In the mid-1800s, Americans were very interested in collecting objects to memorialize the past or feel connected to major events. After battles, people hunted for relics on the battlefields. Souvenir-hunting continues into the present, although digging and stealing objects from national battlefields was made illegal in 1979. These five wood fragments were collected from the Gettysburg battlefield. Each piece has a metal projectile embedded in the wood, and three of the pieces have identifying information.