on three separate lines).  The 
opposite side of the tag is blank.  Does anyone have any ideas as to what
"C. 
T. P." might refer to?  

Thanks in advance for your help.