About 40 years ago my mother found a padlock laying in a trail, the trail being one that dates back to Indian times, but hasn't been used since about the turn of the century. Our area of the Ozarks (2miles south of the Ozark county,Missouri border, and I mile west of the Fulton County, Arkansas border in what is now Baxter County) was occupied by both armies as well as various bands of bushwhackers during the war. The padlock,is made of brass or bronze and is not greatly corroded. Closed, it measures 2"long,1-3/4" wide and 3/8"thick. It has US (not U.S.) stamped in raised lettering on both sides. The body of the lock is made of two cast looking pieces riveted together. The lettering is 3/4" high and the letter US together measure about 3/4" wide. The lettering itself is a little over 1/16" wide. Around the US are 4 raised half circles and two quarter circles at the top. There is a dent approximately 1/8" deep in one side of the lock. The brass is not lacerated in the dented area,so I wondered if it had been shot open. Being mashed against a rock by a vehicle should have left lacerations in the metal, I would think. The hasp opens easily, and the key would have been double winged. Was this a mail bag lock? Could it date back to the Civil War?