In 2016, a remarkable archaeological discovery was made during a dig at Redoubt 9, a Civil War-era mini-fortification near Williamsburg, Virginia. Unearthed by researchers from the William & Mary Center for Archaeological Research (WMCAR) in partnership with the Virginia Department of Transportation, a mysterious glass bottle filled with corroded nails was found near the remains of a hearth built by Union troops between 1862 and 1865. This artifact, now identified as a “witch bottle,” offers a haunting glimpse into the fears and superstitions of soldiers navigating the perils of war.
Located on a highway median between exits 238 and 242 on Interstate 64 in York County, Redoubt 9 was a defensive structure occupied by both Confederate and Union forces during the Civil War. The dig was prompted by concerns that a transportation project might disturb undiscovered artifacts at the site. Among the finds—canteen fragments, bullets, horseshoe nails, uniform buttons, and ink bottle fragments—the glass bottle stood out as particularly unusual.
“It was this glass bottle full of nails, broken, but all there, near an old brick hearth,” said Joe Jones, director of WMCAR. “We thought it was unusual, but weren’t sure what it was.” Despite its broken top, the bottle was in remarkable condition, with the nails inside corroded into a solid mass. Initially, researchers speculated it might have been a simple storage vessel for nails. However, the historical context, location, and contents pointed to a far more intriguing purpose: a ritual item designed to ward off evil spirits.
Witch bottles, as experts now believe, were used during times of crisis—famine, political strife, or existential threats—to trap malevolent forces and protect their owners. “Witch bottles are the type of things people would use more generally in famine, political strife, or feeling under threat,” Jones explained. “The Union troops were definitely under all those kinds of existential threats or fears.” The bottle’s placement near the hearth, a common location for such items, further supported this theory. Historical records indicate that these bottles were often placed near fireplaces or chimneys, where the heat would activate the nails to “trap and hold evil spirits.”
Labeled “Charles Grove of Columbia, PA,” this witch bottle is one of fewer than a dozen discovered in the United States, compared to approximately 200 found in the United Kingdom. The rarity of such finds in the U.S. underscores the significance of this discovery. Other witch bottles, such as one recently found in the UK containing human teeth, fish hooks, and a mysterious liquid, highlight the diverse and eerie contents used in these rituals.
For the Union soldiers of the 5th Pennsylvania Cavalry Regiment stationed at Redoubt 9, the threat of Confederate attacks and hostility from local residents created an atmosphere of constant danger. “Given the perceived threat of Confederate attack and general hostility of local residents, he had good reason to pull all the stops and rely on folk traditions from his community in Pennsylvania to help protect his temporary home away from home,” Jones noted. The soldier who placed this bottle likely turned to this folk ritual out of desperation, seeking metaphysical protection in the face of mortal peril.
The discovery sheds light on the psychological toll of the Civil War, where fear drove soldiers to embrace superstitious practices. As the adage goes, “There are no atheists in foxholes.” While modern soldiers might turn to prayer, those at Redoubt 9 resorted to dark magic charms like the witch bottle, hoping to shield themselves from the horrors of war. This artifact, now a tangible link to the past, reveals the lengths to which embattled soldiers went to survive in enemy territory.