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diff --git a/38738.txt b/38738.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..1c97a1b --- /dev/null +++ b/38738.txt @@ -0,0 +1,6689 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of American Military Insignia 1800-1851, by +J. Duncan Campbell + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: American Military Insignia 1800-1851 + +Author: J. Duncan Campbell + +Release Date: February 2, 2012 [EBook #38738] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AMERICAN MILITARY INSIGNIA *** + + + + +Produced by Charlene Taylor, Joseph Cooper, Christine P. +Travers and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + +[Transcriber's notes: Obvious printer's errors have been corrected, +all other inconsistencies are as in the original. The author's +spelling has been maintained. + +Characters enclosed in { } are superscripts.] + + + + +SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION + +UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM + +BULLETIN 235 + +WASHINGTON, D.C. + +1963 + + + + +_Publications of the United States National Museum_ + +The scholarly publications of the United States National Museum +include two series, _Proceedings of the United States National Museum_ +and _United States National Museum Bulletin_. + +In these series are published original articles and monographs dealing +with the collections and work of the Museum and setting forth newly +acquired facts in the fields of Anthropology, Biology, History, +Geology, and Technology. Copies of each publication are distributed to +libraries and scientific organizations and to specialists and others +interested in the different subjects. + +The _Proceedings_, begun in 1878, are intended for the publication, in +separate form, of shorter papers. These are gathered in volumes, +octavo in size, with the publication date of each paper recorded in +the table of contents in the volume. + +In the _Bulletin_ series, the first of which was issued in 1875, +appear longer, separate publications consisting of monographs +(occasionally in several parts) and volumes in which are collected +works on related subjects. _Bulletins_ are either octavo or quarto in +size, depending on the needs of the presentation. Since 1902 papers +relating to the botanical collections of the Museum have been +published in the _Bulletin_ series under the heading _Contributions +from the United States National Herbarium_. + +This work is number 235 of the _Bulletin_ series. + + FRANK A. TAYLOR + _Director, United States National Museum_ + + + For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing + Office + Washington 25, D.C.--Price $2 + + + + +[Illustration: Shoulder-belt plate of Vermont Militia, attributed to +Ethan Allen, about 1785. In collection of Dr. John Lattimer.] + + + + +MUSEUM OF HISTORY AND TECHNOLOGY + + +American Military Insignia + +1800-1851 + + +J. Duncan Campbell and Edgar M. Howell + + +SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, WASHINGTON, D.C. + +1963 + + + + +Contents + + _Page_ + + Preface ix + + Bibliography xiv + + Introduction 3 + Organization of the Regular Army 3 + Organization of the Militia 6 + + Insignia of the Regular Army 7 + Cap and Helmet Devices 7 + Shoulder-Belt and Waist-Belt Plates 31 + + Insignia of the Uniformed Militia 51 + Cap and Helmet Devices 51 + Shoulder-Belt and Waist-Belt Plates 88 + + + + +Preface + + +This catalog is a descriptive and interpretive listing of the insignia +of the Army of the United States--other than buttons, epaulets, and +horse furniture--in the National Collections that were prescribed or +worn during the period 1800-1851. The subject of early American +military buttons has been covered by L. F. Emilio in _The Emilio +Collection of Military Buttons_ (Salem, Massachusetts: Essex +Institute, 1911), W. L. Calver and R. P. Bolton in _History Written +with Pick and Shovel_ (New York: New York Historical Society, 1950), +and David F. Johnson in _Uniform Buttons, American Armed Forces_, +1784-1948. (Watkins Glen, New York: Century House, 1948, 2 vols.). For +epaulets, see Mendel L. Peterson, "American Army Epaulets, 1814-1872," +_Military Collector and Historian_ (March 1961, vol. 3, no. 1, pp. +1-14). + +Most of the specimens described here are from the huge W. Stokes Kirk +Collection acquired in 1959, supplemented by the War Department +Collection and the numerous biographical collections of the United +States National Museum; in addition, a few insignia in the collections +of J. Duncan Campbell and others are included. + +The unique W. Stokes Kirk Collection, unmatched in scope, volume, and +rarity, is worthy of special note. It was begun in 1878 by W. Stokes +Kirk, Sr., of Philadelphia, a dealer in U.S. Government surplus. +Struck by the beautiful design and delicate art work in some of the +early insignia, Mr. Kirk put aside all old and unusual devices for his +personal collection. As his business expanded, so did his interest in +military rarities and curios. After each bulk purchase from government +sources, he would have all the odd and unusual items sorted out for +his examination. The best of such items went into his personal +collection, which included rare firearms, powder flasks, insignia, +epaulets, military caps, and the like. W. Stokes Kirk, Jr., who +succeeded his father and expanded the business nationally until it +became almost as well known as Bannerman's Military Store in New York +City, maintained and enlarged the collection. After his death, in +1946, the collection was continued by his widow, Mrs. Linnie A. Kirk +Mosler. Items in this catalog from the W. Stokes Kirk Collection are +indicated by the letters "S-K" in parentheses following the United +States National Museum number. + +Although this catalog is, in more than one sense, a developmental +history of American military insignia, it is not, and is not intended +to be, a definitive study. The picture is far too incomplete. Whereas +the record of Regular Army devices after 1821 is fairly clear--despite +the fact that the uniform regulations continued sometimes to use the +tantalizing phrase "according to pattern"--there remain serious gaps +in the pre-1821 period when regulations were exceedingly vague and +fragmentary at best; for example, the badges of the Regiment of Light +Artillery (1812-1821). These gaps will be filled only by excavating at +sites known to have been occupied by specific Regular units during +particular periods. Indeed, since this study was begun, four unique +and significant insignia were excavated at the site of a War of 1812 +cantonment, and these greatly enrich our knowledge of the period. + +The record of insignia of the veritable multitude of independent +uniformed Militia companies in existence during the period under +consideration may never be complete. The selection presented here, +however, is an excellent representative chronological cross section of +typical designs and variations of insignia worn by the uniformed or +"volunteer" Militia, as opposed to the "common" or "standing" Militia. + +The best sources of documentation and dating for Regular Army devices +are the uniform regulations and ordnance regulations; these are +supplemented by pertinent records in the National Archives, notably +the letter files of the Purveyor of Public Supplies and of the +Commissary General of Purchases. The letter files are voluminous, but +in some cases badly mixed and in many cases incomplete. We have +conjectured a reason for this incompleteness. The two prime +contractors for military insignia during the period 1812-1821 were +George Armitage and William Crumpton, both of whom had their small +factories in Philadelphia within a mile of the office of Callendar +Irvine, Commissary General of Purchases. The paucity of written +transactions in the records in the National Archives between these +gentlemen and Irvine tends to bear out our assumption that most of +their dealings were conducted verbally in Irvine's office. This would +account for the lack of sketches and drawings of cap plates and belt +plates in files of the National Archives. In cases where no specific +documentary evidence is available, dating has been based on a careful +evaluation of design development and comparison with biographical +specimens that can be more fairly dated through knowledge of the +former owner's career. Excavated insignia from datable sites have also +reduced the problem considerably. + +For Militia insignia worn about 1835, the best documentation is to be +found in _U.S. Military Magazine_, published between 1839 and 1842 by +Huddy and Duval of Philadelphia, and in _New York Military Magazine_, +published by Labree and Stockton of New York during 1841. In 1939, +Frederick P. Todd described the Huddy and Duval prints in detail +(_Journal of the American Military Institute_, 1939, vol. 3, no. 3, +pp. 166-176). However, evaluation and consideration of over-all design +development and comparison with dated biographical specimens of the +earlier period, before 1835, are difficult and must be done +cautiously, as there is no orderly pattern. One generalization does +seem clear: during the decade after 1821, when the Regulars discarded +large cap plates, the Militia almost universally adopted them and +continued to wear them well into the 1840's. Very few insignia include +the maker's name or initials, but when they do, bracketing within a +definite period is relatively easy. Similarly, when a cap plate +appears to be original to a cap, the design of the cap and its maker's +label, if included, are of great help. Finally, when there is nothing +else to rely on, the "feel" of the specimen, gained through the +experience of studying several thousand, has been used, although with +reluctance. + +The year 1800 was selected as the opening date of the study because it +was in that year that the first metal ornament was prescribed to +designate a particular branch of service. The closing date of 1851 was +chosen because Regular Army devices for that year and thereafter are +well documented in uniform regulations, manuals, and catalogs of +manufacturers such as William Horstmann and Sons. Militia dress after +that general date becomes so increasingly complex that it should be +attempted only as a separate study. + +Most of the specimens described in this study were struck from steel +dies; however--despite the relative wealth of knowledge on the +striking of coins--little is known of the exact process, especially +prior to the appearance of the punch press in the 1830's. Several +insignia dies dating as early as the War of 1812 period and a number +dating in the 1840's do exist, however. All of these examined were +found to be female dies, with the design in intaglio rather than in +relief. The design was worked into the die--the art generally termed +"die-sinking"--in the same basic manner as in coin dies. The die +sinker first softened the steel to suit his particular taste and then +incised the design, using a succession of small chisels. The steel was +then retempered to withstand high impact pressures. Although there is +no documentation on the subject, manufacturing techniques of the +period indicate that the following process was probably employed: the +die was locked in place at the base of a drop press, similar to a +guillotine, so that it could be struck accurately from above; a piece +of pure lead was then affixed to the bottom of the weighted drop and +allowed to strike the die a sufficient number of times to completely +receive the impression of the die and become, in effect, a male +counterpart; lastly, a thin sheet of brass, copper, or pewter was +placed on the female die and struck with the weighted lead male, +receiving the desired impression but without the excessive stretching +and resultant cracking that a steel-on-steel strike might have +produced. Examination of finished products in the national collections +bears out this theory of production; few if any of the specimens show +evidence of having been struck with a steel male die. + +With only a few exceptions, all specimens have been photographed on a +1-inch grid. All references to right and left are made according to +heraldic usage; the heraldic right is always on the left as viewed. + +During the months this work has been in progress, many people and +institutions have generously assisted in many ways. It is a pleasure +to thank them for their help. + +Mr. Detmar Finke of the Office of the Chief of Military History, +Department of the Army, reviewed the Regular Army portions of the +manuscript and made many valuable suggestions. Mr. Frederick P. Todd, +director of The West Point Museum, graciously answered many questions +relative to both Regular Army and Militia insignia. Through the +courtesy of Mr. James Koping and Miss Elizabeth Ulrich of the +Pennsylvania State Library, The _U.S. Military Magazine_ of Huddy and +Duval was made available for unlimited use. + +Thanks are also given to the following, who furnished photographs of +specimens in their collections: Mr. Waverly P. Lewis, Devon, +Connecticut; Mr. William E. Codd, Monkton, Maryland; The Filson Club, +Louisville, Kentucky; The West Point Museum; The Fort Sill Museum; Old +Fort Erie Museum, Ontario, Canada; The Niagara Historical Society +Museum, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada; The Washington County +Historical Society Museum, Fort Calhoun, Nebraska; the Valley Forge +Chapel Museum, and Dr. John Lattimer, New York City. + +Mr. Michael Arpad of Washington, D.C., was especially helpful in +matters pertaining to the techniques of chasing and die sinking. + + J. DUNCAN CAMPBELL + EDGAR M. HOWELL + + _March 1, 1963._ + + + + +Bibliography + +The following works have been used in gathering the material for this +book. They are frequently referred to in the text in shortened form. + + +_American military history, 1607-1953._ (ROTC Manual 145-20, +Department of the Army.) Washington, 1956. + +_American state papers, class V, military affairs._ Vol. 1. +Washington: Gales and Seaton, 1832. + +ANSELL, S. T. Legal and historical aspects of the Militia. _Yale Law +Journal_ (April 1917), vol. 26, no. 6, pp. 471-480. + +BARNES, R. M. _Military uniforms of Britain and the Empire._ London: +Seeley Service and Co., 1960. + +BELOTE, THEODORE T. _American and European swords in the historical +collections of the United States National Museum._ (U.S. National +Museum Bulletin 163.) Washington, 1932. + +A bit of U.S. Mint history. _American Journal of Numismatics_ (1908), +vol. 43, no. 2, pp. 45-50. + +CALVER, W. L., and BOLTON, R. P. _History written with pick and +shovel._ New York: New York Historical Society, 1950. + +CHAMBERLAIN, GEORGIA S. Moritz Furst, die-sinker and artist. _The +Numismatist._ (June 1954), vol. 67, no. 6, pp. 588-592. + +DAVIS, GHERARDI. _The colors of the United States Army, 1789-1912._ +New York: Privately printed, 1912. + +EMILIO, L. F. _The Emilio collection of military buttons._ Salem, +Massachusetts: Essex Institute, 1911. + +FINKE, DETMAR H. Insignia of rank in the Continental Army, 1775-1783. +_Military Collector and Historian_ (fall 1956), vol. 8, no. 3, pp. +71-73. + +_General regulations for the Army._ Philadelphia: M. Carey and Sons, +1821. + +_General regulations for the Army of the United States._ Washington: +Department of the Army, 1835. + +_General regulations for the Army of the United States, 1847._ +Washington: J. and G. S. Gideon, 1847. + +GRONERT, T. G. The first national pastime in the Middle West. _Indiana +Magazine of History_ (September 1933), vol. 29, no. 3, pp. 171-186. + +History of the organization of the United States cavalry. MS, Office +of the Chief of Military History, Department of the Army, Washington, +D.C. + +HOPKINS, ALFRED F. Volunteer corps hat of 1814. _Military Affairs_ +(winter 1941), vol. 5, no. 4, pp. 271-272. + +JOHNSON, DAVID F. _Uniform buttons, American armed forces, 1784-1948._ +2 vols. Watkins Glen, New York: Century House, 1948. + +JONES, WILLARD L. History of the organization of the United States +Field Artillery. MS, Office of the Chief of Military History, +Department of the Army, Washington, D.C. + +_Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789._ Edit. Worthington +Chauncey Ford and others. 34 vols. Washington: Carnegie Foundation, +1904-1937. + +KIVETT, MARVIN F. Excavations at Fort Atkinson, Nebraska, a +preliminary report. _Nebraska History_ (March 1959), vol. 40, no. 1, +pp. 39-66. + +Knox papers. MSS Division, Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. + +KUHN, EDWARD C. U.S. Army colors and standards of 1808. _Military +Affairs_ (winter 1941), vol. 5, no. 4, pp. 263-267. + +LEFFERTS, CHARLES W. _Uniforms of the American, British, French, and +German Armies in the War of the American Revolution._ New York: New +York Historical Society, 1926. + +LEWIS, WAVERLY P. _U.S. military headgear, 1770-1880._ Devon, +Connecticut: Privately printed, 1960. + +LUNDEBERG, PHILIP K. A history of the North Carolina Militia, +1784-1848. Master's dissertation, Duke University, 1947. + +MAHON, JOHN K. The citizen soldier in national defense, 1789-1815. +Doctor's dissertation, University of California at Los Angeles, 1950. + +----. History of the organization of the United States Infantry. (Pp. +1-61 in vol. 2 of _The Army lineage book_, Washington: Department of +the Army, 1953.) + +MCBARRON, H. CHARLES. Regiment of Riflemen, winter uniform, 1812-1815. +Military Collector and Historian (December 1954), vol. 6, no. 4, p. +100. + +----. The 18th U.S. Infantry Regiment, 1814-1815. _Military Collector +and Historian_ (summer 1955), vol. 7, no. 2, pp. 48-49. + +MCCLELLAN, E. N. Uniforms of the American Marines, 1775 to 1827. +Mimeographed in 1932 by Marine Corps Historical Section, Department of +the Navy, Washington, D.C. + +_The military laws of the United States._ Edit. John F. Callan. +Philadelphia: George W. Childes, 1863. + +_New York Military Magazine_ (1841). + +_Official Army register, corrected to October 31, 1848._ Washington, +1848. + +Official drawings for the U.S. Army uniform regulations of 1851. +_Military Collector and Historian_, vol. 10, no. 1 (spring 1958), pp. +17-19; vol. 10, no. 2 (summer 1958), pp. 43-45. + +_Old Print Shop Portfolio_ (May 1961), vol. 20, no. 9. + +PARKYN, MAJ. H. G. _Shoulder-belt plates and buttons._ Aldershot, +Hants, England: Gale and Polden, Ltd., 1956. + +PATTERSON, C. MEADE. The military rifle flasks of 1832 and 1837. +_Military Collector and Historian_ (March 1953), vol. 5, no. 1, pp. +7-12. + +PETERSON, HAROLD L. _The American sword_, New Hope, Pennsylvania: The +River House, 1954. + +PETERSON, MENDEL L. American Army epaulets, 1841-1872. _Military +Collector and Historian_ (March 1951), vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 1-14. + +PREBLE, GEORGE HENRY. _History of the flag of the United States of +America._ Boston: A. Williams and Co., 1880. + +Records of the Adjutant General's Office. Record Group 94, National +Archives, Washington, D.C. + +_Regulations for the government of the Ordnance Department._ +Washington: Francis P. Blair, 1834. + +_Regulations for the uniform and dress of the Army of the United +States, June 1851._ Philadelphia: William H. Horstmann and Sons, 1851. + +RIKER, WILLIAM H. _Soldiers of the States._ Washington: Public Affairs +Press, 1957. + +Standing Order Book, 1st Infantry, Detroit. MSS Division, Library of +Congress, Washington, D. C. + +SWANSON, NEIL H. _The perilous flight._ New York: Farrar and Rinehart, +1945. + +TODD, FREDERICK P. The Huddy and Duval prints. _Journal of the +American Military Institute_ (1939), vol. 3, no. 3, pp. 166-176. + +----. Notes on the dress of the Regiment of Light Artillery, U.S.A. +_Military Collector and Historian_ (March 1950), vol. 2, no. 1, p. 10. + +----. Our National Guard: An introduction to its history. _Military +Affairs_, vol. 5, no. 2 (summer 1941), pp. 73-86; vol. 5, no. 3 (fall +1941), pp. 152-170. + +----. The curious case of the Voltigeur uniform. _Military Collector +and Historian_ (June 1952), vol. 4, no. 2, pp. 44-45. + +----. Notes on the organization and uniforms of South Carolina +military forces, 1860-1861. _Military Collector and Historian_ +(September 1951), vol. 3, no. 3, pp. 53-62. + +----. Three leather cockades. _Military Collector and Historian_ +(spring 1956), vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 24-25. + +TOWNSEND, F. C., and TODD, FREDERICK P. Branch insignia of the Regular +cavalry, 1833-1872. _Military Collector and Historian_ (spring 1956), +vol. 8, no. 1, pp. 1-5. + +UPTON, EMORY. The military policy of the United States. Senate +Document No. 379, 64th Congress, 1st Session. Washington: 1916. + +_U.S. Military Magazine_ (1839-1842), vols. 1-3. + +WALL, ALEXANDER J. The flag with an eagle in the canton. _New York +Historical Society Quarterly Bulletin_ (October 1933), vol. 17, no. 3, +pp. 51-67. + +WIKE, JOHN W. Untitled MS, Office of the Chief of Military History, +Department of the Army, Washington, D.C. + +_Writings of George Washington._ Edit. John G. Fitzpatrick. +Washington: 1944. + +ZIEBER, EUGENE. _Heraldry in America._ Philadelphia: Bailey, Banks, +and Biddle, 1909. + + + + +American + +Military Insignia + +1800-1851 + + + + +Introduction + + +In almost all armies it long has been standard practice to use +distinctive devices of cloth and metal to distinguish between arms and +services, and between individual units of each arm, to enhance morale +and develop esprit de corps. Colors of units of the British Army have +had ancient badges emblazoned on them since before the establishment +of the present standing army in 1661. By the end of the first half of +the 18th century some of these badges had been authorized for +placement on horse furniture or for wear on grenadier caps. This was +especially true of the regiments of horse and a few of the older +regiments of foot. The infantry regiments received numerical +designations in 1751, and these numbers were worn on waist belts, +shoulder belts, and cartridge-box plates. When the infantry units +acquired county titles in 1782, these names often were added to the +plates. In 1767 regimental numbers were ordered placed on the buttons +of officers and other ranks; in practice these numbers were often +combined with other devices.[1] + +[Footnote 1: PARKYN'S _Shoulder-Belt Plates and Buttons_ contains a +wealth of information on British regimental devices.] + +In the American Army such devices have taken many forms, ranging from +distinctive buttons, plumes, cockades, cap plates, shoulder-belt +plates, and waist-belt and cartridge-box plates to the well-known +shoulder sleeve insignia and distinctive unit insignia of the present +day. The origin of much of this insignia and many of the changes in +its design can be tied more or less directly to the organization of +the Regular Army--its contractions and expansions and its changes in +arm and service designations--and to the peculiar circumstances +surrounding the origin and growth of the volunteer or uniformed +Militia. Thus, a short discussion of the organization of each is in +order.[2] + +[Footnote 2: For history of the organization of the Army, see +_American Military History, 1607-1953_; MAHON, "History of the +Organization of the United States Infantry"; and JONES, "History of +the Organization of the United States Field Artillery." + +Unfortunately, there is no single, completely satisfactory source on +the militia system of the United States. The following works, however, +contain sound information and, when taken together, provide an +excellent background on the subject: TODD, "Our National Guard"; +MAHON, "Citizen Soldier"; LUNDEBERG, "History of the North Carolina +Militia"; ANSELL, "Legal and Historical Aspects of the Militia"; +GRONERT, "First National Pastime in the Middle West"; and RIKER, +_Soldiers of the States_.] + + +Organization of the Regular Army + +Two months after the War of the Revolution officially ended with the +signing of a peace treaty on September 3, 1783, General Washington +directed the Army to turn in its arms and disband.[3] Since the +Continental Congress had made no provision for a permanent +establishment, Washington retained in service one infantry regiment +and a battalion of artillery to guard military stores and take over +posts to be evacuated by the British.[4] Early in June 1784 Congress +ordered these units disbanded except for detachments to guard stores +at Fort Pitt and West Point; then, in order to secure the frontier +against Indian unrest, it immediately authorized a regiment to be +raised from the militia of four of the States to comprise eight +companies of infantry and two of artillery.[5] This unit, called the +First American Regiment, gradually turned into a regular organization. + +[Footnote 3: _Writings of George Washington_, vol. 27, p. 222.] + +[Footnote 4: Ibid., pp. 256-258; also letter dated January 3, 1784, +from Henry Knox, Commander in Chief of the Army, to President of the +Continental Congress (in Knox papers).] + +[Footnote 5: Journals of the Continental Congress, vol. 27, p. 524; +also, UPTON, p. 69.] + +The failure of an expedition commanded by Col. Josiah Harmar of the +First American Regiment against the Indians in 1790 awakened the +Congress somewhat to the threat in the Northwest and resulted in the +organization of another infantry regiment, which was designated the 2d +Infantry Regiment; the First American Regiment was redesignated the +"1st".[6] Trouble with the Indians continued, and after another severe +reverse Congress authorized the raising of three additional infantry +regiments and, at the same time, empowered the President to organize +the Army as he might see fit.[7] + +[Footnote 6: Act of March 3, 1791 (_Military Laws_, pp. 90-91).] + +[Footnote 7: Act of March 5, 1792 (_Military Laws_, pp. 92-94).] + +Under this discretionary power, the Army was reorganized into the +Legion of the United States. This was a field army in which the three +combat branches--infantry, cavalry, and artillery--were combined. The +Legion was in turn broken down into four sublegions, with each +containing infantry, cavalry, artillery, and riflemen; thus, the +sublegions were the fore-runners of the modern combined arms team. The +1st and 2d Infantries became the 1st and 2d Sublegions. Of the three +additional infantry regiments authorized, only two were organized, +these becoming the 3d and 4th Sublegions.[8] Under the forceful +leadership of Gen. Anthony Wayne the Legion reversed the record on the +frontier and decisively defeated the Indians at the Battle of Fallen +Timbers. The temporary peace which followed turned attention to the +problem of protecting the Atlantic seaboard, and in 1794 Congress +authorized a large increase in the artillery, assigned engineer +officers, and designated the new organization the Corps of +Artillerists and Engineers.[9] The Legion was continued until it was +replaced in 1796 by the 1st, 2d, 3d, and 4th Infantry Regiments, which +were constituted from the four sublegions, two troops of light +dragoons, and the above-mentioned Corps.[10] + +[Footnote 8: _American State Papers_, pp. 40-41.] + +[Footnote 9: Act of May 9, 1794 (_Military Laws_, p. 104).] + +[Footnote 10: Act of May 30, 1796 (_Military Laws_, p. 114).] + +The threat of war with France in 1798 brought further expansions. In +April of that year an "additional regiment" of artillerists and +engineers was authorized, with the Corps created in 1794 becoming the +1st and the new unit being designated the 2d Regiment of Artillerists +and Engineers.[11] In the following July, 12 more regiments of +infantry and 6 troops of light dragoons--to be combined with the two +troops in existence to form a regiment--were authorized; an additional +24 regiments of infantry, plus units of other arms, authorized the +following winter made a total of 40 regiments of infantry.[12] +Actually, the greatest part of this force remained on paper. Only the +1st and 2d Infantries ever attained their required strength, and only +3,400 men were enlisted for the 5th through the 16th. There were no +enlistments at all for the other regiments. Officers were assigned to +the six troops of light dragoons, but no enlisted personnel were +raised and no horses were bought.[13] + +[Footnote 11: Act of April 27, 1798 (_Military Laws_, pp. 119-120).] + +[Footnote 12: Acts of July 16, 1798, and March 2, 1799 (_Military +Laws_, pp. 127-128).] + +[Footnote 13: _American State Papers_, p. 137.] + +More quickly than it had arisen, the threat of a war with France +abated. Early in 1800 action was suspended under the two acts creating +the paper regiments, and the Army was reduced to the regular +establishment of four regiments of infantry, two regiments of +artillerists and engineers, and two troops of light dragoons.[14] Two +years later the antipathy of the new Jefferson administration to a +standing army further reduced this establishment to two regiments of +infantry and one of artillery. The Corps of Artillerists and Engineers +was abolished; a Corps of Engineers was organized to be stationed at +West Point and "constitute a military academy"; and the light dragoons +were disbanded.[15] + +[Footnote 14: Acts of February 20 and May 14, 1800 (_Military Laws_, +pp. 139, 141); also, _American State Papers_, p. 139.] + +[Footnote 15: Act of March 16, 1802 (_Military Laws_, pp. 141-149).] + +The Jeffersonian theories regarding a strong militia and a small +professional army were rudely shaken in 1807 by the _Chesapeake-Leopard_ +affair. With war seeming imminent, Congress added to the Regular +Establishment, though cautiously "for a limited time," five regiments of +infantry, one regiment of riflemen, one of light artillery, and one of +light dragoons. The new regiments of infantry were numbered the 3d +through the 7th.[16] There was no further preparation for a fight with +England until just before war was actually declared. In January 1812, 10 +regiments of infantry, two of artillery, and one regiment of light +dragoons were added; three months later a Corps of Artificers was +organized; and in June provision was made for eight more infantry +regiments, making a total of 25.[17] In January 1813, following the +discouragements of the early campaigns in the Northwest, Congress +constituted 20 more infantry regiments, bringing the total to 45, the +largest number in the Regular Establishment until the 20th century.[18] +A year later three more regiments of riflemen, designated the 2d through +the 4th, were formed.[19] + +[Footnote 16: Act of April 12, 1808 (_Military Laws_, pp. 200-203).] + +[Footnote 17: Acts of January 11, April 23, and June 26, 1812 +(_Military Laws_, pp. 212-215, 222-223, 230).] + +[Footnote 18: Act of January 1813 (_Military Laws_, pp. 238-240). +There is some confusion as to just how many infantry regiments were +organized and actually came into being. The Act of January 29, 1813, +authorized the President to raise such regiments of infantry as he +should see fit, "not exceeding twenty." It seems that 19 were actually +formed, made up partly of 1-year men and partly of 5-year men. There +are 46 regiments listed in the Army Register for January 1, 1815, and +it is known that several volunteer regiments were designated as units +of the Regular Establishment and that a 47th and a 48th were +redesignated as lower numbered units when several regiments were +consolidated because of low recruitment rate. Mahon (in "History of +the Organization of the United States Infantry") is not clear on this +point. There is an organizational chart of the Army for this period in +the files of the Office of the Chief of Military History, Department +of the Army.] + +[Footnote 19: Act of February 10, 1814 (_Military Laws_, pp. +251-252).] + +In March 1814 Congress reorganized both the artillery and the +dragoons. The three artillery regiments, which had never operated as +such, but rather by company or detachment, were consolidated into the +Corps of Artillery; and the two regiments of dragoons, which had never +been adequately trained and generally had given a poor account of +themselves, were merged into one.[20] The Regiment of Light Artillery +remained untouched. + +[Footnote 20: Act of March 30, 1814 (_Military Laws_, pp. 252-255); +JONES, p. 58; "History of the Organization of the United States +Cavalry."] + +Almost as soon as the war ended, Congress moved to reduce the Army[21] +by limiting the peacetime establishment to 10,000 men, to be divided +among infantry, artillery, and riflemen, plus the Corps of Engineers. +The number of wartime infantry units was reduced to eight, and the +rifle units to one. The Corps of Artillery and the Regiment of Light +Artillery were retained, but dragoons were eliminated.[22] + +[Footnote 21: Act of March 3, 1815 (_Military Laws_, pp. 266-267).] + +[Footnote 22: The reorganization of 1815 is treated by MAHON "History +of the Organization of the United States Infantry" (pp. 11-12), JONES +"History of the Organization of the United States Field Artillery" +(pp. 59-60), and WIKE, unpublished study.] + +By 1821 the prospects of a prolonged peace appeared so good that +Congress felt safe in further reducing the Army. Consequently, in that +year the number of infantry regiments was cut to seven; the Rifle +Regiment was disbanded; the Corps of Artillery and the Regiment of +Light Artillery were disbanded, with four artillery regiments being +organized in their stead; and the Ordnance Department was merged with +the artillery,[23] an arrangement that continued until 1832. + +[Footnote 23: Act of March 2, 1821 (_Military Laws_, pp. 303-309).] + +The opening of the West in the decades following the War of 1812 +brought an important change in the organization of the Army. +Experience having shown that infantry were at a distinct disadvantage +when pitted against the fleetly mounted Indians, in 1832 a battalion +of mounted rangers was organized to quell disturbances on the +northwest frontier,[24] but this loosely knit force was replaced by a +regiment of dragoons the following year.[25] The mounted arm had come +to stay in the Army. + +[Footnote 24: Acts of April 5 and June 15, 1832 (_Military Laws_, pp. +322-323, 325-326).] + +[Footnote 25: Act of March 2, 1833 (_Military Laws_, pp. 329-330).] + +When the second Seminole War broke out in 1836, a second regiment of +dragoons was organized.[26] And, as the war dragged through another +inconclusive year, a reluctant Congress was forced to increase the +size of existing line units and to authorize an additional regiment of +infantry, the 8th. Meanwhile, increasing demands for surveying and +mapping services resulted in the creation of the Corps of +Topographical Engineers as a separate entity.[27] + +[Footnote 26: Act of May 23, 1836 (_Military Laws_, pp. 336-337).] + +[Footnote 27: Act of July 5, 1838 (_Military Laws_, pp. 341-349).] + +Meanwhile, the responsibilities of the Army in the opening of the West +continued to increase, and in 1846 the Regiment of Mounted Riflemen +was organized to consolidate the northern route to the Pacific by +establishing and manning a series of posts along the Oregon Trail.[28] +However, the outbreak of the War with Mexico postponed this mission. + +[Footnote 28: Act of May 19, 1846 (_Military Laws_, pp. 371-372).] + +At the start of the War with Mexico Congress leaned heavily on +volunteer units, with the hard core of the Regulars remaining +unchanged. But early in 1847 it was found necessary to add nine +regiments of infantry and one regiment of dragoons.[29] Of the +infantry unit's, eight were of the conventional type; the ninth was +formed as the Regiment of Voltigeurs and Foot Riflemen. Theoretically, +only half of this latter regiment was to be mounted. Each horseman was +to be paired with a foot soldier who was to get up behind and ride +double when speed was needed. In practice, however, none of the +Voltigeurs were mounted; the entire unit fought as foot riflemen.[30] + +[Footnote 29: Act of February 11, 1847 (_Military Laws_, pp. +379-382).] + +[Footnote 30: MAHON, "History of the Organization of the United States +Infantry," p. 16.] + +All of these new units proved merely creatures of the war, and the +coming of peace saw a reduction to the old establishment of eight +regiments of infantry, four of artillery, two of dragoons, and one +regiment of mounted riflemen.[31] This organization remained +substantially unchanged until 1855.[32] + +[Footnote 31: Official Army Register, 1848.] + +[Footnote 32: UPTON, p. 223.] + + +Organization of the Militia + +The "common" Militia was first established by the various colonies of +all able-bodied men between roughly the ages of 16 and 60 for +protection against Indian attack. These militiamen were required by +law to be enrolled in the unit of their township or county, furnish +their own arms and equipment, and appear periodically for training. +They were civilian soldiers who had little or no taste for things +military, as their performance in both peace and war almost invariably +demonstrated. They were not uniformed and contributed little or +nothing to the field of military dress. + +The "volunteer" or "independent" Militia companies, on the other hand, +were something else again. These units, composed of men who enjoyed +military life, or rather certain aspects of it, appeared rather early +in the Nation's history. The first of these, formed in 1638, was The +Military Company of the Massachusetts, later and better known as the +Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts. By 1750 +there were a number of independent companies in existence--many of +them chartered--and membership in them had become a recognized part of +the social life of the larger urban centers. + +The concept of volunteer Militia units was confirmed in the Uniform +Militia Act of 1792, which prescribed flank companies of grenadiers, +light infantry, or riflemen for the "common" Militia battalions and a +company of artillery and a troop of horse for each division, to be +formed of volunteers from the Militia at large and to be uniformed and +equipped at the individual volunteer's expense. Thus, from within the +national Militia structure emerged an elite corps of amateur--as +opposed to civilian--soldiers who enjoyed military exercise, and the +pomp and circumstance accompanying it, and who were willing to +sacrifice both the time and the money necessary to enjoy it. Since the +members were volunteers, they were ready to submit to discipline up to +a point; they trained rather frequently; many of the officers made an +effort to educate themselves militarily; they chose their own +officers; and their relative permanency gave rise to an excellent +esprit de corps. In actuality, these organizations became private +military clubs, and differed from other male social and fraternal +groups only in externals. + +The great urban growth of the Nation during the period 1825-1860 was +the golden age of the volunteer companies, and by 1845 these units had +all but supplanted the common Militia. It would be difficult to even +estimate the number of volunteer companies during this period. They +sprang up almost everywhere, more in answer to a demand by the younger +men of the Nation for a recreation that would meet a social and +physical need and by emigrant minorities for a group expression than +for reasons military. It was a "gay and gaudy" Militia, with each unit +in its own distinctive and generally resplendent uniform. If the +"Raleigh Cossacks," the "Hibernia Greens," the "Velvet Light Infantry +Company," or the "Teutonic Rifles" were more "invincible in peace" +than visible in war, they were a spectacular, colorful, and exciting +integral of the social and military life of the first half of the 19th +century. + + + + +Insignia of the Regular Army + + +Uniform regulations prior to 1821 were loosely and vaguely worded, and +this was especially true in regard to officers' insignia. For example +General Orders of March 30, 1800, stated: "... the swords of all +officers, except the generals, to be attached by a white shoulder belt +three inches wide, with an oval plate three inches by two and a half +ornamented with an eagle."[33] In 1801 the 1st Infantry Regiment +directed that "the sword ... for platoon officers ... be worn with a +white belt over the coat with a breast plate such as have been by the +Colonel established,"[34] and in 1810 a regulation stated that "those +gentlemen who have white sword belts and plates [are] to consider them +as uniform, but those not so provided will be permitted to wear their +waist belts."[35] As a result, the officers generally wore what they +wished, and there was a wide variation in design. Most officer +insignia were the product of local jewelers and silversmiths, although +some known specimens are obviously the work of master craftsmen. +Quality varied as well as design, depending on the affluence of the +officer concerned. Some of the plainer plates appear to have been made +by rolling silver dollars into an oval shape. + +[Footnote 33: General Orders, March 30, 1800 (Records AGO).] + +[Footnote 34: Standing Order Book, folio 1, October 1, 1801.] + +[Footnote 35: Records AGO.] + +In regard to enlisted men's insignia, only the descriptions of the +1800 dragoon helmet plate and the 1814 and 1817 riflemen's cap plates +give us anything approaching a clear picture. "Oblong silver plates +... bearing the name of the corps and the number of the regiment" for +the infantry in 1812, "plates in front" for the 1812 dragoons, and +"gilt plate in front" for the 1812 light artillery are typical +examples. As a result, the establishment of a proper chronology for +these devices has depended on the careful consideration of specimens +excavated at posts where specific units are known to have served at +specific times, combined with research in pertinent records of the +period in the National Archives. + + +Cap and Helmet Devices + +DRAGOON HELMET PLATE, 1800 + +_USNM 66330-M (S-K 86). Figure 1._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 1] + +The first known distinctive metal branch insignia authorized for the +Army was this helmet plate. General Order, U.S. Army, dated March 30, +1800, prescribed for "Cavalry ... a helmet of leather crowned with +black horse hair and having a brass front, with a mounted dragoon in +the act of charging."[36] This oval plate, struck in thin brass with +lead-filled back, has a raised rim, within which is a mounted, +helmeted horseman in the act of charging; overhead is an eagle with a +wreath in its beak. A double-wire fastener soldered to the back is not +contemporary. + +[Footnote 36: Records AGO.] + + +DRAGOON HELMET PLATE, 1800, DIE SAMPLE + +_USNM 60283-M (S-K 41). Figure 2._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 2] + +Although from a different die, this plate, struck in thin brass, +appears to be a die sample of the plate described above. It is also +possible that it is a sample of the dragoon plate authorized in 1812. + + +¶ The 1813 uniform regulations specified for enlisted men of the +artillery a "black leather cockade, with points 4 inches in diameter, +a yellow button and eagle in the center, the button in uniform with +the coat button."[37] This specification gives some validity to the +belief that a cockade with an approximation of the artillery button +tooled on it may also have been worn. + +[Footnote 37: General Order, Southern Department, U.S. Army, January +24, 1813 (photostatic copy in files of division of military history, +Smithsonian Institution); also, _American State Papers_, p. 434.] + + +LEATHER COCKADE, ARTILLERY, C. 1808-1812 + +_USNM 60256-M (S-K 14). Figure 3._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 3] + +This cockade is of black leather of the size prescribed by the 1813 +regulations. Tooled into the upper fan is an eagle-on-cannon device +with a stack of 6 cannon balls under the trail; an arc of 15 stars +partially surrounds the eagle device. It is believed to have been worn +on artillery _chapeaux de bras_ as early as 1808. + +The specimen is unmarked as to maker, but from correspondence of +Callendar Irvine, Commissary General of Purchases from 1812 to 1841, +it seems very possible that cockades similar to this one were made by +Robert Dingee of New York City. Dingee is first listed in New York +directories as a "saddler" (1812); he is listed later as "city +weigher" (1828) and "inspector of green hides" (1831). The +eagle-on-cannon design is similar to that of several Regular artillery +buttons worn between 1802 and 1821, but it most closely approximates a +button Johnson assigns to the period 1794-1810.[38] + +[Footnote 38: Specimen no. 156 in JOHNSON, vol. 1, p. 43, vol. 2, p. +9.] + + +¶ The question has been raised as to whether the Regulars ever wore a +cockade with such a device. The 1813 and 1814 uniform regulations +merely specified black leather cockades of 4 inches and 4-1/2 inches +in diameter respectively. However, since the Militia generally did not +start adopting Regular Army devices until the 1820's it seems probable +that this cockade was an item of Regular Army issue, despite the lack +of evidence of specific authorization. + +As early as January 1799 War Office orders specified: "All persons +belonging to the Army, to wear a black cockade, with a small white +eagle in the center. The cockade of noncommissioned officers, +musicians, and privates to be of leather with Eagles of tin."[39] This +regulation was repeated in 1800.[40] By 1802 these cockade eagles had +taken the colors used for the buttons and lace of the different arms. +The Purveyor of Public Supplies in that year purchased cockade eagles +in tin (white) for infantry and in brass (yellow) for artillery +enlisted men at a cost of one and two cents, respectively.[41] The +cockade eagles of infantry officers were to be of silver and those of +artillery officers of gold. Cockades for company officers and enlisted +personnel were to be of leather. The loosely worded regulation of 1813 +infers that field officers' cockades might be of silk similar to the +"black Ribbon" binding specified for their hats.[42] + +[Footnote 39: TODD, "Three Leather Cockades," pp. 24-25.] + +[Footnote 40: General Order, March 30, 1800 (Records AGO).] + +[Footnote 41: "Statement of Articles of Clothing, 1802," in papers of +Purveyor of Public Supplies (Records AGO).] + +[Footnote 42: General Order, Southern Department, U.S. Army, January +24, 1813 (photostatic copy in files of division of military history, +Smithsonian Institution); also, _American State Papers_, p. 434.] + +It is extremely difficult to determine whether cockade eagles are of +Regular Army or Militia origin, and to date them if the latter. They +have been found in a wide variety of design and size, ranging from the +rather plain example (fig. 6) to the highly refined one on the general +officer's _chapeau de bras_ (fig. 4). Examination of hats worn by both +Regulars and Militia prior to 1821 reveals that there is little to +choose between the eagles worn by the two components. After 1821, +however, when Militia insignia tended to become more ornate and +Regular devices more uniform, some of the Militia specimens emerge as +distinct types because they have no Regular counterparts. Origin of +the specimen, including excavations of military cantonment sites where +the make-up of the garrison can be determined, has been the primary +criterion used in assignment to either Regular Army or Militia, and to +a lesser extent in dating. Over-all design and method of manufacture +have also been considered in dating. + + +COCKADE EAGLE, GENERAL OFFICER, 1800-1812 + +_USNM 12813. Figure 4._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 4] + +Unusually refined in design, the eagle is of gold, with head to right, +federal shield on breast, and olive branch in right talon. Three +arrows, with points outward, are held in left talon. + +This cockade eagle is on a _chapeau de bras_ formerly belonging to +Peter Gansevoort, brigadier general of the New York State Militia and +brigadier general, U.S. Army, 1809-1812. Although Gansevoort wore this +_chapeau_ while serving as a Militia officer, as evidenced by a New +York State button attached to it, this eagle is included with Regular +Army devices because it is typical of those probably worn by +high-ranking officers of both components. + + +COCKADE EAGLE, C. 1800-1821 + +_USNM 60362-M (S-K 118). Figure 5._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 5] + +Cast in pewter and gold-finished, this eagle looks to the right, +stands on clouds, and holds three arrows (facing inward) in the right +talon and an upright olive branch in the left. + +The eagle-on-clouds design is first seen on coins on the 1795 silver +dollar.[43] It was popular during the War of 1812 period, and was not +used in new designs by the Regular Army after 1821. Eagles of +identical design and size are also known in pewter without finish. +Such an eagle could have been worn by Militia as well as Regulars. +Similar specimens have been excavated at Regular Army cantonment sites +of the period. + +[Footnote 43: Engraved by Robert Scott after a design by Gilbert +Stuart.] + + +COCKADE EAGLE, OFFICERS, 1800-1821 + +_USNM 66352-M. Figure 6._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 6] + +This cockade eagle, which is struck in thin brass and silvered, was +excavated on the site of a War of 1812 cantonment. Comparison with +similar specimens in other collections indicates that the missing head +was turned to the right. This eagle is classed as an officer's device +because of its silvered brass composition. The elements comprising the +arc on which the eagle stands cannot be identified because of the +lightness of the strike. + + +¶ When the dragoons were disbanded in the 1802 reduction following the +dissipation of the French scare, distinctive hat devices other than +cockades disappeared from the service. In 1808, when the Army was +increased, the newly constituted regiments of light dragoons, light +artillery, and riflemen were authorized to wear leather caps. The cap +devices for these units were prescribed as Roman letters, "U.S.L.D.," +"U.S.L.A.," and "U.S.R.R.," rather than plates. The letters were to be +of brass, 1-1/2 inches "in length."[44] + +[Footnote 44: TODD, "Notes on the Dress," p. 10. Also, receipts from +George Green and Son, and letter dated August 6, 1808, from J. Smith +(Commissary General at Washington) to Tench Coxe requesting "brass +letters U.S.R.R." (Records AGO). George Green is listed in +Philadelphia directories of the period as a "brass founder and +gilder."] + +[Illustration: FIGURE 7.--Specimens in Campbell collection.] + +Illustrated in figure 7 are the letters "U" and "L", of brass, +slightly more than 1 inch "in length" and a letter D, of pewter, 1 +inch "in length." The latter was excavated at Sackets Harbor, New +York, where elements of the light artillery dragoons and riflemen are +known to have served during 1813 and 1814. It seems obvious that +pewter letters were worn by the dragoons as consonant with their other +trimmings, for in July 1812 Col. James Burn of the 2d Light Dragoons +requested official permission to issue such.[45] + +[Footnote 45: Letter dated July 8, 1812, from J. Burn to William +Eustis (Secretary of War) and letter dated July 9, 1812, from B. +Mifflin (Deputy Commissary General of Purchases). Both letters are in +Records AGO.] + +With the large increase in the Army in 1812 came a change in the +headgear of some corps and also a change in insignia. The light +artillery was to wear a yoeman-crowned (i.e., wider at the crown than +at the base) black cap with "gilt plate in front," and the infantry +platoon officers and enlisted men were finally to have the black +cylindrical caps (first prescribed in 1810) with "an oblong silver +plate in front of the cap bearing the name of the corps and number of +the regiment."[46] The rifle platoon officers and enlisted men were +also to wear infantry caps, but with yellow trimmings.[47] The +dragoons were authorized "helmets" with "plates" in 1812, and the foot +artillery regiments in the fall of the same year were ordered to wear +caps like the light artillery instead of the _chapeaux de bras_ +previously worn, which would have necessitated the use of plates. + +[Footnote 46: General Orders, January 24, 1813 (Records AGO).] + +[Footnote 47: Letter dated March 30, 1812, from Coxe to Eustis +(Records AGO); McBarron, "Regiment of Riflemen," p. 100.] + +The foot units received their new insignia almost immediately, the cap +plates having been designed, contracted for, and delivered by late +February 1812 for the 5th, 6th, 12th, and 15th Infantry Regiments[48] +(the latter two were new units). This rapid action in regard to the +infantry plates appears to be strong witness to the emphasis placed on +distinctive insignia as morale factors and aids to enlistment, for +active recruiting for the 10 new regiments did not begin until several +months later. There were three different patterns of this infantry +plate manufactured and issued, two of which are described below. + +[Footnote 48: Bill dated February 24, 1812, from William Crumpton +(Records AGO).] + +All arms were wearing cap plates by the middle of 1813, for there is +record of such issue to the dragoons as well as record of rejection of +ill-struck specimens for infantry, artillery, and rifles.[49] These +plates were made variously by William Crumpton and George Armitage of +Philadelphia, and Aaron M. Peasley of Boston.[50] Philadelphia +directories list Crumpton as a button maker and silversmith between +1811 and 1822. Armitage is first listed in Philadelphia directories, +in 1800, as a "silver plate worker"; in 1801 he is listed as +"silverplater," and in 1820 as a "silverplater and military ornament +maker." Peasley was an ornament and insignia maker in Boston during +the same period.[51] + +[Footnote 49: Letter dated August 31, 1812, from Eustis to Irvine; +General Order of January 24, 1813, Southern Department; letter dated +March 31, 1813, from Irvine to Amasa Stetson (Deputy Commissary +General of Purchases, Boston); and letter dated July 13, 1813, from +Irvine to M. T. Wickham. This material is in Records AGO.] + +[Footnote 50: Letter from Irvine to Wickham dated July 13, 1813, and +bill from William Crumpton dated February 24, 1812 (both in Records +AGO).] + +[Footnote 51: Statement of purchases for September 1813, by Stetson +(Records AGO).] + + +¶ The three types of infantry cap plates issued between 1812 and 1814 +are somewhat similar, and all carry the prescribed "name of the corps +and number of the regiment." All three specimens of these types are +ground finds, two having been excavated after this work was in draft. +The first pictured specimen (fig. 8, left) is believed to be the +earliest pattern issued. Infantry plates as specified in the +regulations were contracted for with William Crumpton late in 1811 or +early 1812 by Tench Coxe, Purveyor of Public Supplies, and issued to +troop units not later than the early summer.[52] They had been in use +but a few months when their generally poor quality of composition +forced several regimental commanders to complain to the new Commissary +General of Purchases, Callendar Irvine, who had just superseded Coxe, +and to request something better. Irvine approved, and he let a +contract for new plates with George Armitage of Philadelphia.[53] +Irvine's reaction to the matter of the plates is an example of his +opinion of his predecessor, Coxe, and Coxe's work in general, which he +had observed while serving as Superintendent of Military Stores in +Philadelphia. In replying to the complaint of Colonel Simonds, +commanding officer of the 6th Infantry, Irvine wrote: "The plates are +mere tin, in some respects like the man who designed and contracted +for them, differing to him only as to durability ... I am contracting +for a plate of decent composition to issue with your next year's +clothing."[54] + +[Footnote 52: Bill dated February 24, 1812, from William Crumpton +(Records AGO).] + +[Footnote 53: Letter dated November 8, 1812, from Irvine to Colonel +Simonds (Commanding Officer, 6th Infantry); letter dated November 3, +1812, from Irvine to Colonel Pike (Commanding Officer, 15th Infantry); +and letter dated November 23, 1812, from Irvine to Armitage. These +letters are in Records AGO.] + +[Footnote 54: Letter from Irvine to Simonds cited in preceding note.] + +The first pattern carries the "name of the corps and the number of the +regiment," the 15th Infantry, commanded by Col. Zebulon Pike who was +one of the officers who complained to Irvine about the poor quality of +cap plates. The specimen is of tinned iron and the letters and +numerals have been struck with individual hand dies. + +The two Armitage plates, very similar in over-all design (figures 8, +right, and 9), have been designated the second and third patterns. At +least one of these--perhaps both--apparently was designed by, and its +die sunk by, Moritz Furst, well-known die sinker and designer of +Philadelphia. On March 6, 1813, Irvine wrote the Secretary of War: +"Mr. Furst executed a die for this office for striking infantry cap +plates, designed by him, which has been admitted by judges to be +equal, if not superior, to anything of the kind ever produced in this +country."[55] Furst was Hungarian by birth. He studied design and die +sinking at the mint in Vienna and came to the United States in 1807 +with the expectation of becoming Chief Engraver at the Philadelphia +Mint, an appointment which he did not receive. He sank the dies for +many of the medals voted to War of 1812 leaders, did the obverse die +work for a number of Indian peace medals, and is believed to have +designed the swords given by the State of New York to Generals Brown, +Scott, Gaines, and Macomb.[56] + +[Footnote 55: Letter in Records AGO.] + +[Footnote 56: "A Bit of U.S. Mint History," pp. 45-50; and +Chamberlain, pp. 588-592.] + + +CAP PLATE, INFANTRY, 1812 + +_USNM 66456-M. Figure 8, right._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 8, left.] + +[Illustration: FIGURE 8, right.] + +This is the second pattern of the infantry cap plate described in the +1812 regulations as an "oblong silver plate ... bearing the name of +the corps and the number of the regiment." The specimen was excavated +on the site of Smith's Cantonment at Sackets Harbor, New York, known +to have been occupied by Regular infantry during the 1812-1815 period. +The piece is struck in "white metal" and tinned [the term "silver" in +the regulation referred only to color]. It is rectangular, with +clipped corners, and is dominated by an eagle, with wings outspread, +grasping lightning bolts in the right talon and an olive branch in the +left talon. Below is a panoply of stacked arms, flags with 6-pointed +stars, two drums, and a cartridge box marked "U.S." The corps +designation "U.S. INFANTRY" is above; the unit designation is blank +with the letters "REGT." on the left. The plate is pierced with four +pairs of holes on each side for attachment. + +Another example of this second pattern is known; it is attached to an +original cap and bears the unit designation "12 REGT." + + +CAP PLATE, INFANTRY, 1812 (REPRODUCTION) + +_USNM 60249 (S-K 7). Figure 9._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 9] + +This is the third pattern of the infantry cap plate prescribed in the +1812 regulations. Like the preceding plate, of the second pattern, the +original plate from which this reproduction was made was excavated on +the site of Smith's Cantonment at Sackets Harbor, New York. Made of +tin-alloy, as is the original, and rectangular with clipped corners, +the piece is dominated by an unusually fierce looking eagle that first +appeared on one of the 1807 half-dollars struck at the Philadelphia +Mint. The eagle has an out-sized, curved upper beak and is grasping +lightning bolts in the right talon and an olive branch in the left. +Below is a panoply of flags and muskets with drum, saber, and +cartridge box. The corps designation "US INFAN{Y}." is above, and the +unit designation "16 REG{T}" is below. The "16" appears to have been +added with separate die strikes. The specimen is pierced with two +pairs of holes on each side for attachment. + +This third pattern was also struck in brass and silvered for wear by +officers. Several fragments of such a plate were excavated at Sackets +Harbor; these, although of the third pattern, are the product of a die +different from that used in striking the piece described above. + + +DRAGOON CAP PLATE, 1812 + +_USNM 62054-M (S-K 1807). Figure 10._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 10] + +This is an almost exact duplicate of the 1800 dragoon plate except +that it is struck in pewter, "white metal," the color used by the +infantry and dragoons. It is rectangular with clipped corners that are +pierced for attachment. No detailed description of the 1812 plate has +ever been found, but several identical specimens are known attached to +dragoon helmets made by a contractor named Henry Cressman. The name +"Cressman" is stamped on the lower side of the visor alongside the +initials of an inspector named George Flomerfelt, who is known to have +been employed by the Army as an inspector in Philadelphia during the +period. Henry Cressman is listed in the Philadelphia directories from +1807 through 1817 as a shoemaker. From 1825 to 1839 he is listed as a +military cap maker. + + +¶ On January 12, 1814, Irvine wrote to the Secretary of War as +follows: "I send herewith an infantry cap plate which, with your +permission, I will substitute for that now in use. The advantages of +the former over the latter are that it is lighter, neater, and will +not cost half [the] price. The present plate covers the greater part +of the front of the cap, is heavy in its appearance, and adds much to +the weight of the cap ...[57]" This proposal was approved on January +18.[58] + +[Footnote 57: Letter in Records AGO.] + +[Footnote 58: Letter from Secretary of War to Irvine (Records AGO).] + +[Illustration: FIGURE 11.--Specimen in Campbell collection.] + +[Illustration: FIGURE 12.--Specimen in Campbell collection.] + +But here we enter an area of some confusion and controversy. Were +these new plates to carry the name of the corps and/or the number of +the regiment? Irvine's correspondence gives us no clue, but on the +following March 28 he wrote at least two of his deputy commissary +generals that he was forwarding 8,752 plates for distribution to 14 +specifically named infantry regiments plus 851 "blank" plates.[59] +From the total of 8,752 forwarded for specific units, it would seem +that these were probably plates of the new design, but then the +variance in the number sent for individual regiments--from a low of +152 for the 5th Infantry to highs of 1,016 and 1,050 for the 19th and +25th, respectively--appears odd. Specimens of the 1812 pattern are +known both with and without the regimental number, while no examples +of the 1814 pattern have been found with unit designation. Two extant +examples of the 1814 pattern, representing two very similar but +distinct designs (figs. 11, 12), were excavated at Sackets Harbor, New +York, and Fort Atkinson, Nebraska, where Regular infantry served +during 1813-1816 and 1819-1821, respectively. Both plates are "blank," +and there is no appropriate place on either for the addition of the +number of the unit, as in the case of the 1812 pattern. + +[Footnote 59: Letters in Records AGO.] + +Another example of the 1814 pattern is known; it is attached to a +bell-crowned cap of Militia origin, which indicates that the plate was +adopted by the Militia after being discarded by the Regular +Establishment. A plate of the same design, but struck in pewter and +cut in the diamond shape popular in the 1820's and 1830's, is also +known; it is obviously a Militia item. + + +INFANTRY CAP PLATE, 1814-1821, DIE SAMPLE + +_USNM 60284-M (S-K 42). Figure 13._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 13] + +Like practically all die samples, this one is struck in brass. It is +rectangular with unclipped corners, but is marked for clipping. +Within a raised oval an eagle, very similar to that on the 1812 plate, +carries an olive branch in its beak, three arrows in its right talon, +and thunder bolts and lightning in its left talon; below, there is a +trophy of stacked muskets, drum, flag, and shield. Although this +specimen is struck in brass, the plate in used specimens is known only +in silver on copper, despite the fact that there was considerable talk +of issuing it in brass.[60] + +[Footnote 60: Letters in Records AGO: Irvine to James Calhoun (Deputy +Commissary General of Purchases, Baltimore), January 14, 1815; Irvine +to General Scott, January 13, 1815; Irvine to George Armitage, July +10, 1815.] + + +CAP PLATE, INFANTRY OFFICER, 1814-1821 + +_USNM 604747 (S-K 892). Figure 14._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 14] + +This plate, which is original to the hat to which it is affixed, may +well have been worn by a regular infantry officer during the period +1814-1821. The cap is of the style first issued in October 1813, with +the front rising above the crown.[61] + +[Footnote 61: See MCBARRON, "The 18th U.S. Infantry," pp. 48-49.] + +The plate, of silver on copper, is rectangular with four scallops top +and bottom. A floral border, 3/16 of an inch wide, that surrounds the +whole, strongly suggests that it was an officer's plate. Within a +central oval an eagle, with wings outspread, is superimposed upon a +trophy of arms and flags; above, on a ribbon, are "E PLURIBUS UNUM" +and 15 5-pointed stars. It is possible that this plate is a Militia +item, but the fact that it appears to be original on a leather cap of +the type worn by Regulars makes it more likely that it is another +example of officers' license in the matter of insignia during this +period. Its attachment to the cap is a variant method: two hasp-like +metal loops, affixed to the plate, have been run through holes in the +hat and a leather thong threaded through them. Most cap plates of +this period were pierced at the corners for attachment by threads. + +[Illustration: FIGURE 15.--Specimen in Fort Erie Museum, Ontario, +Canada.] + +[Illustration: FIGURE 16.--Specimen in Campbell collection.] + + +¶ The cap plates issued to the artillery regiments (less the Regiment +of Light Artillery) and the riflemen during the period 1812-1821 are +known, but only a fragment of one is represented in the national +collections. Illustrations of all extant are included to complete the +picture. Two of the 1812 plates issued the 2d Regiment of Artillery +(fig. 15) have been excavated at Fort Erie, Ontario, and are in the +collections of the museum there. A plate of the 3d Regiment (fig. 16) +excavated at Sackets Harbor, New York, is of an entirely different +design. The lower third of a plate of the 1st Regiment (fig. 17), +again of a different design, was excavated by the authors in 1961. In +1814, when the three regiments were consolidated into the Corps of +Artillery, these plates were superseded by one bearing the +eagle-on-cannon device closely resembling the button of the artillery +for the period 1814-1821, which has the word "Corps" inscribed.[62] +Specimens of this latter plate representing two distinct though +similar designs have been excavated at posts known to have been manned +by Regular artillery in 1814 and later (figs. 18, 19). The same +general design appears also on cross-belt plates and waist-belt plates +(see below pp. 34-35). + +[Footnote 62: See JOHNSON, vol. 1, p. 45, and vol. 2, p. 10.] + + +CAP PLATE, 1ST REGIMENT ARTILLERY, 1812 + +_USNM 67240-M. Figure 17._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 17] + +The over-all design of the plate of which this brass-struck fragment +represents approximately one-third can be rather accurately surmised +by comparing it with several of the ornamented buttons issued to the +infantry in 1812-1815. It is probably the work of the same +designer.[63] The plate is rectangular with clipped corners. Within a +raised border is an oval surrounded by cannon, cannon balls, and a +drum, with the unit designation "1 R{T} ART{Y}". At the top of the +oval can be seen grasping claws, obviously those of an eagle (as +sketched in by the artist) and similar to those on the buttons +referred to above. Single holes at the clipped corners provided means +of attachment. It seems probable that the design of the missing +portion also include flags and additional arms and accoutrements. + +[Footnote 63: See JOHNSON, vol. 2, specimen nos. 183, 184, 210-213.] + + +¶ The design of the "yellow front plate" authorized and issued to the +Regiment of Light Artillery[64] in 1812 was unknown for many years. In +May 1961 one of the authors fortunately located this plate (fig. 20) +in the collections of the Niagara Historical Society Museum at +Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, included in a group of British badges of +the War of 1812 period. There can be no doubt that the specimen is +American: the eagle's head is of the same design as that on the third +pattern 1812 infantry cap plate (fig. 9); the wreath of laurel appears +on both the 1800 and 1812 dragoon helmet plates; and the thunderbolts +in the eagle's right talon are wholly American, as opposed to British, +and are of the period. In the Fort Ticonderoga Museum collections +there is a gold signet ring (original owner unknown) that has an +almost identical design. + +[Footnote 64: Letter dated February 26, 1812, from Irvine to Secretary +of War (Records AGO). In clothing returns for 1812 of light artillery +companies stationed at Williamsville, N. Y., "caps and plates" are +listed as being "on hand" (Records AGO).] + +[Illustration: FIGURE 18.--Specimen in Campbell collection.] + +This is one of the largest plates ever worn by the Regular +Establishment. It measures 4-1/4 by 5-1/4 inches, and it is not +surprising that it was replaced because of its size. On May 19, 1814, +the Commissary General of Purchases wrote Lt. Col. J. R. Fenwick, +second-in-command of the light artillery, asking his opinion of a new +design and stating flatly: "The present light artillery plate is too +large by one-half."[65] The plate illustrated as figure 21 is offered +as a possible example of the 1814 design. A matching waist-belt plate +is described below (p. 34). + +[Footnote 65: Letter in Records AGO.] + +[Illustration: FIGURE 19.--Specimen in U.S. Army Artillery and Missile +Center Museum, Fort Sill, Oklahoma.] + +[Illustration: FIGURE 20.--Specimen in Niagara Historical Society +Museum, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada.] + +[Illustration: FIGURE 21.--Specimen in Campbell collection.] + +[Illustration: FIGURE 22.--Specimen in Campbell collection.] + +[Illustration: FIGURE 23.--Specimen in Campbell collection.] + +There are four different patterns of riflemen's cap plates that can be +fairly bracketed in three periods. The large (6-1/4 by 5 inches) +diamond-shaped brass plate with the letters "R.R." (fig. 22) was +adopted for wear in the spring of 1812 as replacement for the letters +"USRR" that had been worn on the cap since the organization of the +Regiment of Riflemen in 1808. It was excavated in the interior of one +of the barracks comprising Smith's Cantonment at Sackets Harbor, New +York, where riflemen were stationed as early as August 1812. The style +of the "R" is very similar to that on the 1812 Artillery cap plate, +and the "R.R." designation conforms to that on the button authorized +for the riflemen in 1808. The pattern of the second diamond-shaped +plate (fig. 23), also in brass and almost identical in size, although +a ground find, is more difficult to account for, despite the fact that +it most certainly falls in the same period. The most logical +explanation seems that the riflemen, who considered themselves a cut +above the common infantry, became disgruntled with the utter plainness +of their plates when compared with those just issued the infantry, and +asked for and received, possibly late in 1812, the plate with the +eagle and the designation "U.S. Rifle Men." The fact that the plate +bears the designation "1 REG{T}"--although there were no other rifle +regiments from 1812 to 1814--can be explained by reference to the +"national color" of the Rifle Regiment completed in 1808, which bore +the inscription "1st Rifle Regt.--U.S." and the standard and national +color of the light artillery which were inscribed "The First Regiment +of Light Artillery" when there was never more than one light artillery +unit in the Army.[66] In any case, accurate dating of the third and +fourth patterns definitely places the second pattern in the 1812-1813 +period by process of elimination. It was superseded in 1814[67] very +possibly for the same reason that the infantry plate was +changed--heaviness in both appearance and weight--and replaced by a +plate with a "design similar to that of the button ... flat yellow +buttons which shall exhibit a bugle surrounded by stars with the +number of the regiment within the curve of the bugle."[68] At least +three specimens of this third-pattern plate are known. They all are +3-1/4 inches in diameter, and thus are large enough for a hat +frontpiece and too large to be a cockade device. One of these plates +is without a numeral (fig. 24); one has the numeral "1," and one has +the numeral "4" (fig. 25). The first and second of these were found at +Fort Atkinson, but very probably were not worn as late as 1819-1821. +Portions of specimens of this 1814 plate have also been recovered from +an early Pawnee village site in Webster County, Nebraska, indicating +their possible use as trade goods after the rifle regiment changed its +plates in 1817.[69] The fourth pattern, with an eagle over a horn +(fig. 26) was authorized[70] in 1817. Apparently it was worn until +1821, since several examples of it have been found at Atkinson; other +examples also are known. + +[Footnote 66: See KUHN, pp. 263-267, and DAVIS, pp. 13-14 and pl. 3.] + +[Footnote 67: Act of February 10, 1814 (_Military Laws_, pp. +251-252).] + +[Footnote 68: Letter dated January 12, 1814, from Irvine to Secretary +of War (Records AGO).] + +[Footnote 69: See KIVETT, p. 59.] + +[Footnote 70: A letter dated July 29, 1817, from Irvine to Secretary +of War describes the device; a letter dated August 4, 1817, from the +Adjutant and Inspector General (Daniel Parker) to Irvine authorizes +the plate but gives no description. Both letters are in Records AGO.] + +[Illustration: FIGURE 24.--Specimen in Campbell collection.] + +[Illustration: FIGURE 25] + +[Illustration: FIGURE 26.--Specimen in Campbell collection.] + +[Illustration: FIGURE 27.--Specimen in collection of Waverly P. Lewis, +Devon, Connecticut.] + +The cap plate for the U.S. Military Academy, c. 1815, is illustrated +(fig. 27) because it completes the cycle for insignia of the Regular +Establishment for the period. Apparently it is the work of the same +designer as most of the insignia of the period 1812-1815. Scratched +on its reverse side is the name George W. Frost, a Virginian who +entered the Military Academy as a cadet in 1814 and resigned on March +8, 1816. + +The two plates of the U.S. Marine Corps, despite the fact that they +are naval rather than military, are included because they fit very +precisely into the device design pattern of the strictly army items of +the period and because they are unique in their rarity. + + +CAP PLATE, U.S. MARINE CORPS, C. 1807, DIE SAMPLE + +_USNM 58671-N-(1). Figure 28._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 28] + +This specimen was extremely puzzling for many years. The design is +obviously that of the War of 1812 period, bearing strong similarity to +both the 1812 and 1814 infantry plates and the 1814 Artillery Corps +plate, possibly the work of the same die sinker. The 1804 Marine Corps +uniform regulations specified merely a "Brass Eagle and Plate," but +the 1807 regulations called for "Octagon plates."[71] Thus there was +considerable reluctance to accept this die sample as the authentic +design. In the summer of 1959, however, the authors, excavating at +Fort Tomkins, New York, which was known to have had a small barracks +for the use of naval personnel ashore, recovered parts of two brass +plates of this identical design, and in the octagon shape--that is, +rectangular with clipped corners (fig. 29). The design may thus be +precisely dated. + +[Footnote 71: See MCCLELLAN, pp. 25, 44.] + +[Illustration: FIGURE 29] + +The specimen is struck in rectangular brass with a raised edge. The +whole is dominated by an eagle that is very similar to the eagles on +the infantry and artillery corps plates described above. The talons +grasp the shank of a large fouled anchor; a ribbon, held in the beak +and streaming overhead, is embossed with the motto "FORTITUDINE." The +whole is on a trophy of arms and flags, and below the lower raised +edge is embossed the word "MARINES." The excavated specimens vary +slightly in size, but average 3-3/8 by 4-3/4 inches. Reproductions of +this die strike were made prior to its acquisition by the National +Museum, and specimens outside the national collections should be +considered with caution. + + +CAP OR SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, U.S. MARINE CORPS, 1815-1825(?) + +_USNM 58671-N-(2). Figure 30._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 30] + +This specimen is known only in die samples. Because of its similarity +in design to the 1814 infantry plates, it cannot be dated later than +1825. Since no naval uniformed Militia units are known for the period +1815-1825, and since the plate is obviously not a device of the +regular Navy, it must be assigned to the Marine Corps. In studying +this plate, however, we must recognize the possibility that the maker +may have been designing and sinking dies in the hope of having a +sample accepted and approved for issue rather than actually executing +a contract. The plate is struck in rectangular brass, and the corners +are marked for clipping. The design, within a wide oval with raised +edge, consists of an eagle above a trophy of arms, flags, and a +shield. The right talon grasps a fluke of a fouled anchor, and the +left talon holds the pike of a stand of colors. Reproductions of this +die strike were made prior to its acquisition by the National Museum, +and specimens outside the national collections should be considered +with caution. + + +¶ The 1821 uniform regulations were significant in several respects: +cap plates were eliminated as distinctive insignia of the various +arms; the color of certain items of dress and equipment remained the +sole distinction; and the rules regarding nonregulation dress were +more precisely stated than before. The cap plates were replaced by +eagles, measuring 3 inches between wing tips, and the number of the +regiment was cut in the shield. Regulations tersely stated that "all +articles of uniform or equipment, more or less, than those prescribed, +or in any manner differing from them, are prohibited."[72] General and +staff officers were to wear black sword belts with "yellow plates"; +artillery officers were to wear white waist belts with a yellow oval +plate 1-1/2 inches wide and with an eagle in the center; infantry +officers were to wear a similar plate that was white instead of +yellow. Cockade eagles for _chapeau de bras_ were to be gold and +measure 1-1/2 inches between wing tips. Since enlisted men were no +longer authorized to wear swords, they had no waist belts. + +[Footnote 72: _General Regulations_, pp. 154-162.] + + +CAP AND PLATE, THIRD ARTILLERY, 1821 + +_USNM 66603-M. Figure 31._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 31] + +Although several "yellow" eagles that can be attributed to the +1821-1832 period are known, this brass specimen on the bell-crowned +cap is the only one known to the authors that has the prescribed +regimental number cut out of the shield. The button on the pompon +rosette--which appears to be definitely original to the cap, as does +the eagle--carries the artillery "A," thus the assignment to that +branch of the service. The eagle bears a close similarity to the +eagles on the 1812 and 1814 infantry cap plates and the 1807 Marine +Corps cap plate, and is possibly the work of the same designer. + + +CAP INSIGNIA, INFANTRY, 1822 + +_USNM 60364-M (SK-120). Figure 32._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 32] + +Early in 1822, the Secretary of War, acting on a suggestion of +Callendar Irvine, ordered that all metal equipment of the infantry be +of "white metal" in keeping with its pompons, tassels, and lace.[73] +This specimen, struck in copper and silvered, is believed to have been +issued as a result of that order. + +[Footnote 73: Letter dated January 4, 1822, from Secretary of War to +Irvine (Records AGO).] + + +¶ The 1821 regulations stated that cockade eagles should measure 1-1/2 +inches between wing tips. In 1832 this wingspread was increased to +2-1/2 inches. Thus, specimens of a relatively uniform pattern and +measuring approximately 1-1/2 inches in wingspread will be considered +as of the Regular Army, 1821-1832. Similarly, those of a relatively +uniform pattern and measuring approximately 2-1/2 inches in wingspread +are dated 1832-1851. + + +COCKADE EAGLE, C. 1821 + +_USNM 60371-M (S-K 127). Figure 33._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 33] + +This eagle, struck in brass, has wings extended, head to the right, +federal shield on breast with no stars, olive branch in right talon, +and three arrows in left talon. + + +COCKADE EAGLE, INFANTRY, C. 1821 + +_USNM 60372-M (S-K 128). Not illustrated._ + +This eagle is struck from the same die as the preceding specimen, but +it is in white metal rather than brass. + + +COCKADE EAGLE, C. 1821 + +_USNM 60367-M (S-K 123). Figure 34._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 34] + +Of silver on copper, this eagle is similar to the two preceding +specimens, but is struck from a variant die. It possibly was worn by +the Militia. + + +COCKADE EAGLE, INFANTRY, C. 1821 + +_USNM 60373-M (S-K 130). Figure 35._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 35] + +This specimen is very similar to those above, but it has 13 stars in +the shield on the eagle's breast. + + +¶ Despite the fact that it was found attached to a shako of distinct +Militia origin, the cap plate shown in figure 36 is believed to be +that prescribed for the cadets of the Military Academy in the 1821 +uniform regulations and described as "yellow plate, diamond shape." +The letters "U S M A" in the angles of the diamond, the word "CADET" +at the top of the oval, what appears to be the designation "W POINT" +at the left top of the map, and the tools of instruction (so similar +to those embellishing the cadet diploma, although totally different +in rendering), make it difficult to assign this plate to any source +other than the Academy. It is possible, of course, that this was a +manufacturer's sample which was never actually adopted for wear at +West Point. The apparent maker's name, "CASAD," at the bottom of the +oval, does not appear in the city directories of any of the larger +manufacturing centers of the period. + +[Illustration: FIGURE 36.--Specimen in West Point Museum, West Point, +New York.] + + +CAP INSIGNIA, 1832(?) + +_USNM 60365-M (S-K 121). Figure 37._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 37] + +Despite the facts that there was no change in cap insignia authorized +in the 1832 uniform regulations and that this specimen is similar in +most respects to the 1821 eagle, its refinement of design and +manufacture indicates that it possibly belongs to the period of the +1830's and 1840's. It is struck in thin brass and has three plain wire +fasteners soldered to the reverse. + + +CAP INSIGNIA, 1832(?) + +_USNM 60366-M (S-K 122). Not illustrated._ + +Although similar to the preceding plate, this specimen measures 3-1/4 +by 2-1/4 inches, is struck from a different die, and has a much wider +breast shield. Of somewhat heavier brass than most such similar eagles +and exhibiting a well-developed patina, it may have been an officer's +device. + + +CAP PLATE, DRAGOONS, 1833 + +_USNM 60276-M (S-K 34). Figure 38._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 38] + +When the dragoons returned to the Army in 1833, their cap device was +described as "a gilt star, silver eagle ... the star to be worn in +front."[74] An 8-pointed, sunburst-type star, this plate is struck in +brass and has a superimposed eagle that is struck in brass and +silvered. The eagle is basically the Napoleonic type adopted by the +British after the Battle of Waterloo and altered by omitting the +lightning in the talons and adding a wreath to the breast. Plain wire +fasteners are soldered to the back. + +[Footnote 74: General Order No. 38, Headquarters of the Army, May 2, +1833. (Photostatic copy in files of division of military history, +Smithsonian Institution.)] + + +¶ In 1834, possibly as a result of the newly organized dragoons +receiving distinctive branch insignia, the infantry and artillery once +again were authorized devices on the dress cap designating their +particular arm. The gilt eagle was retained. Below the eagle was an +open horn with cords and tassels in silver for infantry, and cross +cannons in "gilt" for artillery. The number of the regiment was added +over the cannon or within the curve of the horn. These devices +remained in use until the change in headgear in 1851. + + +CAP INSIGNIA, INFANTRY, 1834-1851 + +_USNM 62055-M, 62056-M (SK-1808, 1809). Figure 39._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 39] + +This eagle is similar to the 1821 pattern, although somewhat more +compact in design. It is struck in brass, has wings upraised, head to +the right, shield on breast, olive branch in right talon, and three +arrows in left talon. The open horn, struck in brass and silvered, is +suspended, with bell to the right, by four twisted cords tied in a +3-leaf-clover knot; the tassels on the four cord-ends hang below. + + +CAP INSIGNIA, ARTILLERY, 1834-1851 + +_USNM 60426-M (S-K 182). Figure 40._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 40] + +This is the "gilt ... cross cannons" device prescribed for artillery +in the 1834 regulations. Struck in sheet brass of medium thickness, +the superimposed cannon has trunnions and dolphins. + + +FORAGE CAP STAR, DRAGOON OFFICER, C. 1840 + +_USNM 604967-M (S-K 1111). Figure 41._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 41] + +Although uniform regulations for the period of the 1830's and 1840's +make no mention of a distinctive device for the dragoon forage cap, +photographs in the National Archives show that officers' caps, at +least, carried a 6-pointed star, apparently gold-embroidered.[75] This +specimen is believed to be such a star. Made of gold bullion and with +rather large sequins sewed onto a heavy paper background, the star is +mounted on dark blue wool. The points of the star are extended with +gold embroidery on the cloth. + +[Footnote 75: TOWNSEND AND TODD, pp. 1-2.] + + +CAP INSIGNIA. CADET'S, U.S. MILITARY ACADEMY, 1842, AND ENGINEER +SOLDIERS, 1846 + +_USNM 604529 (S-K 676) Figure 42._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 42] + +In 1839 the cadets at the Military Academy discarded the bell-crowned +caps they had worn since 1821 and wore a cylindrical black shako +similar to that worn by the Regular artillery and infantry. The +artillery gilt eagle and crossed cannon replaced the diamond-shaped +plate on the front. In 1842-1843 the crossed cannon were replaced by +the engineer castle as more in keeping with the original mission of +the Academy and the general orientation of its curriculum. + +Shortly after the beginning of hostilities with Mexico in 1846, the +Congress authorized the enlistment of a company of "engineer soldiers" +that was designated the Company of Sappers, Miners, and Pontoniers. +These were the first enlisted men authorized the Corps of Engineers +since the period of the War of 1812. The headgear for these men was +prescribed as "Schako--same pattern as that of the artillery, bearing +a yellow eagle over a castle like that worn by the Cadets."[76] + +[Footnote 76: _General Regulations for the Army of the United States, +1847_, pp. 192-193.] + +Struck in thin to medium brass, this plate is the familiar turreted +castle of the Corps of Engineers so well known today. It was worn +below the eagle. + + +¶ To complete the branches of the Regular Establishment during the +Mexican War period, the Regiment of Voltigeurs and Foot Riflemen must +be mentioned, although they were apparently without any distinctive +branch insignia. + +The regiment was constituted on February 11, 1847, and its uniform[77] +was prescribed 9 days later in the War Department's General Order +No. 7. However, the regiment was issued infantry woolen jackets and +trousers and never received what little gray issue clothing was sent +to them in Mexico almost a year later. Uniform trimmings were to be as +for the infantry, with the substitution of the letter "v" where +appropriate. So far as presently known, this substitution affected +only the button pattern--an appropriate letter "v" on the shield +centered on the eagle's breast. + +[Footnote 77: A detailed description is given in _Military Collector +and Historian_ (June 1952), vol. 4, no. 2, p. 44.] + +The 1851 uniform regulations radically changed almost every item of +the Army's dress. Most of the distinctive devices were also altered, +although more in size and composition than general design. Some +devices were completely eliminated. While officers retained insignia +of their arm or branch on their hats, enlisted personnel, with the +exception of those of engineers and ordnance, had only the letter of +their company, their particular arm being designated by the color of +collars, cuffs, bands on hats, pompons, epaulets, chevrons, and the +like. A newly designed sword or waist-belt plate was prescribed for +all personnel. All items of uniform and insignia authorized in 1851 +were included in an illustrated edition of the Regulations for the +Uniform and Dress of the Army of the United States, June 1851, +published by William H. Horstmann and Sons, well-known uniform and +insignia dealers in Philadelphia.[78] + +[Footnote 78: A partial republication of this work appears in +_Military Collector and Historian_, vol. 10, no. 1 (spring 1958), pp. +16, 17; no. 2 (summer 1958), pp. 43-45.] + + +POMPON EAGLE, 1851 + +_USNM 604853 (S-K 998). Figure 43._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 43] + +Worn attached to the base of the pompon by all enlisted personnel, +this brass eagle, similar in general design to that worn on the shako +in the 1830's, stands with wings upraised, olive branch in right +talon, three arrows in left talon, and a scroll, with national motto, +in beak. Above are stars, clouds, and bursts of sun rays. Officers +wore an eagle of similar design of gold embroidery on cloth. + + +CAP INSIGNIA, GENERAL AND STAFF OFFICERS, 1851 + +_USNM 604862 (S-K 1007). Figure 44._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 44] + +This specimen, in accord with regulations, is on dark blue cloth and +consists of a gold-embroidered wreath encircling Old English letters +"U.S." in silver bullion. Embroidered insignia of this period were all +made by hand, and they varied considerably in both detail and size. +During the 1861-1865 period the same design was made about half this +size for wear on officers' forage caps, and the device appeared in +variant forms. One example is known where the numeral "15" is +embroidered over the letters "U.S.";[79] and Miller's _Photographic +History of the Civil War_ includes several photos of general officers +whose wreath insignia on the forage cap substitute small rank insignia +stars for the letters. + +[Footnote 79: LEWIS, p. 64.] + + +CAP INSIGNIA, OFFICER, ENGINEERS, 1851 + +_USNM 300720. Figure 45._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 45] + +On dark blue cloth, this device comprises a gold-embroidered wreath of +laurel and palm encircling a turreted castle in silver metal as +prescribed in regulations. Other examples are known with the castle +embroidered. + + +HAT INSIGNIA, OFFICER, ARTILLERY, 1851 + +_USNM 604872 (S-K 1017). Figure 46._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 46] + +This specimen adheres almost exactly to the 1851 regulations, but it +lacks the number of the regiment as called for. The number was a +separate insignia embroidered above the cannon. The cannon are of gold +embroidery. The device was also made in gold metal imitation-embroidery +in several variant designs. + + +CAP INSIGNIA, OFFICER, INFANTRY, 1851 + +_USNM 604888 (S-K 1033). Figure 47._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 47] + +On dark blue cloth, this device is the well-known looped horn in gold +embroidery with three cords and tassels. The regimental number "4," in +silver bullion, lies within the loop of the horn. This insignia is +also common in metal imitation-embroidery. + + +CAP AND COLLAR INSIGNIA, ENLISTED ORDNANCE, 1851 + +_USNM 604520 (S-K 667). Figure 48._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 48] + +Struck in brass, this device was worn on the caps and coat collars of +ordnance enlisted personnel. Although the shell and flame insignia +appears in a number of variations of design, this specimen conforms +exactly to the regulations of 1851 as published by Horstmann. + + +CAP AND COLLAR INSIGNIA, ENGINEER SOLDIERS, 1851 + +_USNM 61618. Figure 49._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 49] + +The 1851 uniform regulations called for a "castle of yellow metal one +and five-eighths inches by one and one-fourth inches high" on both the +coat collar and the hat of "Engineer Soldiers." This specimen, struck +in brass, conforms exactly to the descriptions and drawing in the +Horstmann publication of the regulations. + + +CAP INSIGNIA, DRAGOON OFFICERS, 1851 + +_USNM 604879 (S-K 1024). Figure 50._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 50] + +Comprising crossed sabers of gold, with edges upward, this insignia is +similar to the well-known device worn by the Regular cavalry as late +as 1953. + + +¶ In 1846 the Regiment of Mounted Riflemen was organized to +consolidate the northern route to the Pacific by establishing and +manning a series of posts along the Oregon Trail.[80] The outbreak of +the War with Mexico postponed this mission and the unit was diverted +to the theater of operations. Shortly after the regiment was +constituted it was authorized to wear a forage cap device prescribed +as "a gold embroidered spread eagle, with the letter R in silver, on +the shield."[81] No surviving specimen of this insignia is known, and +there seems some doubt that it was ever actually manufactured.[82] + +[Footnote 80: Act of May 19, 1846 (_Military Laws_, pp. 371-372).] + +[Footnote 81: General Order No. 18, June 4, 1846, War Department +(photostatic copy in files of division of military history, +Smithsonian Institution).] + +[Footnote 82: Insignia of the riflemen are discussed by Townsend and +Todd, pp. 2-3.] + + +CAP INSIGNIA, OFFICER, REGIMENT OF MOUNTED RIFLEMEN, 1850 + +_USNM 604854 (SK 999). Figure 51._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 51] + +In 1850 the regiment was given a "trumpet" hat device. Officers were +to wear "a trumpet, perpendicular, embroidered in gold, with the +number of the regiment, in silver, within the bend."[83] This trumpet +is also known in metal imitation-embroidery. The prescribed regimental +number, which is illustrated in the Horstmann publication of the +regulations (pl. 15), is not included on the device, probably because +there was but one such unit in the Regular Establishment. + +[Footnote 83: General Order No. 2, February 13, 1850, War Department +(photostatic copy in files of division of military history, +Smithsonian Institution).] + + +CAP INSIGNIA, ENLISTED, REGIMENT OF MOUNTED RIFLEMEN, 1850 + +_USNM 62053-M (SK-1806). Figure 52._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 52] + +The same general order that gave rifle officers a gold-embroidered +trumpet prescribed for enlisted men a similar device to be of "yellow +metal." This insignia lasted but one year for the men in the ranks, +being unmentioned in the 1851 regulations. + + +Shoulder-Belt and Waist-Belt Plates + +Oval shoulder-belt plates were worn by American officers during the +War of the Revolution, but no extant specimens are known. Highly +ornamented or engraved officers' plates for the period after 1790 are +in several collections (fig. 53) and others are illustrated in +contemporary portraits (fig. 54). Just what year shoulder-belt plates +were issued to enlisted personnel is unknown, but their use appears to +have been well established by 1812. The uniform regulations for that +year specified swords for sergeants of infantry to be "worn with a +white cross belt 3-1/2 inches wide," but nothing was said about a +device on the belt.[84] + +[Footnote 84: General Order, Southern Department U.S. Army, January +24, 1813 (photostatic copy in files of division of military history, +Smithsonian Institution).] + +[Illustration: FIGURE 53.--Specimen in Campbell collection.] + +Normally, brass or "yellow metal" plates were authorized for the +artillery and silvered or "white metal" for the infantry and dragoons, +as consonant with the rest of their trimmings. In actuality, however, +white-metal shoulder-belt plates do not seem to have been issued to +the infantry prior to 1814, and brass ones were still being issued in +1815.[85] Most of these plates were plain oval, although a few are +known that were struck with devices similar to those on cap plates; +and at least one rectangular cap plate, fitted with the two studs and +hook on the reverse normal to shoulder-belt plates, has been found. It +seems probable that these were officers' plates. Oval brass plates +have been found that are identical in size and construction to the +plain ones but with the letters "U.S." embossed on them; however, +these are difficult to date. + +[Footnote 85: Letters from Irvine in Records AGO: To Colonel Bogardus +(Commanding Officer, 41st Infantry), February 16, 1814; to James +Calhoun, January 14, 1815; and to General Scott, January 31, 1815.] + +[Illustration: FIGURE 54.--Portrait in collection of The Filson Club, +Louisville, Kentucky.] + +It is extremely doubtful that waist-belt plates were issued to +enlisted personnel of foot units during this period. In 1808 enlisted +dragoons were authorized a waist-belt plate of tinned brass and, as +far as known, perfectly plain.[86] + +[Footnote 86: Letter to the Purveyor of Public Supplies in 1808.] + +The 1812 regulations prescribed for the light dragoons a "buff leather +waist belt, white plate in front with eagle in relief," and there is +the possibility that the light artillery had such. In actuality, there +was no call for a waist belt where a shoulder belt was authorized. +Neither civilian trousers nor the few surviving military "pantaloons" +of the period are fitted with belt loops, trousers being held up +either by suspenders or by being buttoned directly to the shirt or +waistcoat. No example of the dragoon plate has been found. However, a +rather tantalizing possibility exists--a fragment of a pewter belt +plate (fig. 55) was excavated at Sackets Harbor, New York, where the +light dragoons are known to have served. The 1816 regulations +specified for artillerymen "waist belts of white leather two inches +wide, yellow oval plate of the same width." It is not made clear, +however, whether this belt and plate was for officers only or for all +ranks. The unusually striking oval specimen (fig. 56) may be this +plate, but its ornateness indicates that this particular design was +for officers only. + +[Illustration: FIGURE 55.--Specimen in Campbell collection.] + +[Illustration: FIGURE 56.--Specimen in Campbell collection.] + + +SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, 1790(?)-1812 + +_USNM 12804. Figure 57._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 57] + +This plate was worn by Peter Gansevoort sometime during his military +career, probably after 1790. Gansevoort, between 1775 and his death in +1812, was successively major, lieutenant colonel, colonel, and +brigadier general of New York State Militia and brigadier general U.S. +Army (1809-1812). Although distinctly Militia in design, the specimen +is included here as an example of the wide variety of such devices +worn by officers of the 1800-1821 period. + +This plate is octagonal, slightly convex, and has beveled edges. The +design is hand engraved on copper, and the whole is gold plated. +Within an engraved border is the eagle-on-half-globe device of New +York State. Two studs and a hook soldered to the reverse are not +believed to be original. + + +SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, INFANTRY OFFICER, C. 1812 + +_USNM 604313 (S-K 469). Figure 58._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 58] + +This rectangular, slightly convex plate of silver on copper has +beveled edges and a small slot in the center for the attachment of an +ornament. The ornament is missing, although it can be surmised that it +was an eagle. The reverse is fitted with two studs and a hook and +bears the hallmark of "W. Pinchin, Philad{a}." William Pinchin is +listed in the Philadelphia directory for 1809 as a silversmith at 326 +Sassafras Street. The 1810 directory lists only "Widow of," but +another William Pinchin (probably the son) appears in the 1820's. + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, LIGHT ARTILLERY(?), 1814-1821 + +_USNM 60452-M (S-K 208). Figure 59._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 59] + +The design of this rectangular plate, struck in rather heavy brass, is +the same as that offered as the 1814-pattern cap plate for the light +artillery, although it is the product of a different and somewhat more +crudely sunk die. The piece is dominated by an eagle with wings +upraised, a shield on its breast, three arrows in its right talon, and +an olive branch in its left talon. Crossed cannon are in the +foreground, and there is a pile of six cannon balls in the lower right +corner. The whole is superimposed on a trophy of colors and bayoneted +muskets. Above is a 5-pointed "star of stars" made up of 20 5-pointed +stars. + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, OFFICER, ARTILLERY CORPS, 1814-1821 + +_USNM 60448-M (S-K 204). Figure 60._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 60] + +The rectangular plate is struck in brass on a die of the same design +as that used in making the 1814 Artillery Corps cap plate, type I (p. +18). Before the strike was made, a piece of thin sheet iron, slightly +narrower than the finished product, was applied to the reverse of the +brass. After the strike, which shows through clearly on the iron, the +ends of this applied metal were bent inward into tongues for +attachments to the belt, and the remainder of the back was filled with +pewter. The edges of the obverse were then beveled to finish the +product. It seems very probable that plates such as this were produced +for sale to officers. + + +SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, OFFICER, ARTILLERY CORPS, 1814-1821 + +_USNM 60247 (S-K 5). Figure 61._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 61] + +This is a companion piece to the Artillery Corps waist-belt plate +described above. It was struck in brass from the die of the 1814 +Artillery Corps cap plate, type I, again with a thin sheet of iron +applied to the reverse before the strike. There is no pewter filling; +the beveled edges of the piece together with the adhesive effect of +the strike--which shows through very clearly--holds on the back. The +plate is fitted with two simple bent-wire fasteners for attachment, +indicating that it was intended for ornamental use only. Like its +waist-belt plate counterpart, this specimen must be considered an +officer's device. + + +SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, INFANTRY, 1814-1821 + +_USNM 60248-M (S-K 6). Figure 62._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 62] + +This specimen is of the same design as the 1814 Infantry cap plate, +type I (p. 15). It is oval, with raised edge. Within the oval is an +eagle with an olive branch in its beak, three arrows in its right +talon, and thunder bolts and lightning in its left talon. Below is a +trophy of stacked muskets, drum, flag, and shield. The plate is silver +on copper, with sheet-iron backing and bent-wire fasteners. As in the +case of the Artillery Corps plate, just preceding, this must be +considered an officer's plate. A similar oval plate bearing the design +of the 1812 dragoon cap plate, and of similar construction, is known. + + +SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, 1814 + +_USNM 66478-M. Figures 63, 64._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 63] + +[Illustration: FIGURE 64] + +Excavated on the site of Smith's Cantonment at Sackets Harbor, New +York, this plate is interesting in that it differs in both +construction and method of attachment from similar plates of the same +period in the national collections. Rather than being struck in thin +brass with a backing and fasteners applied to the reverse, this +specimen is cast in brass and the edges rather unevenly beveled, with +two studs and a narrow tongue for attachment cast integrally with the +plate and with hexagonal heads forced over the ends of the studs. This +means of attachment, which indicates that the plate was intended to be +utilitarian as well as merely ornamental, is similar to that on +British plates of the period between the Revolution and the War of +1812. The plate could have been worn by either infantry or artillery, +for both were issued brass plates during this period,[87] however, it +is more probable that it was worn by the infantry, since the majority +of the artillery in the Sackets Harbor area were stationed nearby at +either Fort Pike or Fort Tomkins. + +[Footnote 87: Letters from Irvine in Records AGO: To Colonel Bogardus, +February 16, 1814; to James Calhoun, January 14, 1815.] + + +SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, C. 1812 + +_USNM 604311 (S-K 467). Figure 65._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 65] + +The plain, oval, slightly convex plate of brass has a raised edge. The +face is lapped over a piece of sheet-iron backing. On the reverse is +soldered an early form of bent-wire fasteners. British shoulder-belt +plates of the Revolutionary period normally had fasteners cast as +integral parts of the plate proper. + + +SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, C. 1812 + +_USNM 604312 (S-K 468). Not illustrated._ + +This plate is identical to the one described immediately above except +that it is struck in copper and the surface is silvered. + + +SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, C. 1812 + +_USNM 604314 (S-K 470). Not illustrated._ + +This plate, struck from solid brass, has a slightly beveled edge and +bent-wire fasteners. It is slightly convex. Since it is smaller than +the two preceding plates, it could have been designed for the Militia. + + +SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, 1815(?)-1821 + +_USNM 60399-M (S-K 155). Figure 66._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 66] + +The two specimens of this plate in the national collections are +undocumented. Similar in size and construction to the plain oval brass +and silvered plates, it has the raised letters "U.S.," three-fourths +inch high in the center. Definitely not later than 1832, it may well +have been issued soon after the end of the War of 1812. It is +considered a Regular Army item since the Militia did not use the +designation "U.S." at this early period. In this latter connection it +is interesting to note that an example of the 1812 Infantry cap plate, +type II, with the letters "US" crudely stamped out, is known attached +to a cap of distinct Militia origin. + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, GENERAL OFFICER, C. 1816 + +_USNM 38212. Figure 67._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 67] + +After the War of 1812, the State of New York presented swords to +several prominent officers of the Army and Navy who had distinguished +themselves in actions within New York or near its borders. One of +these swords (USNM 10294)[88] and an unusually fine gold embroidered +belt (USNM 33097) with this gold belt buckle were presented to Maj. +Gen. Jacob Brown. + +[Footnote 88: Detailed descriptions of this sword are given by HAROLD +L. PETERSON, pp. 193-194, and BELOTE, pp. 30-31.] + +Chased in very fine gold, the buckle is considered by experts in the +goldsmithing and silversmithing fields to be one of the outstanding +pieces of American craftsmanship of its kind.[89] The central motif is +the New York State eagle-on-half-globe device on a wreath of the +colors. The head of the eagle is very similar to that on the cap +plates of the 1807 Marine Corps, 1812 infantry, and 1814 Artillery +Corps. The border is of a rose pattern distinctly American in feeling, +and in each corner within the border are acanthus leaves in unusually +delicate Viennese baroque design. + +[Footnote 89: Mr. Michael Arpad, well known and highly regarded +silversmith, of Washington, D.C., has called this specimen "an +exquisite piece of work by a master craftsman."] + +The maker of this buckle is unknown, but since it is reasonably +certain that the hilt of the sword was designed by Moritz Furst (see +p. 12), it is possible that the design of the buckle is his also, +especially in view of the Viennese touch in the acanthus leaves, his +training at the mint in Vienna, and the probability that he designed +the 1812 infantry cap plate. + + +¶ Although the 1821 regulations were very specific about the +prohibition of nonregulation items of uniform and equipment, they were +somewhat vague regarding specifications. General staff and engineer +officers were to wear black belts with a "yellow plate," artillery +"yellow oval plates ... with an eagle in the center," and infantry the +same but "white" instead of yellow.[90] No oval plates meeting these +vague descriptions are known, but the specimens described below may +well have been those actually approved by the Ordnance Department, and +thus, worn. + +[Footnote 90: _General Regulations for the Army_, pp. 154-162.] + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, INFANTRY OFFICER, C. 1822 + +_USNM 604118-M (S-K 274). Figure 68._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 68] + +This plate, struck in copper and silvered, is round with an outer +ring. It is attached to a white buff belt. The plate proper contains +an eagle with wings outspread, shield on breast, olive branch in right +talon, and three arrows in left talon. The whole is within a ring of +24 5-pointed stars. The outer ring is decorated as a wreath, and the +narrow rectangular belt attachments are embossed with a floral +pattern. The 24 stars place this specimen between 1822 and 1836. +Similar buckles are known in yellow metal for either staff or +artillery and containing 24, 26, and 28 stars, indicating that they +probably were worn until the rectangular eagle-wreath plate was +prescribed in 1851. + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, INFANTRY OFFICER, 1821-1835 + +_USNM 60454 (S-K 210). Figure 69._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 69] + +This specimen is offered as another possibility for the 1821 +regulation plate. It is identical in size and similar in design to the +preceding plate. The plate proper contains an eagle with wings spread, +a breast shield containing the letter "I," an olive branch in right +talon, and three arrows in left talon. There is no outer ring of +stars. The outer ring of the buckle is decorated with a wreath, but +the rectangular belt attachments are plain. The 1821 regulations +called for eagle buttons of "yellow" and "white" metal with the +letters "A" and "I" (for artillery and infantry) on the eagle's +shield, and the belt plate may have been designed to conform. There is +also the possibility that this plate, as well as the one described +below, was designed to conform to the 1835 regulations which +prescribed a waist belt with a "round" clasp.[91] + +[Footnote 91: _General Regulations for the Army of the United States_, +p. 222.] + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, ARTILLERY OFFICER, 1821-1835 + +_USNM 60455-M (S-K 211). Not illustrated._ + +Nearly identical to the infantry officer's plate above, this buckle, +in brass, has the artillery "A" on the eagle's breast shield. + + +¶ Although the regulations for this period do not mention +shoulder-belt plates for enlisted men (officers had none as they wore +their swords on their waist belts), it can be assumed that they were +worn. The two specimens described below must be dated later than +1812-1821 because of the belt attachments. The earlier specimens had +rudimentary bent-wire fasteners, but these, more refined, have two +round studs and a hook soldered to the plate proper. + + +SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, INFANTRY, C. 1821 + +_USNM 604316 (S-K 472). Figures 70, 71._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 70] + +[Illustration: FIGURE 71] + +This plate, of silver on copper, is plain oval and slightly convex. + + +SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, ARTILLERY, C. 1821 + +_USNM 604315 (S-K 471). Not illustrated._ + +This specimen is identical to the preceding one except that it is in +plain brass. + + +¶ The 1832 uniform regulations brought some well-defined changes. +General and staff officers were to wear gilt waist-belt plates "having +the letters U S and a sprig of laurel on each side in silver," and the +bottom of the skirts of officers' coats were to bear distinctive +devices--a gold-embroidered star for general officers and officers of +the general staff, a shell and flame in gold embroidery for artillery +officers, and silver-embroidered bugles for infantry officers. + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, GENERAL AND STAFF OFFICERS, 1832 + +_USNM 664. Figure 72._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 72] + +The plate and the belt to which it is attached formerly belonged to +Capt. Charles O. Collins, an 1824 graduate of the Military Academy. +The belt is of patent leather, as specified for undress wear, and is +1-1/2 inches wide. The plate is cast in brass and has raised edges. +Rather than having "a sprig of laurel on each side," it has a wreath +of laurel enclosing the letters "U S," in Old English, in silvered +metal affixed to the front. It is attached on the right side by a +rectangular belt attachment with a flat hook on the left rear. + + +¶ The 1832 regulations specified for engineer officers a waist-belt +plate to be "gilt, elliptical, two inches in the shortest diameter, +bearing the device of the button." Such a plate (fig. 73) is in the +collections of the Valley Forge Chapel Museum. It is entirely possible +that this plate is even earlier than 1832, for the 1821 and 1825 +regulations state that the engineer buttons were to contain "the +device and motto heretofore established." + +[Illustration: FIGURE 73] + +In the collections of the West Point Museum is a button, carrying the +"Essayons" device, that was excavated in the area behind the "Long +Barracks," which burned in 1825. Another such button excavated at +Sackets Harbor on the site of an 1812-1815 barracks bears a maker's +name (Wishart) of the 1812-1816 period. + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, GENERAL AND STAFF OFFICERS, 1832(?)-1850 + +_USNM 604145-M (S-K 301). Figure 74._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 74.--Specimen in Valley Forge Chapel Museum, +Valley Forge, Pennsylvania.] + +This buckle is similar to the one (shown in fig. 73) that belonged to +Capt. Charles O. Collins, but it is different in that the letters +"U.S." are enclosed not by a laurel wreath but by a sprig of laurel on +the right side and a sprig of palm on the left. The 1841 uniform +regulations specified such a belt plate for officers of the Corps of +Engineers, but with a "turreted castle, raised in silver" rather than +the letters "U.S." This places the probable date of manufacture of +this specimen in the 1840's. + + +COAT-SKIRT ORNAMENT, GENERAL STAFF, 1832 + +_USNM 8040. Figure 75._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 75] + +This skirt ornament, on buff cloth, is from a coat worn by Capt. +Thomas Swords when he was assistant quartermaster general in 1838. The +design consists of three 6-pointed stars of gold bullion cord: a line +star of twisted cord superimposed upon a larger star of closely +stitched cord that in turn is superimposed upon a still larger star of +sunburst type. + + +COAT-SKIRT ORNAMENT, GENERAL STAFF, 1832 + +_USNM 62057-M (S-K 181). Figure 76._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 76] + +Like the preceding specimen, this ornament, on buff cloth, is +comprised of three stars. A star made of lines of sequins secured by +two strands of twisted bullion is superimposed upon a 6-pointed star +of gold embroidery that in turn is superimposed upon a 6-pointed star +made up of gold sequins secured by gold bullion cord. + + +COAT-SKIRT ORNAMENT, ARTILLERY OFFICER, 1832 + +_USNM 15929. Figure 77._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 77] + +This specimen, on red cloth, is on a coat worn by William Tecumseh +Sherman when he was a lieutenant in the 3d Artillery. The bomb is made +of whorls of gold bullion cord, while the flames are composed of +curving lines of twisted bullion. The lowest flame on either side +terminates in arrow heads. + +There are a number of gold-embroidered shell and flame devices in the +national collections, all varying considerably in size and +composition. Some are skirt ornaments for artillery officers, both +Regular Army and Militia, while some are cap ornaments for ordnance +officers. Indeed, two coats formerly belonging to Maj. Levi Twiggs, +U.S. Marine Corps, carry the same device. + + +COAT-SKIRT ORNAMENT, INFANTRY OFFICER, 1832 + +_USNM 59861-M. Figure 78._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 78] + +The silver coat-skirt horn ornaments of infantry officers varied +almost as much as the shell and flame devices, generally in relation +to the affluence of the individual concerned. Unlike such ornaments of +the other services, the horns were paired in rights and lefts on the +coat. + +This specimen, of silver bullion cord, is on a coat that once belonged +to Lt. William Williams Mather, an 1828 graduate of the Military +Academy who left the service in 1836. The horn is looped, and it is +suspended by twisted bullion from a simple 3-leaf-clover knot. The +whole is backed on blue cloth. + + +COAT-SKIRT ORNAMENT, INFANTRY OFFICER, 1832 + +_USNM 1056. Figure 79._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 79] + +This rather elaborate specimen is on a coat worn by John Porter Hatch +when he was a lieutenant of infantry in 1845. The body of the +horn--which is merely curved rather than looped--is made of silver +lame encircled by three ornamented bands of bullion. The mouthpiece +and bell are of bullion. The whole is suspended by a rather ornate +3-leaf-clover knot of bands of edged bullion and is backed on blue +cloth. + + +COAT-SKIRT ORNAMENT, CORPS OF TOPOGRAPHICAL ENGINEERS, 1839(?) + +_USNM 22702. Figure 80._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 80] + +The uniform regulations for the period 1832-1846 carry no mention of +coat-skirt ornaments for the Corps of Topographical Engineers, rather +only prescribing the "slashed skirt flaps to be embroidered in gold, +with oak leaves and acorns" like the collar and cuffs. There is in the +national collections, however, a uniform for the Corps that +corresponds with 1839 regulations in every way except that the coat +skirts carry this ornament--a shield within a wreath of oak leaves--of +gold embroidery. The device appears to be of the same vintage as the +other embroidery on the coat. + + +¶ Although the 1832 uniform regulations make no mention of swords for +noncommissioned officers, in 1833 the Ames Manufacturing Company of +Chicopee, Massachusetts, began the manufacture of a new sword for the +Regular artillery. Based on a European pattern, this weapon was the +popular conception of the short Roman stabbing sword, or _gladius_. In +1834 this weapon was also authorized for infantry noncommissioned +officers.[92] + +[Footnote 92: _Regulations for the Government of the Ordnance +Department_, p. 64; and HAROLD L. PETERSON, pp. 42-43.] + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, ARTILLERY NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICER, 1833 + +_USNM 654384 (S-K 531). Figure 81._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 81] + +This is the belt-plate assembly designed for carrying the short "Roman +pattern" NCO sword. The plate is of two round pieces joined by an +S-hook that is open on one end for unbuckling. Each round piece has a +flat loop for attachment to the white buff belt. The right-hand round +piece has an eagle with head to the left, wings drooping, three arrows +in the right talon, and an olive branch in the left talon. The +left-hand piece has crossed cannons and the letters "U.S." The whole +is cast in rough bronze. + +Assemblies of this type were popularly known as "Dingee" belts, +because one of the primary contractors for them was Robert Dingee of +New York City. The eagle on this plate is very similar to the one on +Dingee's contract rifle flasks of 1832.[93] + +[Footnote 93: See PATTERSON, p. 8.] + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, INFANTRY NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICER, 1834 + +_USNM 604111 (S-K 267). Figure 82._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 82] + +This plate and belt are identical to the artillery specimen above +except that the left-hand round portion exhibits three stacked muskets +and a drum instead of crossed cannon. + +[Illustration: FIGURE 83.--Specimen in collection of William E. Codd, +Towson, Maryland.] + + +¶ NCO belt plates similar to the two above also appeared in what might +be called a staff or branch immaterial pattern, with the crossed +cannon and/or stacked muskets and drum replaced by the letters "US" +alone (fig. 83). This pattern apparently was intended for wear by +NCO's other than those assigned to the infantry, artillery, or +dragoons. + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, DRAGOON OFFICER, 1833 + +_USNM 5664. Figure 84._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 84] + +This plate, which formerly belonged to Gen. William S. Harney when he +commanded the 2d Dragoons in 1836, is identical to the general and +staff officers' plate of the 1832 regulations except that the letters +"U.S." have been replaced by the letter "D" in Old English, as +prescribed.[94] + +[Footnote 94: General Order No. 38, Headquarters of the Army, May 2, +1833 (photostatic copy in files of the division of military history, +Smithsonian Institution).] + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICER, 1836 + +_USNM 604114-M (S-K 268). Figure 85._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 85] + +The 1835 uniform regulations replaced the rather impractical S-hook +NCO belt plate with a "round clasp" on which the branch designation +was replaced with the raised letters "U S." Similar in over-all design +to the 1821 officers' plate, round with outer ring, these plates were +rough cast in brass and had a stippled surface. + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICER, 1836 + +_USNM 604114 (S-K 270). Not illustrated._ + +This specimen is very similar to the preceding plate, but it is of a +definitely different casting and is generally heavier in over-all +appearance, the inner ring is much more convex, and the letters "U S" +are raised only slightly and spread farther apart. + + +SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, OFFICERS, 1839 + +_USNM 40886. Figure 86._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 86] + +The 1839 uniform regulations specified a shoulder belt (rather than a +waist belt) for carrying the sword, with a "breast plate according to +the pattern to be furnished by the Ordnance Department." This plate, +which was worn by Capt. Erastus Capron, 1st Artillery, an 1833 +graduate of the Military Academy, is believed to be that +specified.[95] The specimen is rectangular with beveled edges, cast in +brass, and has the lines of a modified sunburst radiating outward. In +the center, within a wreath of laurel, are the letters "U S" in Old +English. Both the wreath and letters are of silvered copper and are +applied. The plate is attached by three broad hooks rather than two +studs and a hook. + +[Footnote 95: _U.S. Military Magazine_ (April 1841), illustrations for +"United States Infantry, Full Dress" and "United States Artillery +(Captain)."] + + +SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, OFFICERS, 1839 + +_USNM 604330 (S-K 486). Not illustrated._ + +This plate is almost identical to the Capron specimen above except +that the letters "U S," instead of being in Old English, are formed of +oak leaves. + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, CORPS OF TOPOGRAPHICAL ENGINEERS, 1839 + +_USNM 22702. Figure 87._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 87] + +The 1839 uniform regulations prescribed this plate for the Corps of +Topographical Engineers. The oval inner plate, which contains the +prescribed eagle, shield, and the letters "U S" in Old English, is +struck in medium weight copper and gilded. This inner plate is +soldered to a cast-bronze and gilded tongue which in turn is brazed to +a cast-bronze belt attachment. The oval outer ring, bearing the +prescribed "CORPS OF TOPOGRAPHICAL ENGINEERS" in Roman capitals, is +cast in brass and gilded. To the inner edge of this outer ring are +brazed two curved seats for the inner oval. The whole is brazed to the +belt attachment, also cast in brass and gilded. + + +¶ In view of the large and somewhat elaborate cap plates as well as +shoulder-belt plates adopted by both the Regulars and Militia early in +the 19th century, it is somewhat surprising that apparently neither +component had ornamentation on its cartridge boxes until the Ordnance +Regulations of 1834 prescribed a very ornate design embossed on the +leather flap.[96] Certainly there was precedent for such, for both the +British and German mercenary troops of the Revolution and the British +and Canadian troops of the War of 1812 wore metal ornaments on their +cartridge boxes. At least partial explanation for this omission may +lie in one of Callender Irvine's reasons for rejecting brass cartridge +boxes in favor of leather ones: "The leather ... affords no mark for +the enemy to sight at. The brass ... would afford a central object, as +regards the body of the Soldier, and one which would be seen at a +great distance to fire at."[97] Why Irvine did not object equally to +the large white and yellow metal cap and shoulder-belt plates as +targets is unknown. In any case--with a possible few Militia +exceptions such as a Militia cartridge box with a plate bearing the +likeness of Washington in silver, both about 1835--the 1839 model oval +plates were the first to be worn. + +[Footnote 96: _See Military Collector and Historian_ (June 1950), vol. +2, no. 2, pp. 29-30.] + +[Footnote 97: Letter dated June 29, 1813, from Irvine to Secretary of +War (Records AGO).] + +The ordnance regulations of 1839 and the ordnance manual of 1841 +brought in two distinctly new types of plates, the familiar brass oval +waist-belt and cartridge-box plates with the letters "U. S." and the +round shoulder-belt plate with the eagle. The oval plates fall into +two general sizes, 3.5 inches by 2.2 inches (for plates on the +infantry's cartridge box and the cavalry's waist belts)[98] and 2.8 +inches by 1.6 inches (for plates on the infantry's waist belts and the +cavalry's carbine cartridge boxes and pistol cartridge boxes). The use +of each plate is determined by the type of fastener. These plates were +struck in thin brass and the backs generally leaded, although some +were used without such backing, probably to save both weight and +material. Cartridge boxes were also embossed with the outline of this +oval plate in lieu of the plate itself. It is interesting to note that +the larger plates with lead backs weighed about 5-1/2 ounces and the +smaller ones just over 2 ounces. + +[Footnote 98: The cavalry waist-belt plate is actually specified to be +3.6 inches by 2.2 inches.] + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, CAVALRY, 1839 + +_USNM 604408 (S-K 555). Figures 88, 89._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 88] + +[Illustration: FIGURE 89] + +The specimen is oval, slightly convex, and struck in thin brass. The +face has a raised edge and the letters "U S." The reverse is leaded, +carries two studs and a hook (indicating its use), and is stamped with +the maker's name, "W. H. Smith, Brooklyn." Smith is listed in New York +City directories of the Civil War period as a contractor for metal and +leather supplies. + + +CARTRIDGE-BOX PLATE, INFANTRY, 1839 + +_USNM 604403 (S-K 550). Figure 90._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 90] + +This plate is identical to the preceding one except that it is leaded +and fitted with two looped-wire fasteners. The reverse is stamped with +the name of the maker, "J. L. Pittman," who, like Smith, was a +contractor in the New York City area in the Civil War period. + + +CARTRIDGE-BOX PLATE, CAVALRY, 1839 + +_USNM 604395 (S-K 542). Not illustrated._ + +This is the oval "US" plate of the smaller size (2-3/4 by 1-1/8 in.), +otherwise identical to the larger plate. It is fitted with two +looped-wire fasteners. + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, INFANTRY, 1839 + +_USNM 604398 (S-K 545). Figure 91._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 91] + +This specimen is identical to the preceding plate except that it is +fitted with two brass hooks for attachment to the belt and the reverse +is stamped with the maker's name, "Boyd & Sons." No trace of a +manufacturer of such products by the name of Boyd has been found. It +is probable that he worked during the Civil War period when there were +many such contractors. + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, INFANTRY, 1839 + +_USNM 604399 (S-K 546). Not illustrated._ + +This plate is identical to those above except that the reverse is +stamped with the maker's name. "H. A. Dingee." + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, INFANTRY, 1839 + +_USNM 604397 (S-K 544). Figure 92._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 92] + +The reverse side of this plate is fitted with the rather rudimentary +wire fasteners similar to those on shoulder-belt plates of the +1812-1821 period. In other respects the specimen is identical to the +preceding ones of 1839. + + +¶ The 1839 regulations specified a bayonet-belt plate "round, brass, +with eagle." The 1841 ordnance manual was more exact, specifying the +plate to be "brass, circular, 2.5 in. diameter, with an Eagle," and +then stating: "The bayonet belt is about to be discontinued ..." +Although not so authorized at the time, this plate, so familiar during +the Civil War period, was switched over to the shoulder belt +supporting the cartridge box. Such plates were manufactured in great +quantities and in many variations of the original design by a dozen or +more contractors during the period 1861-1865. + + +CARTRIDGE-BOX-BELT PLATE, 1839 + +_USNM 60338-M (S-K 94). Figure 93._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 93] + +This circular plate, with raised rim, is dominated by an eagle of +refined design that is very similar to the eagles appearing on the War +of 1812 plates. The eagle has its wings drooped, head to the left, +three arrows in the right talon, and an olive branch in the left +talon. This specimen can be dated with the earliest cartridge-box +plates because of its backing and the type of fasteners. Whereas the +backs of the later models were lead-filled, this plate was struck in +thin brass over tin and the edges of the obverse crimped to retain the +backing. The fasteners are of the bent-wire type typical of the +1812-1832 period and are not the "2 eyes of iron wire" called for in +the ordnance manual of 1850. None of the later examples of this design +evidence any of the refinement of the original. At least eight +variations are represented in the national collections. + + +CARTRIDGE-BOX-BELT PLATE, 1839, DIE SAMPLE + +_USNM 60339-M (S-K 95). Not illustrated._ + +This is a die sample, struck in copper, of the plate described above. + + +SWORD-BELT PLATE, 1851 + +_USNM 38017. Figures 94, 95._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 94] + +[Illustration: FIGURE 95] + +The 1851 regulations prescribed this plate for all officers and +enlisted men. It was specified to be "gilt, rectangular, two inches +wide, with a raised bright rim; a silver wreath of laurel encircling +the 'Arms of the United States'; eagle, scroll, edge of cloud and rays +bright. The motto, 'E Pluribus Unum,' in silver letters upon the +scroll; stars also of silver; according to pattern."[99] + +[Footnote 99: _Regulations for the Uniform and Dress_, pl. 21.] + +This plate has had a longer history than any other similar Army +device. It was authorized for all personnel until 1881 when it was +dropped as an item of enlisted equipment. It was retained for +officers, first for general wear, then for dress only. It was worn +with officers' dress blue uniforms until 1941, but was not revived +when blues reappeared after World War II. A plate of the same general +size and pattern, although gilt in its entirety, was prescribed for +senior NCO's of the Marine Corps until about 1950 or 1951. + +The buckle appears in many variations of design, at least 12 being +represented in the national collections. Many of these variations are +the result of the plate being produced in great numbers by many +different contractors during the Civil War. The original design itself +is interesting. The 1851 description called for an "edge of cloud and +rays" and the official, full size drawing in _Regulations for the +Uniform and Dress of the Army_ includes the "edge of cloud" and +pictures the eagle with its head to the heraldic left. At least 50 of +these plates were examined by the authors, but only this specimen had +the "edge of cloud," silver letters and stars, and the eagle with its +head to the left. In most specimens the plate proper is bronze, in one +piece, and with the wreath silvered or left plain; in a few specimens +the wreath is in white metal and has been applied after casting. This +particular specimen is of an early issue. It is cast in heavy brass, +with the wreath applied, and has the narrow brass tongue for +attachment on the reverse (fig. 95), typical of the early types. + + +SWORD-BELT PLATE, 1851, DIE SAMPLE + +_USNM. 60342-M (S-K 98). Figure 96._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 96] + +This is a sample struck from a die which apparently was not approved +for the 1851 pattern plate. The eagle has wings upraised (2 inches tip +to tip), head to right, shield on breast, scroll with "E Pluribus +Unum" in beak, three arrows in right talon, and an olive branch in +left talon. Stars are intermixed with "edge of cloud" and rays. + +The specimen leads to the interesting speculation as to the weight +given to correct heraldic usage at this period. The significance of +the clouds, or lack of them, is unknown, but it should be noted that +in all but the earliest specimens the eagle's head is turned to the +right, or the side of honor, and the olive branch is placed in the +right talon, indicating peaceful national motives as opposed to the +three arrows, signs of belligerency, in the left talon. In this +respect, it is interesting to note that until 1945 the eagle on the +President's seal and flag carried its head turned to the heraldic +left. + + + + +_Insignia of the Uniformed Militia_ + + +Cap and Helmet Devices + +HAT ORNAMENT, INDEPENDENT DRAGOONS(?), c. 1800 + +_USNM 14978. Figure 97._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 97] + +This silver ornament is one of the most unusual pieces of military +insignia in the national collections. Obviously military, it is just +as obviously of Militia origin. Although hardly artistic in design, it +has a rather attractive simplicity and has been made with considerable +care. The eagle is of the "frogleg" design that first appeared on +buttons of the post-Revolutionary Army and, later on, of the Legion. +In its right talon the eagle is grasping what appear to be rather +stylized thunderbolts, and in its left, arrows. The arc above the +eagle's head is comprised of sunrays, an edge of clouds, and 16 +6-pointed stars. If the number of stars is of significance, the piece +would date prior to November 1802 when the 17th state, Ohio, was +admitted to the union. The "frog-legged" aspect of the design would +tend to confirm such dating, and the thunderbolts in the right talon, +symbolic of a belligerent attitude, could be attributed to the +national temper during the "quasi war" with France, 1798-1800. The +"ID," in delicate floriated script on the eagle's breast, quite out of +consonance with the design and execution of the piece proper and +obviously the work of a talented engraver, is interpreted as +"Independent Dragoons." Too small for a hat frontpiece, it was +probably worn as a side ornament on a dragoon helmet. + + +LEATHER FAN COCKADE, C. 1810 + +_USNM 60257-M (S-K 15). Figure 98._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 98] + +The leather fan cockade became a part of the uniform in the late 18th +century, having evolved from the cloth cockade adopted early in the +Revolution.[100] Enlisted men's cockades of the early 19th century +were of leather, as were those of line officers.[101] This cockade, of +black tooled leather with painted gold fan tips, was a common form of +the period and was worn with an eagle in the center or possibly on the +upper fan. It is assigned to the Militia because of the gold +ornamentation. + +[Footnote 100: FINKE, pp. 71-73.] + +[Footnote 101: TODD, "Three Leather Cockades," pp. 24-25.] + + +CAP PLATE, C. 1810 + +_USNM 60275-M (S-K 33). Figure 99._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 99] + +This grenadier-type plate, which is untrimmed and thus may be a die +sample, is a rare example of the use of coiled snakes as a military +device after 1800. A familiar motif of the Revolution, coiled snakes +were not revived as a popular military symbol during the War of 1812. +This specimen is struck in brass and is believed to have been made for +a specific independent Militia organization, designation unknown, for +wear prior to 1812. + + +COCKADE EAGLE, 1812-1815 + +_USNM 60361-M (S-K 117). Figure 100._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 100] + +The eagle-on-clouds design, which first appeared on coins on the 1795 +silver dollar, was popular on insignia during the period 1812-1821. +The heraldic significance of the clouds, if any, is unknown. Somewhat +larger than most cockade devices, this eagle is struck in brass and +silvered and has two simple wire fasteners soldered to the reverse. A +very similar badge is shown by Rembrandt Peale in an oil portrait of +Col. Joseph O. Bogart of the 3d Flying Artillery.[102] + +[Footnote 102: Reproduced in _Antiques_ (July 1947), vol. 52, no. 7, +p. 16.] + + +COCKADE EAGLE, C. 1814 + +_USNM 60379-M (S-K 135). Figure 101._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 101] + +This eagle, of the general design first seen on the 1807 half-dollar, +is very similar to the one on buttons ascribed to staff officers, +1814-1821.[103] The eagle, struck in brass, has wings upraised and the +familiar hooked beak; it stands on a wreath of the colors. The wire +fasteners on the reverse are of a somewhat unusual type and may not be +contemporary. + +[Footnote 103: JOHNSON, specimen nos. 101-105.] + + +¶ Die work for cap, shoulder-belt, and waist-belt plates was +expensive, and many Militia organizations found it expedient to +purchase devices "ready made" from existing dies. By varying the +trimming and adding borders of various designs, the same dies could be +used to strike all three types of plates. Such badges are called +"common" plates. + +The common plates that follow were very popular during the period +1812-1835 and, although relatively rare today, were made in +considerable quantity and in many die variations for the Militia in +every part of the country. They are known in brass, copper, and +silver-on-copper. It is possible that specimens such as these may have +been worn by some officers of the Regular Establishment between 1814 +and 1821. + + +CAP PLATE, 1814-1825(?) + +_USNM 60263-M (S-K 21). Figure 102._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 102] + +This is a typical example of the common plates of the 1814-1835 +period. The piece is struck in brass and has an edged and stippled +border. The design is dominated by an eagle with wings outspread, head +to left, arrows in right talon, olive branch in left talon, and with +the national motto on a ribbon overhead. The whole is superimposed on +a trophy of arms and colors with an arc of 13 6-pointed stars above. A +plume socket, apparently original, is soldered to the reverse, as are +two looped-wire fasteners. The fasteners are of a later period. + + +CAP PLATE, 1814-1825(?) + +_USNM 60264-M (S-K 22). Figure 103._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 103] + +Struck in copper and silvered, this piece is a die variant of the +preceding plate. A floral border replaces the plain border, and the +overhead arc has 5-pointed rather than 6-pointed stars. The floral +border marks it as probably an officer's device. + + +CAP PLATE, 1814-1825(?) + +_USNM 60313-M (S-K 69). Figure 104._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 104] + +A die variant of the preceding plate, this device has an unusually +wide floral border. As in so many of the common pieces of this period, +the center device was purposely designed small so that the die could +be used to strike matching waist-belt plates. Examples of waist-belt +plates struck from dies of this particular design are known. Struck in +copper, there is a plume socket soldered to the reverse along with two +looped-wire fasteners. The fasteners are not contemporary. + + +CAP PLATE, 1814-1825(?) + +_USNM 60314-M (S-K 70). Figure 105._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 105] + +This is a die variant of the three plates immediately preceding. +However, the center device lacks the fineness of detail of the others, +a fact that suggests that several makers working with different die +sinkers produced this basic pattern. The plate is struck in copper, +and originally it had a plume socket attached to the reverse. The +present looped-wire fasteners are not original. + + +CAP PLATE, 1814-1825(?) + +_USNM 60299-M (S-K 57). Figure 106._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 106] + +This plate, which is of brass, is of a less common design than its +predecessors. However, since there is another such plate, but of +silver-on-copper, in the national collections, it can be surmised that +pieces of this same pattern were made for use by several different +units. + +A floral-bordered shield is topped by an out-sized sunburst with 13 +stars, clouds, and the motto "Unity is Strength." In the center of +the shield is the eagle, with wings widely outspread and with +lightning bolts in the right talon and an olive branch in the left +talon. The lightning bolt device, obvious sign of belligerency, first +appeared about 1800 and is not seen in plates designed after 1821. The +motto and the date 1776 are far more typical of Militia than Regular +Army usage. + + +¶ In 1821 the Regular Army discarded all its large cap plates and +adopted the bell-crown leather cap. Militia organizations lost no time +in adopting a similar cap and, conversely, placing on it--and on the +tall beaver which followed in the 1830's--the largest plates it could +accommodate, using variations of discarded Regular Army patterns as +well as original designs. + +From 1821 until well into the 1840's large cap plates were +mass-produced by manufacturers in Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and +perhaps other cities of the New England metal manufacturing area. The +few early platemakers, such as Crumpton and Armitage of Philadelphia +and Peasley of Boston, were joined by a number of others. Prominent +among these were Charles John Joullain, who made plates in New York +during the 1820's, and William Pinchin of Philadelphia. Joullain is +first listed in New York directories, in 1817, as a "gilder," and so +continues through 1828. Sometimes his given name is listed as Charles, +sometimes as James, and finally as Charles James. From 1820 to 1828 +his address is the same, 32 Spring Street. There is a William Pinchin +(Pinchon) listed in the Philadelphia directories as a silverplater or +silversmith almost continuously from 1785 through 1863, indicating the +possibility of a family occupation. + +It is believed that some of the New England makers of uniform buttons +also manufactured plates. Among such buttonmakers of the 1820's and +1830's were R. and W. Robinson, D. Evans and Co., Leavenworth and Co., +Benedict and Coe, and others in Connecticut and Massachusetts. +Buttonmakers often stamped their names or easily recognizable +hallmarks on the back of their products. + +In most cases it is virtually impossible to ascertain the precise +units for which these different plates were first designed, and the +problem is further complicated because the maker would sell a specific +plate design to several different units. Those designs that +incorporate all or part of a state's seal were originally made for +Militia organizations of the particular state, but in several +instances these plates were sold--altered or not--to units in other +parts of the country. Militia organizations that were widely separated +geographically purchased cap plates from distant manufacturers who had +perhaps a dozen or more stock patterns to offer at a cost much lower +than that involved in making a new die from which to strike +custom-made ornaments. It made no difference to the Savannah Greys, in +Georgia, that their new cap plates were the same as those worn by +organizations in Pennsylvania and Massachusetts. Toward the end of +this period of large cap plates, manufacturers came out with two-piece +ornaments. After 1833, when the Regiment of United States Dragoons was +authorized its large sunburst plate with separate eagle ornament in +the center, insignia makers introduced a veritable rash of full +sunburst, three-quarter sunburst, and half-sunburst cap plates with +interchangeable centers. And for the first time small Militia units +could afford their own distinctive devices at little extra cost. +Shoulder-belt and waist-belt plates underwent the same evolution, and +by the late 1830's such plates had become a mixture of either single +die stampings or composite plates made of several parts soldered or +otherwise held onto a rectangular or oval background. + +Study of cap plates and other insignia in the Huddy and Duval prints +in _U.S. Military Magazine_ points to the years between 1833 and +perhaps 1837 or 1838 as the transition period from single to composite +ornaments, years during which there was also tremendous growth in the +popularity and number of independent Militia units. In contrast to the +1820's when the Militia often waited until the Regulars discarded a +device before adopting it, in 1840 there were no less than five +organizations, mounted and dismounted, wearing the 1833 dragoon plate +in full form while it was still in use by the Regulars. _U.S. Military +Magazine_ illustrates such plates for the Richmond Light Infantry +Blues, the Georgia Hussars, the Macon Volunteers, the Jackson Rifle +Corps of Lancaster, Pa., the Montgomery Light Guard, and the Harrison +Guards of Allentown, Pa. The plate of the Harrison Guards is an +example of the license sometimes practiced by Huddy and Duval in the +preparation of their military prints. The color bearer in this print +is depicted wearing a full sunburst plate, while the description of +the uniform called for "a semi-circular plate or _gloria_."[104] + +[Footnote 104: _U.S. Military Magazine_ (March 1839), p. 4.] + +In the following descriptions of plates, the term "stock pattern" is +used because the insignia are known to have been worn by more than one +organization, because their basic designs are so elementary that it +appears obvious that they were made for wide distribution, or because +they are known to have been made both in silver and in gilt metals. + + +CAP PLATE, ARTILLERY, C. 1825 + +_USNM 60307-M (S-K 64). Figure 107._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 107] + +On the raised center of this shield-shaped plate is the +eagle-on-cannon device within an oval floral border; the Federal +shield is below. The whole is superimposed on a trophy of arms and +colors with portions of a modified sunburst appearing on the sides. +The plate is struck in brass. The eagle-on-cannon first appeared on +Regular artillery buttons in 1802. About 1808 it was used as an +embossed device on the leather fan cockade, and in 1814 it became the +principal design element of the cap plate for Regulars. This plate is +thought to be one of the earliest of the post-1821 series of Militia +cap plates incorporating the discarded design of the Regular +artillery. + + +UNIDENTIFIED ORNAMENT, PROBABLY CAP PLATE, C. 1821 + +_USNM 60331-M (S-K 87). Figure 108._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 108] + +This silver-on-copper plate is unique in size, shape, and over-all +design. It is one of the most unusual Militia insignia in the national +collections. The standing eagle of the 1807 mint design with Federal +shield, the panoply of arms and colors, and the rayed background all +suggest that this plate was made not later than the early 1820's. +Quite possibly it is a cap plate of the War of 1812 period, but +positive dating is impossible. Three simple wire fasteners are affixed +to the reverse. + + +CAP PLATE, ARTILLERY, C. 1825 + +_USNM 60255-M (S-K 13). Figure 109._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 109] + +Although the Regular riflemen wore a diamond-shaped plate from 1812 to +1814, this shape does not appear on Militia caps until the mid-1820's. +It was a common form through the 1830's, but since it was always made +as a one-piece die-struck plate it became out-dated in the late 1830's +when the composite plates came into vogue. + +This plate, struck in brass and bearing the eagle-on-cannon device, +must be considered a stock pattern available to many organizations. +Insignia struck from the same die could have been easily made into +shoulder-belt plates as well. + + +CAP PLATE AND PLUME HOLDER, C. 1825 + +_USNM 604748 (S-K 893). Figure 110._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 110] + +This brass plate is similar in many respects to the regular infantry +cap plate, type I, 1814-1821. It is attached to a bell-crowned shako +of distinctly Militia origin and is cut in the diamond shape popular +with the Militia in the 1820's and 1830's. The design lies within a +raised oval dominated by an eagle similar to ones used on War of 1812 +insignia. Below the eagle is a Federal shield and a trophy of stacked +muskets, a drum surmounted by a dragoon helmet, a gun on a truck +carriage, and colors--one the National Colors with 16 stars in the +canton. + +The plume holder attached to the cap above the plate is an unusually +interesting and distinctive device. It is a hemisphere of thin brass +with a round plume socket at the top. The hemisphere has an eagle on a +shield and a superimposed wreath device in silver. The blazonry of the +shield cannot be identified with any particular state or locality. + + +CAP PLATE, C. 1821 + +_USNM 60262 (S-K 20). Figure 111._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 111] + +The familiar hooked-beak eagle dominates the center of this brass, +scalloped-edge plate. The arrows of belligerency, however, are held in +the left talon. Surrounding the eagle is a three-quarter wreath of +olive with the national motto above and the date 1776 below. While +there is a possibility that this plate may fall into the period +1814-1821 because of its outline shape, it lacks the panoply of arms +associated with that era. It is much more probable that this is one of +the earliest plates made for Militia during the years 1821-1830. Since +this plate is also known in silver-on-copper, it is considered a stock +pattern. + + +CAP PLATE, MILITIA, ARTILLERY(?), C. 1821 + +_USNM 60306-M (S-K 63). Figure 112._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 112] + +This oval, brass-struck plate framed within a large wreath of laurel +is one of the finest in the national collections, comprising as it +does a number of devices of excellent design and considerable detail +standing in high relief. The curving line of 21 stars above the motto, +decreasing in size laterally, is an interesting detail, and the eagle +and panoply of arms is reminiscent of those on the plate ascribed to +the Regiment of Light Artillery, 1814-1821, and on several of the +common Militia plates of the same period. It is assigned to the +artillery because of its "yellow metal" composition. It has simple +wire fasteners, applied to the reverse, and carries no plume socket. + + +CAP PLATE, NEW YORK, C. 1825 + +_USNM 60273-M (S-K 31). Figure 113._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 113] + +This unusually large, shield-shaped plate, struck in brass, is +dominated by an eagle--within a smaller shield with raised +edge--standing on a half globe and wreath of the colors, both of which +are superimposed on a trophy of arms and flags; clouds and sun rays +are above. The specimen represents one of the large cap plate patterns +adopted by the Militia for wear on the bell-crown cap soon after it +came into general use in the early 1820's. While a stock pattern in a +sense, its use was most likely confined to New York State Militia +because its principal device, the eagle-on-half-globe, is taken +directly from that state's seal. These large plates were widely worn +until the middle or late 1830's when newer styles began to replace +them. The plume socket affixed to the reverse appears to be +contemporary, but has been resoldered. + + +CAP PLATE, NEW YORK, C. 1825 + +_USNM 60356-M (S-K 112). Figure 114._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 114] + +This is a variant of the preceding plate and well illustrates how an +insignia-maker could adapt a single die for several products. The +eagle-on-half-globe, with a portion of the trophy of arms and colors, +and the clouds and sunburst above have merely been cut out from the +plate proper for use alone. The plate is struck in brass. + +Another specimen, of silver-on-copper, is known, indicating that this +insignia was made for wear by infantry as well as by other branches of +the service; consequently, it may be termed a stock pattern. + + +CAP PLATE, NEW YORK, C. 1825 + +_USNM 60266-M (S-K 24). Figure 115._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 115] + +Illustrating fine craftsmanship, this elaborate brass cap plate +comprises perhaps the most ornate and intricately detailed design ever +attempted by a military ornament die sinker. The strike itself has +been so well executed that the most minute details are even today +readily discernible, even after very apparent use. Made for New York +Militia, its central theme is the eagle-on-half-globe superimposed on +a trophy of arms and flags. + +Many of the facets of detail are of particular interest. Almost every +ray of the aura of sunlight can still be clearly seen; the North Pole +is well marked with a vertical arrow; the Arctic Circle, Tropic of +Capricorn, and the Equator are included on the half-globe, as are the +meridians of longitude and the parallels of latitude; both North +America and South America are shown, and that portion of North America +east of the Mississippi basin is clearly denominated "UNITED STATES." +An unusual feature of the design is the way the arrows are held in the +eagle's left talon--some of the arrow heads point inward, some +outward. What appears to have been a contemporary plume socket has +been resoldered to the reverse. + +Although this plate is unmarked as to maker, another plate of a +similar design but of silver-on-copper has the maker's mark "J. +JOULLAIN, MAKER, N. YORK." Since two distinct but similar designs are +known, and the finished product is found in both brass and +silver-on-copper, it seems probable that this plate was produced by +more than one maker, and for all arms of the service. It is therefore +deemed a stock pattern. + + +CAP PLATE, RIFLEMEN, C. 1825 + +_USNM 60267-M (S-K 25). Figure 116._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 116] + +Almost immediately after the last Regular rifle regiment was disbanded +in 1821, Militia riflemen adopted the large open horn with loops and +tassels that the Regulars had worn from 1817 to 1821. The basic device +was altered slightly by showing an eagle in flight and the horn +suspended much lower on its cords. The illustrated brass plate is one +of four die variants, and more than a dozen similar to it have been +examined. It is significant that all are of brass, for these were made +and worn during the period when the trimmings for infantry were silver +or "white metal." + +This plate differs from the others examined in that it has 17 +6-pointed stars along the upper and lower parts of the shield inside +the border. The number of stars cannot be significant in dating for +the plate was obviously made long after 1812 when the 18th state, +Louisiana, was admitted to the Union. A plume socket affixed to the +reverse appears to be original. + +Undoubtedly made as a stock pattern by several manufacturers, these +plates continued in use for at least 15 years after they first +appeared about 1825. Although _U.S. Military Magazine_ illustrates +many large cap plates for the period 1839-1841, none has a shield +outline. This may indicate a decline in the popularity of the design, +but it must be remembered that Huddy and Duval presented the uniforms +of only a small cross-section of the Militia of the period. + + +CAP PLATE, RIFLEMEN, C. 1825 + +_USNM 60267-M (S-K 26). Figure 117._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 117] + +This is a second form of Militia riflemen's plates. Struck in brass, +it differs from the preceding primarily in the placement of 17 +5-pointed stars along the upper half of the shield, between the +borders. Other small differences show that the basic die was not that +used for the preceding specimen. The most obvious difference is the +legend "E PLURIBUS UNUM" carried on the ribbon behind the knotted cord +of the horn, an element not present in the other. + +A third form, not illustrated, substitutes a floral border for the +plain border around the edge of the shield and contains no stars as +part of the design. Still a fourth form, also not illustrated, has the +same center device of eagle and open horn placed in a longer and +narrower shield, with 23 6-pointed stars between the borders. + + +¶ These various combinations of devices give a good clue as to the +method of manufacture of stock patterns, and indicate the use of +several different dies and hand punches. The blank metal was first +struck by a die that formed the plain or floral border and cut the +outline of the plate. Next, a smaller die containing the center device +of eagle and horn was used. Then the stars, and sometimes elements of +the floral border, were added by individual striking with a hand +punch. This latter method is clearly revealed by the comparison of +several "identical" plates in which the stars or elements of the +border are irregularly and differently spaced. + + +CAP PLATE, RIFLEMAN PATTERN, C. 1825 + +_USNM 60398-M (S-K 154). Figure 118._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 118] + +This plate is called "rifleman pattern" because it is silver-on-copper +and is the only known example of this type of insignia made for wear +by infantry, or possibly for Militia riflemen whose trimmings were, +incorrectly, silver. + +There are several conjectures about this cut-out device made from a +die of the preceding series of shield plates. It may have been made +after 1834, when the open horn with cord and tassels was adopted by +the Regular infantry as a branch device. It is equally possible that +it was submitted to a Militia infantry organization by some maker as a +sample during the 1820's and when selected was silvered to conform +with other trimmings. In either case, it illustrates how a single die +could serve to make many different variations from a basic design. + + +CAP PLATE, RIFLEMEN, C. 1825 + +_USNM 60304-M (S-K 61B). Figure 119._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 119] + +The very unusual construction of this brass plate for riflemen +indicates that it is possibly one of the earliest of the composite +plates. Within a wreath of crossed laurel boughs is a small center +circle with raised edge to which has been soldered the eagle and horn +device struck in convex form. + + +CAP PLATE, RIFLEMEN, C. 1830 + +_USNM 60252-M (S-K 10). Figure 120._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 120] + +The diamond-shaped plate was in vogue with Militia units during the +late 1820's and the 1830's. Examples of such plates for the Washington +Grays (Philadelphia) and the Philadelphia Grays are recorded in _U.S. +Military Magazine_.[105] This brass plate, possibly made for a +particular unit from stock dies, is a typical example of the endless +variety possible with the use of a few dies. The blank was struck with +a die for the center device of eagle and horn, but the irregularity of +the spacing of the stars shows that they were added later by hand. +Similar plates may be found with essentially this same device, but +placed on small shields or backgrounds of other shapes. + +[Footnote 105: April 1839, pl. 5; June 1839, pl. 11.] + + +CAP PLATE, C. 1835 + +_USNM 604851-M (S-K 996). Figure 121._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 121] + +The eagle and horn devices were sometimes separated by the +manufacturer to produce this type ornament open with cord and tassels. +Struck in brass, it differs in form and detail from the silver horn +adopted by the Regular infantry in 1834 as a cap plate. + +Several Militia units of the late 1830's and 1840's used a horn as an +additional ornament on the rear of the cap, notably the State +Fencibles (Philadelphia) and the National Guard (Philadelphia). On the +rear of the leather cap of the State Fencibles were "two broad rich +stripes of silver lace, starting from the same point at the top and +running down, forming an angle, in the center of which is a bugle +ornament...."[106] The cap of the National Guard has been described as +being "of blue cloth ... and in the rear a plated bugle +ornament."[107] + +[Footnote 106: _U.S. Military Magazine_ (March 1839), p. 3 and pl. 2.] + +[Footnote 107: _U.S. Military Magazine_ (October 1841), p. 32.] + + +¶ In the following series of rather similar plates, four different +dies are used for the center ornament, perhaps made by as many +different die sinkers. The relatively large number of these plates +still in existence suggests that they were worn very extensively. +Those with silver finish were used by infantry; the gilt or copper +ones by artillery and perhaps by staff officers. All specimens are +currently fitted with plain wire fasteners and plume sockets, both of +which may or may not be original. + + +CAP PLATE, INFANTRY, C. 1825 + +_USNM 60271-M (S-K 29). Figure 122._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 122] + +The floral-bordered shield outline of this silver-on-copper infantry +plate is known to have been used also with the rifleman's eagle-horn +device in the center. The panoply of arms and flags used as a +background for the center device, which is characterized by the long +neck of the eagle swung far to the right, links it closely to the +plate of similar type worn during the period 1814-1821. Because of its +large size, it is assigned to the post-1821 era of the bell-crown cap, +contemporary with the riflemen's large plates. The 13 5-pointed stars +were added with a hand punch. + + +CAP PLATE, C. 1825 + +_USNM 60298-M (S-K 56). Figure 123._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 123] + +This brass plate is a duplicate of the preceding, lacking only the +hand-applied stars. The crispness of detail indicates that it was one +of the very early products of the die. + + +CAP PLATE, C. 1825 + +_USNM 60269-M (S-K 27). Figure 124._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 124] + +The second variation of the series is a product of perhaps the best +executed die of the group, with unusually fine detail in the eagle's +wings and with neatly stacked cannon balls at the bottom of the center +device. It includes other excellent detail not found in other dies: an +eagle-head pommel on one sword, a star pattern made of smaller stars +in the cantons of the flags, and crossed cannon, rammer, and worm +behind the Federal shield. It is struck in brass. + + +CAP PLATE, C. 1825 + +_USNM 60297-M (S-K 55). Figure 125._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 125] + +A tall, slender, rather graceless eagle with broad wings and erect +head reminiscent of the Napoleonic eagle is the outstanding difference +in this third example of the series. The floral border lacks a +finished look because the plate, which is of brass, was apparently +hand trimmed. + + +CAP PLATE, C. 1825 + +_USNM 60270-M (S-K 28). Figure 126._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 126] + +This fourth variation, of silver-on-copper, bears an eagle with very +small legs (somewhat out of proportion), an erect head, a fierce mien, +and a heavy round breast. The design is struck on a shield-plate with +the exact measurements as on one of the riflemen series. + + +CAP PLATE, MUSICIAN, C. 1825 + +_USNM 60302-M (S-K 60). Figure 127._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 127] + +The oldest known plate made expressly for musicians, this +silver-on-copper, floral-bordered shield bears an eagle similar to one +for riflemen of the same period (see fig. 116). Among the early +musical instruments easily identifiable in the design are the tambor, +the serpent, the French horn, and the rack of bells. Such a plate was +undoubtedly a stock pattern, available in either gilt or silver +finish, and was probably sold well into the 1840's. The reverse is +fitted with what appears to be a contemporary plume socket, although +resoldered, and two simple wire fasteners. + + +CAP PLATE, MUSICIAN, C. 1835 + +_USNM 6030-M (S-K 61A). Figure 128._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 128] + +This gilded brass plate, while not as old as the preceding one, is of +an unusual pattern. Made for New York State Militia, it carries the +eagle-on-half-globe device at the top. The central design includes a +French horn, a serpent, and a straight horn, all intertwined about an +open roll of sheet music. It is probably a stock pattern. The reverse +is fitted with three simple bent-wire fasteners. + + +CAP PLATE, C. 1830 + +_USNM 60250-M (S-K 8). Figure 129._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 129] + +The design on this brass plate, reminiscent of that on the regular +infantry cap plate, 1814-1821, was adopted for wear by the Militia +after being discarded by the Regular Establishment. The ornate floral +border and diamond shape place it in the late 1820's and the 1830's, +although the lightning in the eagle's left talon and the arrows in its +right talon are usually associated with plates designed prior to 1821. +It has been suggested that this is the plate worn by the West Point +cadets after 1821, but such seems doubtful. + + +¶ No Militia plates enjoyed wider use or longer life than those +patterned after the plate that disappeared from the Regular +Establishment with the disbanding of the dragoons in 1815. More than a +dozen die variants are known, several worn by more than one Militia +unit. Although size and shape may vary, any plate exhibiting a mounted +trooper with upraised saber can safely be assigned to mounted Militia. +However, the dating of such plates is a real problem because they are +known to have been in use as late as 1861. + +A Huddy and Duval print of the Washington Cavalry of Philadelphia +County shows that unit wearing a plate similar to the one used by the +Regulars, differing only in its brass composition, as opposed to the +original pewter of the 1812 regulations.[108] A cap in the collections +of the Valley Forge Museum that was worn by a member of this unit in +the period 1835-1845 is very similar to the one shown in the Huddy and +Duval print. The cap is a copy of the 1812 Regular Army pattern, with +somewhat more ornate brass bindings in place of the iron strips. A +similar cap, carrying the label "Canfield and Bro., Baltimore," is +owned by Lexington, Virginia, descendants of a member of the +Rockbridge [Virginia] Dragoons. That unit is said to have worn such a +cap upon first entering Confederate service in 1861. + +[Footnote 108: See _U.S. Military Magazine_ (February 1840), pl. 29.] + +In the national collections there is a dragoon cap (USNM 604767, S-K +912) carrying a plate of this design struck on a massive +diamond-shaped piece with concave sides. There are additional +variations in several private collections and at the Fort Ticonderoga +Museum. The mounted horseman device was also struck on heart-shaped +martingale ornaments. + + +CAP PLATE, DRAGOONS, C. 1830 + +_USNM 60254-M (S-K 12). Figure 130._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 130] + +The horseman on this brass plate, designed with a rather crude, +childlike simplicity, is garbed quite differently than the Regular +dragoon on the 1812 pewter specimen. The plate is assigned to the +general 1830 period to fit the era of the diamond-shaped plates, but +its use doubtless continued on into the 1840's. By nature of its +design it would have been a manufacturer's stock pattern. + + +CAP PLATE, ARTILLERY(?), C. 1830 + +_USNM 60301-M (S-K 59). Figure 131._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 131] + +The eagle on this brass plate is similar to the ones on the preceding +shield plates, but the Federal shield on which he stands is ornamented +with three star devices composed of smaller stars. An unusual feature +of this plate is the addition of the flaming portion of a grenade +rising from the eagle's head, a device not a part of any other known +cap plate. This symbol suggests artillery, and the plate is of the +proper color. Although an unusual over-all design, the lack of any +components of state arms or crests indicate that it may have been a +stock pattern. The reverse is fitted with two simple bent-wire +fasteners. + + +CAP PLATE, MASSACHUSETTS INFANTRY, C. 1830 + +_USNM 60355-M (S-K 111). Figure 132._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 132] + +This silver-on-copper plate bears the familiar elements of the +Massachusetts seal: Indian, in hunting shirt, with bow in right hand, +arrow with point downward in left hand, and star above right shoulder. +The crest--an arm grasping a broad sword on a wreath of the colors--is +superimposed on a burst of sun rays above. The State's motto is +written around the shield. The earlier plates containing elements of +state arms were for the most part confined to the States of +Massachusetts, Connecticut, and New York. No large plates bearing +Pennsylvania State symbols that can be dated prior to 1835 are known. + +This seal was not authorized by law until 1885. However, the devices +and the motto were elements of the seal of the Commonwealth of +Massachusetts ordered prepared by the state legislature in 1780 and, +although apparently never formally approved, used as such for many +years. It differs considerably in detail from the seal in use from +1629 to 1684.[109] + +[Footnote 109: See ZIEBER, pp. 141-144.] + + +CAP PLATE, MASSACHUSETTS INFANTRY, C. 1835 + +_USNM 60316-M (S-K 72). Figure 133._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 133] + +This scalloped plate, which is struck in thin iron metal and silvered, +bears elements of the Massachusetts seal, minus the motto, and the +legend "MASSACHUSETTS MILITIA." Its silver color assigns it to the +infantry. The form of the specimen indicates that it was probably +designed prior to 1839. In consideration of its over-all design and +the use of the word "MILITIA," it was probably made as a stock pattern +and sold to several different organizations. A plume holder, which has +been resoldered to the reverse, appears to be of the same metal as the +plate proper. It is pierced at the sides for attachment. + + +¶ Painted cap fronts were worn during the War of the Revolution by +several units of the Continental Army--including the Light Infantry +Company of the Canadian Regiment, Haslet's Delaware Regiment, and the +Rhode Island Train of Artillery[110]--and it is probable that the +practice continued among some volunteer corps up to the War of 1812. +Their use in the uniformed Militia units generally declined after the +introduction of die-struck metal cap plates. Two notable exceptions +are a cap plate of the Morris Rangers that is attached to a +civilian-type round hat of the 1812-1814 period[111] and the cap front +described below (fig. 137). + +[Footnote 110: Illustrated in LEFFERTS, pls. 4, 7, 21.] + +[Footnote 111: In the collections of the Morristown National +Historical Park. The Morris Rangers was one of three uniformed Militia +units in Morris County, New Jersey, at the outbreak of the War of +1812; it saw service at Paulus Hook in 1814 (HOPKINS, pp. 271-272).] + +Although discarded by the more elite volunteer corps, painted metal +hat fronts in the "tombstone" shape similar to that of the Morris +Rangers continued to be used, to some extent, by the common Militia. +Easily attached to the ordinary civilian hat of the period, they +provided the common Militia a quick and inexpensive transformation +from civilian to military dress at their infrequent musters perhaps as +late as 1840. There are several contemporary sketches of these musters +and in one, dated 1829 (fig. 134), these "tombstone" plates can be +identified. + +[Illustration: FIGURE 134.--From Library of Congress print.] + +A total of perhaps a dozen of these hat fronts are known. Most are of +Connecticut origin, although at least two containing New York State +devices are extant. The most elaborate of these devices bears, oddly +enough, elements of the Connecticut State seal, the motto _Qui Trans. +Sust._, and the crest of the Massachusetts coat of arms--an arm +grasping a broad-sword (fig. 135). The elaborate detail of this plate +indicates that it was probably an officer's. The fact that unit +designations on other such known hat fronts run as high as the "23d +Regt." is definite proof that these were devices of the common Militia +as opposed to the volunteer corps. + +[Illustration: FIGURE 135.--Specimen in Campbell collection.] + + +PAINTED CAP FRONT, CONNECTICUT, C. 1821 + +_USNM 604764-M (S-K 909). Figure 136._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 136] + +This painted front, of leather rather than metal, forms an integral +part of the cap itself. Edged in gold, it has the unit designation +"LIGHT INFANTRY: 2d COMP." in gold at the top; a shield in the center +contains elements of the Connecticut State seal, and below it is the +state motto "QUI TRANS SUST" ("He who brought us over here will +sustains us"). + + +CAP FRONT, C. 1830 + +_USNM 60243-M (S-K 1). Figure 137._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 137] + +A majority of these hat fronts are very similar in design, size, and +shape, and are painted over a black background on thin precut sheets +of tinned iron. This specimen carries a gold eagle with the Federal +shield on its breast and a ribbon in its beak. The unit designation, +"2d COMP{Y}. 23d REG{T}.", also in gold, is below. The artwork, +although somewhat unartistically executed, has an attractive +simplicity. Other such hat fronts in the national collections are of +the 2d Company, 6th Regiment; 3d Company, 6th Regiment; and 1st +Company, 8th Regiment. The plate shown here has metal loops soldered +to the reverse close to the edge midway between top and bottom for +attachment to a civilian type hat by means of a ribbon or strip of +cloth. Other such plates have hole for attachment with string. + + +CAP PLATE, SOUTH CAROLINA, c. 1835-1850 + +_USNM 60318-M (S-K 74). Figure 138._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 138] + +This crescent-shaped, silver-on-copper plate bears an eagle that is +very similar in design to the one adopted by the Regular Army in 1821. +Sometimes mistakenly identified as a gorget because of its shape, the +crescent form of the specimen is an old South Carolina State heraldic +device. A cap worn by the Charleston Light Dragoons after the Civil +War, and probably before, carries a similar crescent-shaped plate, +with the familiar palmetto tree device substituted for the eagle.[112] +The design of the eagle, however, places this piece in the 1835-1850 +period. A silvered ornament, it may have been made originally for +either infantry or dragoons, and must be considered a manufacturer's +stock pattern. + +[Footnote 112: Illustrated in _Military Collector and Historian_ +(1951), vol. 3, no. 3, p. 59.] + + +CAP PLATE, WASHINGTON GRAYS, C. 1835 + +_USNM 60251-M (S-K 9). Figure 139._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 139] + +This brass, diamond-shaped plate was worn by the Washington Grays, a +light artillery outfit of Philadelphia. Within a raised oval are a +profile of Washington--with his shoulders draped in a toga, a +typically neoclassic touch--and, below, the unit designation "GRAYS" +in raised letters. A matching oval shoulder-belt plate struck from the +same die is known.[113] + +[Footnote 113: See _U.S. Military Magazine_ (April 1839), pl. 5.] + +Many Militia units named themselves after prominent military +personalities. There were Washington Guards, Washington Rifles, +Jackson Artillerists, and so forth. + + +CAP PLATE, NATIONAL GREYS, C. 1835 + +_USNM 60291-M (S-K 49). Figure 140._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 140] + +An illustration in _U.S. Military Magazine_[114] shows this plate +being worn by the National Greys; however, with such a nondistinctive +center ornament as the rosette of six petals, it must surely have been +a stock pattern sold to many different organizations. The sunburst +proper is struck in brass, as is the rosette, and each of the rays is +pierced at the end for attachment. The rosette is affixed with a brass +bolt, also for attachment, which must have extended through the front +of the cap. + +[Footnote 114: May 1839, pl. 7.] + + +CAP PLATE, ARTILLERY, C. 1840-1850 + +_USNM 60333-M (S-K 89). Figure 141._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 141] + +This plate is struck in very thin brass. The combination of devices in +the design, especially of the cannon and cannon balls, indicates that +it was probably made for Militia artillery. Its shape suggests that it +may have been worn high on the cap front, with the sunburst serving an +added function as a cockade of sorts. It was very probably a stock +pattern. + + +CAP PLATE, MOUNTED TROOPS, C. 1836 + +_USNM 60319-M (S-K 75). Figure 142._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 142] + +From the size of this brass plate it can be assumed that it was worn +without other ornament on the front of the round leather cap +associated with mounted troops. The upper portion of the shield bears +8-pointed stars, an unusual feature. The arrows in the eagle's left +talon point inward, a characteristic of eagle representation between +1832 and 1836. The plate is known both in brass and with silver +finish. It was probably a stock pattern issued to both cavalry and +mounted artillery. + + +CAP EAGLE, C. 1836 + +_USNM 60391-M (S-K 147). Figure 143._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 143] + +This brass eagle was worn in combination with backgrounds of full-, +half-, and three-quarter sunbursts and as a single ornament on the cap +front. The inward-pointed arrows in the left talon place it in the +1832-1836 period. Known in both brass and silver-on-copper, it was a +popular stock pattern sold to many units. + + +CAP PLATE, C. 1836 + +_USNM 60381-M (S-K 137). Figure 144._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 144] + +Struck in copper, and silvered, this eagle, which is very similar in +design to that prescribed for the Regular Establishment in both 1821 +and 1832, was made for Militia infantry from about 1836 to perhaps as +late as 1851. Specimens struck in brass are also known, and the same +eagle is found on half-sunburst backgrounds. It is quite possible that +this is the eagle illustrated in the Huddy and Duval prints as being +worn by both the Washington Blues of Philadelphia and the U.S. Marine +Corps.[115] + +[Footnote 115: _U.S. Military Magazine_ (February 1840), pl. 28; +(November 1840), unnumbered plate.] + + +CHAPEAU ORNAMENT, C. 1836 + +_USNM 60287-M (S-K 45). Figure 145._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 145] + +This brass ornament is a die sample or unfinished badge. After the +circular device was trimmed from the brass square, it would have been +worn as an officer's chapeau ornament or as a side ornament on the +round leather dragoon cap of the period. The four arrows in the +eagle's left talon are unusual. + + +CHAPEAU COCKADE, GENERAL OFFICER, C. 1840 + +_USNM 604962-M (S-K 1156). Figure 146._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 146] + +This large, round chapeau cockade with its gold embroidery and sequins +on black-ribbed silk and its ring of 24 silver-metal stars appears to +be identical to cockades that have been shown as being worn around +1839 by Gen. Edmund P. Gaines and Gen. Winfield Scott[116] but without +the added center eagle. Close examination of this cockade shows it to +be complete, with no traces of a center eagle ever having been added. +The 24 stars would have been appropriate at any time between 1821 and +1836. + +[Footnote 116: _U.S. Military Magazine_ (May 1841), unnumbered plate; +(March 1841), unnumbered plate.] + + +CAP AND CAP PLATE, JACKSON ARTILLERISTS, C. 1836 + +_USNM 604780 (S-K 925). Figure 147._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 147] + +The Jackson Artillerists of Philadelphia, after the appearance of the +regular dragoon cap plate in 1833 and the large crossed cannon of the +regular artillery one year later, lost no time in combining these two +devices to make their distinctive cap device.[117] It seems probable, +however, that the plate was adopted by other artillery units and +eventually became more or less of a stock pattern. + +[Footnote 117: Illustrated in _U.S. Military Magazine_ (January 1840), +pl. 26.] + + +CAP PLATE, WASHINGTON GRAYS(?), C. 1836 + +_USNM 604608-M (S-K 755). Figure 148._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 148] + +The Washington Grays of Philadelphia wore a diamond-shaped plate with +a likeness of George Washington in the center (see fig. 139), but +this plate, for some other "Washington" unit, bears his likeness in +silver metal on a brass sunburst background. This silver outline of +the head of Washington is also known on cartridge-box flaps of the +period. + + +CAP PLATE, ARTILLERY, DIE SAMPLE, C. 1836 + +_USNM 60288-M (S-K 46). Figure 149._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 149] + +This uncut, brass cap plate may have been a manufacturer's die strike +sent out as a sample, with others, so that a distant Militia +organization could select a pattern. The finished plate is known on a +bell-crown cap of the pattern of the 1820's, but its design indicates +that it probably should be dated after 1834 when the Regular artillery +first adopted the crossed-cannon device. The eagle is distinctly +similar to the one adopted by the Regulars in lieu of cap plates in +1821, and the modified sunburst background probably was taken from the +1833 dragoon device. + + +CAP PLATE, C. 1836 + +_USNM 60292-M (S-K 50) Figure 150._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 150] + +This cap plate is a somewhat wider variation of the 1833 dragoon +device than most of the Militia plates of that type popular in the +late 1830's and the 1840's. While the brass sunburst has the usual +8-pointed form, the eagle, applied to the center, is unusually small +(1-3/8 by 1 in.) and gives every indication of having been originally +designed as a cockade eagle at a somewhat earlier period. + + +CAP PLATE, C. 1836 + +_USNM 60274-M (S-K 32). Figure 151._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 151] + +This pattern of the 1833 dragoon eagle on a half-sunburst, struck in +brass and silvered, was worn by the Washington [D.C.] Light Infantry +[118] and possibly by other units of the period. Both the eagle and +the half-sunburst were obviously stock items. + +[Footnote 118: Illustrated in _U.S. Military Magazine_ (August 1839), +pl. 15.] + + +CAP PLATE, REPUBLICAN BLUES, C. 1836 + +_USNM 604606 (S-K 753). Figure 152._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 152] + +This silver-metal plate can be accurately identified by reading its +devices. The center device is from the seal of the State of Georgia. +During the period that the plate was worn, one of the best known of +the State's Militia organizations was the Republican Blues--the "RB" +on the plate--of Savannah.[119] The silver color of the plate also +agrees with the other trimmings of the uniform of that unit. + +[Footnote 119: A volunteer Militia company known as the Republican +Blues was organized in Savannah in 1808. From notes filed under +"Georgia National Guard" in Organizational History and Honors Branch, +Office of the Chief of Military History, Department of the Army, +Washington, D.C.] + + +CAP PLATE, IRISH DRAGOONS, C. 1840 + +_USNM 604605 (S-K 752). Figure 153._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 153] + +This three-quarter-sunburst plate with the monogram "I D" applied in +silver is identical to one on a brass-bound dragoon cap in the +national collections carrying in its crown the label "Irish Dragoons, +Brooklyn, N.Y." (USNM 604691, S-K 837). It is typical of the two-piece +sunburst-type plates and was probably worn until the 1850's. The plate +was attached by means of two looped-wire fasteners that were run +through holes in the helmet and secured by leather thongs. + + +CAP AND PLATE, LANCER TYPE, C. 1840 + +_USNM 604688-M (S-K 834). Figure 154._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 154] + +With no regulations but their own to restrain them, Militia +organizations designed their uniforms to suit their fancies, although +generally following the regulations for the Regulars. This often led +to odd and unusual cap shapes and trimmings and bindings on clothing, +and to somewhat garish horse furniture in in some mounted units. + +The illustrated cap and plate is very similar to the ones worn by the +Boston Light Infantry[120] about 1839-1840 except that the upper or +"mortar board" portion is beige instead of red and the plate is a full +instead of a three-quarter sunburst. The mortar board form is that +introduced by the Polish lancers in Europe in the early years of the +19th century and worn by most European lancer regiments of the same +period. Lancer units in the British Army adopted this type cap in 1816 +when they were first converted from light dragoons.[121] The large, +brass, eagle-on-sunburst plate was obviously patterned after the one +prescribed for the Regular dragoons in 1833. + +[Footnote 120: Depicted in _U.S. Military Magazine_ (November 1839), +pl. 22.] + +[Footnote 121: BARNES, p. 106 and pl. 2(14).] + + +COCKADE EAGLE, INFANTRY, C. 1836 + +_USNM 60377-M (S-K 133). Figure 155._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 155] + +As an example of more than a dozen known variants of the eagle, this +silver-on-copper specimen is illustrated to show the general form and +size of Militia cockade eagles that became distinct types in the +1830's and continued until about 1851. All such eagles were obviously +stock patterns. + + +COCKADE EAGLE, C. 1836 + +_USNM 604960-M (S-K 1104). Figure 156._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 156] + +This gold-embroidered cockade eagle with a wreath of silver lame about +its breast appears to have been patterned directly after the eagle on +the 1833 Regular dragoon cap plate (see fig. 38). It possibly is one +of a type worn by general officers of Militia. On this specimen, both +the eye and mouth of the eagle are indicated with red thread. + + +COCKADE EAGLE, C. 1836 + +_USNM 604959-M (S-K 1103). Figure 157._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 157] + +This gold-embroidered eagle, with wings and tail of gold embroidery +and gold sequins, was worn by staff and field officers, and possibly +general officers, of Militia. A duplicate on an original chapeau is in +the collections of the Maryland Historical Society in Baltimore, +Maryland. Eagle ornaments such as this were generally centered on a +round cloth cockade about 6 inches in diameter. The eagle's mouth is +indicated by embroidery with red thread. Similar eagles of a smaller +size are known on epaulets of the same period. + + +CAP PLATE, C. 1840 + +_USNM 60451l-M (S-K 658). Figure 158._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 158] + +The flaming grenade, adopted by the Regulars in 1832 after long usage +by the British and other foreign armies, was quickly adopted by the +Militia. This specimen, of silver-on-copper, was worn as a cap plate +either in conjunction with another device below it on the cap front or +as a lone distinctive ornament. It cannot precisely be identified as +an artillery plate, but since some Militia artillery units are +definitely known to have worn silver buttons of the artillery pattern, +such is highly probable. Also known in brass and in smaller sizes, it +is a stock pattern. + + +CAP PLATE, C. 1840 + +_USNM 604526 (S-K 673). Figure 159._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 159] + +Although this plate appears to be of possible French or British +origin, close examination indicates that it is probably an American +Militia device of the 1840's. Its looped-wire fasteners indicate that +it is a cap plate. The design of the modified Napoleonic-type eagle is +almost exactly that used in the 1833 Regular dragoon cap plate and +other Militia plates; and the period of apparent manufacture coincides +with the early use of the flaming grenade as an American device. +Incorporating two devices common to the period, it would have been a +stock pattern. + + +CAP PLATE, ARTILLERY, C. 1840 + +_USNM 60432-M (S-K 188). Figure 160._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 160] + +The 1840 button for the Ordnance Corps bears a flaming grenade over +crossed cannon, devices that date from 1832 and 1834 respectively. +Consequently, it seems likely that this combination emerged as a stock +pattern for Militia artillery early in the 1840's. This specimen, +struck from a single piece of brass, is a copy of the French artillery +device of the same period, and, while it is believed to be American, +it may be a foreign insignia. Confusion arises in the case of foreign +designs, for die sinkers often used as a model either an actual +imported badge or a scale drawing of one. + + +CAP PLATE, ARTILLERY, C. 1840 + +_USNM 604548-M (S-K 695). Figure 161._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 161] + +This is a variation of the pattern of the preceding specimen in which +silver-metal devices have been placed on a small, gilt, half-sunburst +plate. This was probably a stock pattern available to any Militia +organization beginning about 1840 and worn for the next 20 or 30 +years. + + +CAP PLATE, SOUTH CAROLINA, C. 1840 + +_USNM 604533-M (S-K 680). Figure 162._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 162] + +The palmetto of South Carolina in outline form first appeared as a +large cap ornament about 1840, after having been worn in smaller size +as a cockade ornament and on the side of dragoon caps. A Huddy and +Duval print shows it on the caps of the DeKalb Rifle Guards of Camden, +South Carolina.[122] The illustrated specimen was worn into the +1850's, and it is highly probable that some South Carolina troops wore +plates such as this in the early days of the Civil War. + +[Footnote 122: _U.S. Military Magazine_ (August 1841), unnumbered +plate]. + +The palmetto was adopted as the principal heraldic device of South +Carolina in commemoration of the defeat of Admiral Sir Peter Parker's +fleet by the garrison of Sullivan's Island under Col. William Moultrie +in June 1776. The defenses of the island were constructed primarily of +palmetto logs. The devices comprising this brass plate are all taken +from the state seal, including the mottos _Animis Opibusque Parati_ +and _Dum Spiro Spero Spes_. The date "1776" alludes to the year of +Moultrie's victory and not to the organization date of any particular +unit. + + +CAP PLATE, SOUTH CAROLINA, C. 1840 + +_USNM 604532-M (S-K 679). Figure 163._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 163] + +Struck from a different die, with broader fronds and a wider base, +this brass plate is of the same period as the preceding one. + + +CAP PLATE, C. 1840 + +_USNM 60295-M (S-K 53). Figure 164._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 164] + +This grenadier-type plate, struck in brass, is one of the most +beautiful examples of the die maker's art in the national collections. +On a sunburst-over-clouds background is an eagle grasping the top of +the Federal shield superimposed on panoply of arms and colors. The +national motto is on a ribbon below. Certainly not from a stock +pattern, this plate obviously was made for a specific Militia unit of +considerable affluence. Three simple wire fasteners soldered to the +reverse provide means of attachment. + +This specimen is one of the scarce examples of military plates bearing +the maker's name "BALE," which may be seen just above the raised lower +edge and below the "UNUM." This was probably Thomas Bale of New York +who is first listed in New York directories, in 1832, as an engraver +at 68 Nassau Street. The 1842 directory lists him as a die sinker at +the same address in partnership with a Frederick B. Smith. He is last +listed in 1851. + + +CAP AND CAP PLATE, 1ST ARTILLERY, PENNSYLVANIA, C. 1840 + +_USNM 604672 (S-K 819). Figure 165._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 165] + +The plate on this cap uses only the shield of the Pennsylvania seal +without crest or supporters. It is surrounded at the sides and bottom +with a wreath carrying a ribbon with the unit designation "first +artily." Equally interesting and unusual is the small separate +insignia at the pompon socket. It is based on the 1840 flaming grenade +ordnance device with crossed cannon superimposed. + + +COCKADE EAGLE, C. 1840 + +_USNM 60394-M (S-K 150). Figure 166._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 166] + +This eagle is of a rather odd design, and the five arrows in its left +talon is an even more unusual variation. It is believed to be a +cockade eagle because of its form and size, but it may well have been +used elsewhere on the person as a piece of uniform insignia. + + +CHAPEAU COCKADE, STATE FENCIBLES (PENNSYLVANIA), C. 1840 + +_USNM 60259-M (S-K 17). Figure 167._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 167] + +The State Fencibles of Philadelphia were originally organized as "Sea +Fencibles" in 1812 for duty at the port of Philadelphia. This cockade, +with brass eagle, was first worn about 1840 and it continued in use +for many years thereafter. Dates incorporated as parts of devices are +generally the original organizational dates of the units concerned--as +is the case in this instance--and bear no necessary relation to the +age of the badges. Some Militia cap plates bear the date "1776," and +there are waist-belt plates bearing organization dates of 100 years +earlier than the dates at which the plates were made. + + +¶ The transition to composite plates in the late 1830's was a +tremendous step forward in the field of military ornament. Handsome +insignia could be manufactured less expensively and individual units +were able to have plates distinctive to themselves at relatively low +cost; however, only gold and silver colors could be used. In the +mid-1840's there was introduced a new manufacturing technique which +opened this field even wider. In this innovation, various stock +patterns were struck with a round center as a part of the design. In +either the initial strike, or a second, this round center was punched +out, leaving a hole. Then pieces of colored leather or painted tin, +carrying distinctive numerals, letters, monograms, or other devices +were affixed to the reverse of the plate, in effect filling the hole. +Although this added a step in manufacture, it permitted the +incorporation of bright colors, which added zest and sparkle to the +finished product. Such plates remained popular until the 1890's, and a +few are still worn on the full-dress caps of some units. This type of +insignia came into use at the time when many of the independent +companies of the larger states, such as New York and Pennsylvania, +were starting to become elements of regiments and brigades within the +over-all Militia structure of the state, thus the use of distinctive +numbers and/or letters on the badges. Many of these units, however, +retained their original designation[123] and continued to wear +insignia distinctive to themselves on full-dress uniforms. + +[Footnote 123: _New York Military Magazine_ (June 26, 1841), vol. 1, +no. 3, p. 45.] + + +CAP PLATE, 1845-1850 + +_USNM 604559-M (S-K 706). Figure 168._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 168] + +The first of the stock patterns, with basic wreath and 8-pointed +starlike sunburst, has the numeral "1" on black leather as a center +device. Other specimens in the national collections have single +numerals, single letters, branch of service devices, and state coats +of arms. This plate, and those following, were worn through the 1850's +on the dress cap copied after the pattern adopted for the Regular +Establishment in 1851. It is struck in brass. + + +CAP PLATE, 1845-1850 + +_USNM 604617-M (S-K 764). Figure 169._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 169] + +This stock pattern, in brass, is very definitely military in +composition, employing cannon and flag-staff spearheads radiating from +a beaded center and superimposed on a sunburst background. The metal +letter "1" is backed with black leather. + + +CAP AND CAP PLATE, ALBANY BURGESSES CORPS, C. 1851 + +_USNM 604681-M (S-K 827). Figure 170._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 170] + +This unusually ornate and distinctive plate is that of the Albany [New +York] Burgesses Corps that was founded, as stated on the plate itself, +October 8, 1833. The arms and the motto "ASSIDUITY", appearing above +the ribbon with the letters "A B C," are those of the city of Albany. + + +CAP AND CAP PLATE, RIFLES, C. 1851 + +_USNM 604666-M (S-K 813). Figure 171._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 171] + +The original buttons on the sides of this cap have the eagle with the +letter "R" (used by both Regulars and Militia) on the shield. The +brass plate proper, however, includes no device indicative of any +particular branch of service; combining flags and a Federal shield +surmounted by an eagle, it may well have been a stock pattern. + + +CAP PLATE, C. 1850(?) + +_USNM 604551 (S-K 698). Figure 172._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 172] + +The type and form of this eagle plate give no clue to its age, or to +the identity of the unit that wore it other than the numeral "1" in +the eagle's beak and the letter "E" in the shield. It is a type more +apt to have been made about 1850 than later. The eagle is struck in +brass, and the stippled inner portion of the shield, product of a +separate strike, is soldered in place; thus, the plate proper must be +considered a stock pattern. + + +CAP PLATE, C. 1850(?) + +_USNM 604552-M (S-K 699). Figure 173._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 173] + +A companion piece to the preceding plate, this specimen differs in +that the letters "R G" and their stippled background are struck +integrally with the plate proper--indicating that two dies were +combined for a single strike--and in that the shield, ribbon, and +numeral "1" have been silvered. + + +CAP PLATE, 10TH REGIMENT, MASSACHUSETTS VOLUNTEER MILITIA, C. 1850 + +_USNM 60358-M (S-K 114). Figure 174._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 174] + +This plate is of a type form worn on Militia dress caps prior to the +Civil War. There is little doubt that plates such as this continued in +use for several decades after their initial appearance. This brass +specimen, surmounted by elements of the Massachusetts seal, is struck +as a stock pattern for Massachusetts troops with the center left +blank. The numeral "10" is applied to a black-painted metal disk +affixed with simple wire fasteners. + + +CAP PLATE, GEORGIA, C. 1850 + +_USNM 604545-M (S-K 692). Figure 175._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 175] + +This plate and the one following are of Militia types worn on caps in +the 1850's and perhaps earlier. Such plates are known to have been in +use with little or no change almost to the present day on military +school dress shakos and dress caps worn by some National Guard units. +The plate proper, which is of brass, is the well-known half-sunburst +device so popular in the 1830's and 1840's. The Georgia state seal, +also in brass, is applied with wire fasteners. The plate is dated +later than a similar one of the Republican Blues (fig. 152) because of +the "feel" of the piece and the fact that it cannot be ascribed to a +particular unit whose existence can be dated. + + +CAP PLATE, VIRGINIA, C. 1850 + +_USNM 604547-M (S-K 694). Figure 176._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 176] + +This plate differs from the preceding one only in that it substitutes +the coat of arms of Virginia for that of Georgia. The backgrounds, +although very similar, are products of different dies. + + +Shoulder-Belt and Waist-Belt Plates + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, 1ST MARINE ARTILLERY, 1813 + +_USNM 60323-M (S-K 79). Figure 177._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 177] + +Undoubtedly one of the most interesting of all the Militia plates of +the War of 1812 period is this rectangular one worn by John S. Stiles +of (as indicated by the engraving) the "First Marine Artillery of the +Union." Engraved in brass, it bears an unusual combination of military +and naval devices--the familiar eagle-on-cannon of the Regular +artillery and the eagle with oval shield that appears on naval +officers' buttons of the period.[124] Actually, the devices befit the +character of the organization. The following quotation from _Niles +Weekly Register_ of Baltimore, June 26, 1813, tells something of the +unit: + + The First Marine Artillery of the Union, an association of the + masters and mates of vessels in Baltimore, about 170 strong all + told, assembled on Sunday last and proceeded to the Rev. Mr. + Glendy's church in full uniform, where they received an address + suited to the occasion; which, as usual, done honor to the head + and heart to the reverend orator. We cannot pass over this + pleasant incident without observing that the members of this + invaluable corps are they who, of all other classes of society, + feel the burthens and privations of the war. + +[Footnote 124: JOHNSON, vol. 1, pp. 40, 74.] + +Obviously, this organization was one of the state fencible units +enlisted for defense only, but little else is known about it. In 1814 +there was in Baltimore, a Corps of Marine Artillery commanded by a +Capt. George Stiles. The roster of this unit, however, does not +include the name John S. Stiles. Other records do indicate that a Lt. +John S. Stiles commanded a section of the Baltimore Union Artillery at +the Battle of North Point in 1814.[125] It is probable that John +Stiles, originally a member of the 1st Marine Artillery of the Union +had transferred his commission to the Baltimore Union Artillery. + +[Footnote 125: SWANSON, pp. 253, 382.] + + +¶ An example of Militia officers' shoulder-belt plates of the period +1812-1816 is a solid silver oval plate (fig. 178) engraved with an +eagle and elements of the arms of Massachusetts within a shield +suspended from the eagle's neck. Being silver, the plate probably was +worn by infantry or possibly dragoons. Many such plates were locally +made, as was this one, and examination of a number of specimens gives +reason to believe that many were made by rolling out large silver +coins into thin ovals, which were then engraved and fitted with +fasteners on the reverse. The fasteners on all pieces studied indicate +that the plates were intended to be ornamental rather than functional. + +[Illustration: FIGURE 178.--Specimen in Campbell collection.] + +In the Pennsylvania State Museum there is a similar oval plate that +was worn by Col. Philip Spengler of that State's Militia in 1812-1816. +Ornamented with an eagle, with the initials "PS" within an oval below, +it generally follows the construction of the illustrated plate, +differing only slightly in size. Since plates of this general type +were made locally by hand, each is unique in itself. Identification +must depend upon an interpretation of the devices engraved on the +face. The initials of the officer for whom the plate was made are +often included. + + +SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, C. 1812 + +_USNM 604310-M (S-K 466). Figure 179._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 179] + +A second example of a Militia officer's plate is this engraved brass +specimen with the design placed along the longer axis of the oval. +Since there probably were many "Volunteer Rifle Companies," it is +impossible to determine precisely which one wore this plate. The +initials of the officer may be read either "I. B." or "J. B.," for +many of the early-19th-century engravers used the forms of the letters +"I" and "J" interchangeably. The two small hooks on the reverse +indicate that the plate was for a shoulder belt rather than for a +waist belt, and that it was ornamental rather than functional. + + +SHOULDER-BELT BUCKLE, C. 1812(?) + +_USNM 60325-M (S-K 81). Figure 180._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 180] + +This brass buckle, obviously made for a sword hanger, has an eagle in +flight above, a 13-star flag below, and four 5-pointed stars on either +side. The spearhead on the pike of the flag is definitely of military +design, and, in the absence of nautical devices in the engraving, the +buckle must be considered an army item. + + +ORNAMENTED WAIST-BELT PLATE, 1812-1825(?) + +_USNM 604121-M (S-K 278). Figure 181._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 181] + +Cast in silver and then carefully finished, this rectangular plate +with beveled edge is one of the most ornate and beautiful known. In +the center is an officer's marquee with an eagle, wings spread, +perched on top. In front of the marquee are a field piece with bombs, +cannon balls, and drum; the whole on grassy ground and superimposed on +a trophy of colors and bayonetted muskets. The canton of one color +has, instead of stars, an eagle with a shield on its breast and a +ribbon in its beak. It has been suggested that the eagle-in-canton +flag would tend to date the piece after 1820 when many Militia units +had the design in its colors;[126] however, flags of such design are +known to have been used as early as the last year of the +Revolution.[127] In addition, the "feel" of the specimen is early, and +it is included here as a possible Militia dragoon officer's plate +since the dragoons of the War of 1812 period generally wore their +swords attached to a waist belt rather than to a shoulder belt. + +[Footnote 126: The national collections contain several such Militia +colors.] + +[Footnote 127: See WALL.] + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, INFANTRY, 1814-1825(?) + +_USNM 60449-M (S-K 205). Figure 182._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 182] + +This plate is typical of the early waist-belt plates, which generally +were more square than rectangular. It bears the over-all design of the +1814-1821 series of "common" cap plates. Struck in copper and +silvered, it would have been appropriate for either infantry or +dragoons, as both wore "white metal" trimmings during this period. +There are as many die variations known for this type belt plate as for +the matching cap plates. + +The wide latitude allowed officers in selecting their own insignia +makes it quite possible that this design was worn by some officers of +the Regular Establishment, particularly those in the high-numbered +regiments, which were organized during the course of the War of 1812. +A third use of this basic design is indicated by a museum specimen at +Fort Ticonderoga, N.Y.: cut into its outline form, it was worn on the +side of Militia dragoon caps. + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, INFANTRY, 1814-1825(?) + +_USNM 60451-M (S-K 207). Figure 183._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 183] + +This brass plate is one of several similar examples made of both brass +and silvered copper that differ only in small die variations and the +use of either 5-pointed or 6-pointed stars. The arc of 17 stars in +this specimen may or may not be significant, because there were 17 +states in the Union from 1802 until 1812 when Louisiana was admitted. +Not until 1816 did the 19th state, Indiana, come into the Union. After +thinking in terms of and working with 17 stars for a 10-year period, +die sinkers may well have overlooked the inclusion of a star for +Louisiana. Buttons for the Regular rifles made after 1812 but before +1821 show an arc of 17 stars.[128] As in the case of the preceding +plate, there is a good possibility that this one was worn by Regular +officers in 1814-1821. It is also probable that the pattern was made +and sold to Militia for many years after 1821. + +[Footnote 128: JOHNSON, vol. 1, pp. 61.] + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, MILITIA ARTILLERY, C. 1821-1840(?) + +_USNM 60453-M (S-K 209). Figure 184._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 184] + +While this plate could have been worn by an officer of the Regular +artillery in the period 1814-1821 when uniform regulations were vague +and seldom enforced, it is more probable that it was a Militia item of +about 1821-1835. The reason for this is that the eagle-on-cannon +device was adopted quickly by Militia units when it was discarded by +the Regulars in 1821, and the over-all design of the plate itself +follows the pattern adopted by the Regulars in 1821 (see fig. 68). +Several artillery organizations of the Massachusetts Militia wore the +discarded button pattern (eagle-on-cannon with the word "CORPS" below) +until the 1840's,[129] and this plate would have been an ideal match. + +[Footnote 129: JOHNSON, vol. 1, pp. 161, 162.] + +The whole is cast in brass, the inner ring rather crudely so. The +outer ring is embossed with zig-zag fretwork enclosing a circle of +5-pointed stars; the rectangular belt attachments have a floral +design. + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, MAINE, C. 1821 + +_USNM 604123 (S-K 279). Figure 185._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 185] + +This plate, struck in copper, contains the basic devices of the State +of Maine seal enclosed by a curled ribbon border embellished with +5-pointed stars. The specimen is more square than rectangular, a +characteristic of waist-belt plates of the early 1800's. It was +probably worn by Maine Militia no later than the 1820's, possibly a +few years earlier. The method of attachment also is indicative of this +early period: the heavy vertical wire is brazed to one end of the +reverse, and the L-shaped tongue to the other. This plate obviously +was a stock pattern. + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, C. 1830 + +_USNM 60329-M (S-K 85). Figure 186._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 186] + +This plate, cast in brass, is typical of the small plates, both round +and rectangular, that were worn with light-weight, full-dress staff +swords. It is an example of the early, hand-made, bench-assembled +types. The outer ring carries the wreath typical of the period, while +the inner ring carries the eagle with its head to the right, shield on +breast, arrows in left talon, and olive branch in right talon. The +whole lies within a ring of 13 5-pointed stars; the uppermost five +stars are mixed with a sunburst rising from the eagle's wings. + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, C. 1821(?)-1830 + +_USNM 60466-M (S-K 222). Figure 187._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 187] + +This brass, bench-assembled plate is similar to the Regular artillery +belt plate of 1816 (fig. 56) in that the design on the inner ring is +struck with a series of separate hand-held dies on a piece of blank +round stock. The floral design on the belt attachments is cast. In +many of the early bench-made plates, the final assemblyman marked the +matching pairs so that they could readily be re-paired after buffing +and plating. In this specimen, each ring bears the numeral XXVIII. + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, NEW YORK, C. 1830 + +_USNM 60467-M (S-K 223). Figure 188._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 188] + +This plate, with the center ring struck in medium brass and the belt +attachment cast, was worn by Militia of New York State, as indicated +by the eagle-on-half-globe device taken from that state's seal. Of +brass, it is assigned to the artillery. The quality of the belt to +which it is attached and the ornateness of the plate itself indicate +that it was made for an officer. The left-hand belt attachment is +missing. + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, C. 1830 + +_USNM 60470-M (S-K 226). Figure 189._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 189] + +This small, cast-brass plate is another example of the plates made for +social or full-dress wear with the light-weight staff sword. The +design on the inner ring is unusual in that the eagle, with upraised +wings, is standing on the Federal shield. The plate is a bench-made +product, with the inner and outer rings bearing the numeral VII. It +was very probably a stock pattern for officers. + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, C. 1836 + +_USNM 60414-M (S-K 300). Figure 190._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 190] + +Rather unusual in construction, this small silver-on-copper +rectangular plate was struck in thin metal. Two broad tongues, for +attachment to a belt, are inserted in the rear; and the reverse is +filled with lead to imbed the fasteners. The eagle design is very +similar to the one prescribed for the caps of the Regular +Establishment in 1821, although somewhat reduced in size. The general +lack of finish and polish in construction indicates that the specimen +was probably the product of an inexperienced and small-scale +manufacturer. + + +OFFICER'S WAIST-BELT PLATE, C. 1837 + +_USNM 60326-M (S-K 82). Figure 191._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 191] + +This unusually large plate, which is struck in medium brass and with +the edges crimped over a heavier piece of brass backing, is believed +to be an officer's plate because of its size, gilt finish, and +over-all ornate design. Within a floral and star pattern border, the +specimen is dominated by an eagle, on a sunburst background, that +holds in its left talon five arrows with points inward; above are 25 +stars and an edge of clouds above. Arrows held with points inward are +usually considered indicative of the general period 1832-1836. If the +number of stars is of any significance, such dating would be correct, +as the canton of the National Colors contained 25 stars from 1836 to +1837. The central design used without the border is also known in +smaller, more standard sized plates. The design is a stock pattern. +This type plate is also known in both brass and silver. + + +SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, WASHINGTON GRAYS, C. 1835 + +_USNM 604348-M (S-K 504). Figure 192._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 192] + +This may well be a companion piece to the diamond-shaped cap plate +ascribed to the Washington Greys[130] of Philadelphia (see fig. 139). +In any case, the two appear to have been struck from the same die. It +may also have been worn by the Washington Greys of Reading, +Pennsylvania, or by another company of the same designation. The +specimen is struck in thin brass with a tin backing applied before the +strike and the edges crimped over the reverse. Three soldered +copper-wire staples provide means of attachment. + +[Footnote 130: The spelling of "Grays" may or may not be significant. +A Huddy and Duval print of the Washington Greys in _U.S. Military +Magazine_ (April 1839, pl. 5) used "Greys" in the title and "Grays" on +an ammunition box in the same print.] + + +¶ Militia organizations generally modeled their uniforms rather +closely on those of the Regular Establishment; of course, there were +certain exceptions, notably the flamboyant Zouave units. However, the +Militia often added additional trimmings that gave the "gay and gaudy" +touch for which they were noted. Following the example of the +Regulars, the Militia adopted coat-skirt ornaments almost immediately +after their appearance in 1832. They used the regulation flaming +grenades, open and looped horns, and 5-and 6-pointed stars, but in +both gold and silver on varicolored backgrounds and in a wide variety +of sizes. They also used a number of peculiarly Militia forms, such as +crossed-cannon, elements of state seals, and devices peculiar to +specific units. + + +COAT-SKIRT ORNAMENT, ARTILLERY, C. 1836 + +_USNM 604961-M (S-K 1105). Figure 193._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 193] + +Typical of Militia coat-skirt ornaments is this pair of crossed cannon +devices for Militia artillery. They are of gold embroidery on a +background of black velvet. Similar pairs in the national collections +are embroidered in silver. The Regular artillery never wore the +crossed cannon device on the skirt of the coat; so used, it was +exclusively a Militia ornament. + + +COAT-SKIRT ORNAMENT, SOUTH CAROLINA, C. 1836 + +_USNM 604963 (S-K 1107). Figure 194._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 194] + +Another coat-skirt ornament with an even more distinctly Militia touch +is this small palmetto tree of gold embroidery, with sequins, on +black wool cloth. As the palmetto tree is the basic device of the +South Carolina seal (see pp. 81 and 83), this specimen must be +attributed to the Militia of that state. + + +¶ Most Militia cartridge-box plates made in the decade after 1841 were +oval, following the pattern of the Regulars. While a few of these +varied from the prescribed sizes, most were almost identical in both +size and shape to those of the Regular Establishment, but with +strictly Militia ornamentation. The exact years in which these plates +were produced cannot be determined, but it is reasonably sure that +they were supplied to Militia for some years prior to the opening of +the Civil War. Not included here are similar types known to have been +made for units born of the war as the Pennsylvania Fire Zouaves, +Pennsylvania Home Guard, Pennsylvania Reserve Brigade, and the Ohio +Volunteer Militia. Cartridge-box and waist-belt plates often are +identical except for the methods of attachment. The plates for +cartridge boxes have two wire loops imbedded in the backing (see fig. +90), while those for waist belts have one or two round, or sometimes +arrowheaded, prongs on one side of the reverse, and with a narrow +tongue on the opposite side bent parallel to the plane of the plate +(see fig. 91). + + +CARTRIDGE-BOX PLATE, C. 1841 + +_USNM 60400-M (S-K 156). Figure 195._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 195] + +This brass, oval cartridge-box plate, with its eagle on a panoply of +arms and colors, closely matches in size the 1841 Regular cavalry's +plates for carbine cartridge boxes and the infantry's waist belts. +Although plates of this design were worn as waist-belt plates, the two +looped-wire fasteners on the reverse of this specimen clearly indicate +its use on a cartridge box. This was undoubtedly a stock pattern. An +oil painting of Capt. George Bumm, Pennsylvania State Artillery, c. +1840, shows the subject wearing a waist-belt plate of this same +design.[131] + +[Footnote 131: _Old Print Shop Folio_, p. 216.] + + +CARTRIDGE-BOX PLATE, C. 1841 + +_USNM 60401-M (S-K 157). Figure 196._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 196] + +Slightly smaller than the preceding specimen, this brass plate bears +the eagle design popular from 1821 to 1851. Fitted with looped-wire +fasteners, it would have been a stock pattern for cartridge boxes. + + +CARTRIDGE-BOX PLATE, MAINE, C. 1850 + +_USNM 60354-M (S-K 606). Figure 197._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 197] + +A frequently misidentified plate is this brass-struck, lead-filled +oval with the raised letters "VMM" for Volunteer Maine Militia. It is +also known in a smaller size. The reverse is fitted with the two +looped-wire fasteners normal to such plates. + +Other prewar oval plates bearing raised letters are known for the +Alabama Volunteer Corps (AVC), North Carolina (NC), South Carolina +(SC), State of New York (SNY), and New Hampshire State Militia (NHSM). +Many such plates recently have been reproduced for sale, and more +probably will be made if a market is created. Thus, all plates of +this general type should be cautiously considered. + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, DIE SAMPLE, C. 1840 + +_USNM 60354-M (S-K 110). Figure 198._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 198] + +One of the more unusual forms of the militant eagle used on ornaments +is shown on this brass die sample for a waist-belt plate. The eagle, +with fierce mien and wings outspread, stands high on a craggy ledge. +An example of an untold number of odd and unusual pieces of insignia, +this specimen is unidentified as to unit or area of intended use. It +may well have been designed for use as a stock pattern. + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, RIFLEMEN, C. 1840 + +_USNM 604103-M (S-K 259). Figure 199._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 199] + +A stock pattern, this plate is struck in brass with the open-horn +device of riflemen, which has been previously discussed. Wire +fasteners are on the reverse. Although the outer ring of the plate is +missing, it was probably decorated with a wreath, a common form in the +1830's and 1840's. + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, CHARLESTOWN ARTILLERY, C. 1840 + +_USNM 604385-M (S-K 532). Figure 200._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 200] + +This 2-piece, brass-cast plate was worn by members of a Charlestown, +Massachusetts, unit. The date "1786," as on nearly all dated pieces +of insignia, refers to the date of original organization of the unit. +The design of the plate is typical of early- to mid-Victorian taste. + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, MASSACHUSETTS, C. 1840 + +_USNM 60497-M (S-K 253). Figure 201._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 201] + +Bearing elements of the seal of the State of Massachusetts, this plate +likely was a stock pattern sold to many officers. In construction, it +is a composite piece similar to the plate for officers of the Corps of +Topographical Engineers (see fig. 87 and p. 45) with the device +applied to the inner oval. Because of its unusually striking +appearance, it would have been a most appropriate type for staff and +field officers, and possibly general officers. + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, NEW YORK, C. 1840 + +_USNM 604126-M (S-K 282). Figure 202._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 202] + +This plate, struck in poor-quality, medium-weight brass, is of a stock +pattern bearing the eagle-on-half-globe device and the motto +"Excelsior" from the New York State seal superimposed on a panoply of +arms and colors. This type of belt plate, with the device on the inner +panel and a wreath between the inner and outer borders, is most +characteristic of the 1840's. More than ten different plates are known +that vary only as to the design of the inner panel; some contain New +York State heraldic devices, and others contain variants of the usual +eagle design of the period. + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, PHILADELPHIA, C. 1840 + +_USNM 604390 (S-K 537). Figure 203._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 203] + +The devices on this cast-brass plate comprise the arms of the City of +Philadelphia, and its form and pattern, especially the floral design +of the outer ring, place it in the 1840's. The piece is bench-made and +carries on the reverse many marks of the file used in its final +assembly. It must be considered a stock pattern. + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, SOUTH CAROLINA, C. 1840 + +_USNM 604241-M (S-K 397). Figure 204._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 204] + +Somewhat larger than many plates of the period, this brass specimen +carries the South Carolina palmetto device. Such plates also were +struck in copper and silver plated. It obviously was a stock pattern +sold to several different units. The rectangular plate with the +vine-patterned border was a stock pattern in itself, with many +different devices being added in the center as ordered. This is one of +the many pieces of insignia too often called Confederate but which +ante-date the Civil War by almost two decades. + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, C. 1840 + +_USNM 604388-M (S-K 535). Figure 205._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 205] + +The eagle device on this silver-on-copper specimen closely resembles +that on the cap plate of the First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry +(USNM 604964-M) and may possibly be the matching belt-plate worn by +that organization. Such an eagle, however, would have been a stock +pattern of the manufacturer, and sold to many different units. A very +unusual aspect of this particular eagle are the three arrows held in +the left talon: two of them point inward, the third outward. + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, ARTILLERY, C. 1840 + +_USNM 604106-M (S-K 262). Figure 206._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 206] + +Although members of the artillery of the Regular Establishment wore +the crossed-cannon device on their shakos, they never wore it on +waist- or shoulder-belt plates. Thus, this cast-brass plate must have +been a stock pattern sold to many Militia units. The outer ring is +missing. + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, C. 1840 + +_USNM 604107-M (S-K 263). Figure 207._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 207] + +This specimen, roughly cast in brass and gilded, is unusual because +the Militia rarely used the letters "U S" on any of its equipment. The +pattern does not conform to anything prescribed for Regulars and the +quality does not come up to standards required by the Regular +Establishment; hence it must have been worn by Militia. It would have +been a stock pattern. There is the possibility that it might have been +worn by diplomatic personnel, but its poor quality makes this +unlikely. + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, C. 1850 + +_USNM 604387-M (S-K 534). Figure 208._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 208] + +The over-all design of this plate, which is cast roughly in brass and +gilded, reflects the growing ornateness of the Victorian era. +Obviously a stock pattern, it would have suited the fancy of several +units and cannot be identified further than "for Militia." The design +of the eagle is unusual in that three arrows are carried in the right +talon--although it is possible that this is intended to reflect the +belligerency inherent in the period of the War with Mexico--and there +is a single large star in the canton of the Federal shield. + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, C. 1840 + +_USNM 604458-M (S-K 605). Figure 209._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 209] + +The generalities that apply to all "stock pattern" insignia are +equally valid in referring to this brass-struck plate with a 5-pointed +star as its sole ornament. Dating its period of design poses no +difficulty, for it contains the panel with wreath inside an edging +border characteristic of the 1840's. The star device would have been +appropriate for Militia units of Maine ("North Star"), Texas ("Lone +Star"), or for dragoon units that took the star as a distinctive +insignia. Although it may have been worn by Texans, it is doubtful +that it was made originally for them. The design enjoyed a long life, +and plates of this general pattern were struck well into the 1880's. +The major difference between earlier and later specimens is that the +early ones were struck on rather heavy sheets of copper-colored brass, +with fasteners consisting of a tongue and heavy wire loops brazed to +the reverse. The later plates have a bright brassy color, are struck +on thin brass, and have the loop and tongue soldered rather than +brazed. + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, C. 1840 + +_USNM 604108-M (S-K 264). Figure 210._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 210] + +The lack of a mane on the beast on this plate marks it as a tiger. The +best known and most affluent Militia organization with the nickname +"Tigers" was the Boston Light Infantry, although a number of others +also were so-called. The craftsmanship and general elegance of this +gold-plated brass specimen suggests that it was worn by an officer, +though an occasional volunteer company was so richly endowed that all +its members, officers and enlisted men alike, wore expensive devices. +The bench-assembled manufacturing technique, gaudy embellishment, and +lack of a distinct Victorian touch date the piece about 1840. The +tiger's head is applied. + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, C. 1840 + +_USNM 604104-M (S-K 260). Figure 211._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 211] + +The full-flowing mane on the beast on this plate identifies it as a +lion. The device would have been appropriate for wear by the Albany +Burgesses Corps, which, when founded in 1833, almost immediately +adopted the lion's head as its distinctive insignia. The unit +continued to wear this plate for about half a century. While that +unit's cap plate (fig. 170) is much more formal and is without a +lion's head, its buttons contain the lion--with head turned to +half-right--as a principal ornament. While it is probable that the +original die for this cast-brass plate was sunk for the Albany +organization, the manufacturer would not have hesitated to offer it +for sale to any interested Militia unit. + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, C. 1840 + +_USNM 60479-M (S-K 235). Figure 212._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 212] + +The raised letters "W G" on this cast-brass and gilded plate would +have been suitable for many Militia units of the period. We can only +suggest that it may have been worn by members of a "Washington Greys" +or "Washington Guard" from Pennsylvania or New York. A round plate +with an outer wreath would have been more appropriate for officers +than for enlisted personnel. + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, WASHINGTON GREYS, C. 1850 + +_USNM 604137-M (S-K 293). Figure 213._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 213] + +The waist-belt plates shown in the _U.S. Military Magazine_[132] for +the Washington Greys of Philadelphia and Reading, Pennsylvania, while +indistinct, are definitely not of this pattern. Thus, this brass plate +with its sunken letters filled with black enamel must have been worn +by yet a third unit with such a name. Additional specimens in the +national collections have the company letters "G" and "K." + +[Footnote 132: April 1839, pl. 5; June 1839, pl. 10.] + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, C. 1840 + +_USNM 604294-M (S-K 450). Figure 214._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 214] + +This oval, convex, brass plate, with two studs and a hook soldered to +the reverse for attachment, very probably was originally a +shoulder-belt plate. The letters "W L G" incised on the obverse are +very patently the added work of an engraver of no great talent. The +letters doubtless stand for Washington Light Guard, and, since there +were several Militia units of that designation, it seems possible that +one of the less affluent units bought the plates and had them engraved +locally. + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, CITY GUARDS, C. 1840 + +_USNM 604386-M (S-K 533). Figure 215._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 215] + +There were City Guards in Charleston, South Carolina, New York City, +Philadelphia, and possibly in other places. Thus it is impossible to +determine just which of these units wore this cast-brass plate. The +ornamented outer oval is typical of the 1840's. + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, NATIONAL GUARD, C. 1850 + +_USNM 60206-M. Figure 216._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 216] + +A number of Militia units carried the designation "National Guard." +The unit that used this particular plate was from New Jersey, for +scratched on the reverse is "Sergeant O. Clinton, October 9th, 1851, +1st Reg Hudson Brigade, NJSM"; However, the adjutant general, State of +New Jersey, was unable to give any information on such an +organization. The specimen is cut from rolled brass with sunken +letters filled with black enamel. + + +¶ Shoulder-belt plates underwent the same transition as cap plates did +beginning about 1837-1838, with the single die strike plate yielding +to the composite plate, and applied devices being attached to oval, +rectangular, or rectangular "clipped corner" plates. While some single +die plates were made and worn after 1840, no composite types that +predate 1835 are known. The following group of shoulder-belt plates +are typical of those that first appeared about 1840. Of these, several +continued unchanged through the Civil War and into the 1870's and +1880's. + + +SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, C. 1840 + +_USNM 604341-M (S-K 497). Figure 217._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 217] + +This unusually large, oval, brass plate with the letters "C G" in +silver applied with wire fasteners is another of that sizable group of +lettered insignia that cannot be attributed definitely to a particular +organization. The "C G" may stand variously for City Guard, Cleveland +Greys, Charleston Guard, or some other organization. With a stock of +oval and rectangular blanks and a set of lettering and number-cutting +dies, an almost limitless combination of plates could be turned out by +a single manufacturer. + + +SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, NEW YORK, C. 1840 + +_USNM 604470-M (S-K 617). Figure 218._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 218] + +The basic form of this brass plate--with one of the many variations of +the seal of the State of New York[133] applied with wire fasteners--is +a copy, with minor changes, of the bevelled plate prescribed for the +Regular Establishment in 1839. Distinctly an officer's plate, it would +have been appropriate for artillery or staff. + +[Footnote 133: ZIEBER, p. 166.] + + +SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, C. 1840 + +_USNM 604331-M (S-K 487). Figure 219._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 219] + +This composite plate, struck in brass, has a bevelled, rectangular +base almost identical to the base of the 1839 regulation plate (see +fig. 86). The design consists of a silvered center ornament comprising +a trophy of flags, a sword, and a liberty pole surmounted by a wreath +of laurel inclosing fasces and a Federal shield with 26 stars in its +canton. This silver ornament is applied with four simple wire +fasteners rather than soldered. Since the sun rays in the background +radiate outward not from the center but from the edge of a circle +about 1-1/2 inches in diameter, almost any desired center ornament +could have been added to the basic strike, or the plate could be +struck a second time to add a device integral to it. Thus the +background portion of the specimen must be considered a stock pattern. +A print of the National Guards of Philadelphia in _U.S. Military +Magazine_ for October 1841 shows an officer wearing a similar plate. +If the stars are significant, the plate can be dated between 1837 and +1845. + + +SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, C. 1840 + +_USNM 604471-M (S-K 618). Figure 220._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 220] + +In this plate, the center ornament used in the preceding specimen has +been struck directly in a rectangular, bevelled background. However, +the background of this plate has a stippled surface rather than a +sunburst. An interesting feature is that there are four slots punched +through the plate for the attachment of an additional device over the +wreath and shield. This is another of the many examples of how a unit +might have an insignia distinctive to itself at little extra cost. +This plate is obviously of a stock pattern. The national collections +also contain a die sample of this particular plate. + + +SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, C. 1840 + +_USNM 604472-M (S-K 619). Figure 221._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 221] + +Another example of the rectangular, bevelled-edged, shoulder-belt +plate for officers is this brass-cast copy of the 1839 Regular Army +pattern with the wire-fastened letters "S V G" substituted for "U. S." +The specimen bears a touchmark "W. Pinchin Philad" on the reverse (see +p. 33). The unit for which this plate was made is unidentified. + + +SHOULDER-BELT(?) PLATE, C. 1840 + +_USNM 604394-M (S-K 541). Figure 222._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 222] + +The silver letters "S F" applied with wire fasteners to the small +brass plate are most appropriate for the State Fencibles of +Philadelphia, and it is believed to have possibly been worn by that +unit in the 1840's. A print in the _U.S. Military Magazine_[134] +portraying this unit shows an officer wearing a plate of an entirely +different design, but since a plate in this simple form would most +probably have been worn by enlisted personnel, and the soldier in the +print is to be seen only from the rear, such identification as to unit +may be correct. + +[Footnote 134: March 1839, pl. 2.] + + +SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, BOSTON LIGHT INFANTRY, C. 1840 + +_USNM 604339-M (S-K 495). Figure 223._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 223] + +This unusually large silver-on-copper plate with its brass letters "B +L I", "1798", and brass tiger's head is attributed to the Boston Light +Infantry. The applied devices are attached with simple wire fasteners. +The date 1798 is believed to be the year of the original organization +of the unit, but the adjutant general of the Commonwealth of +Massachusetts was unable to verify this. + + +SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, NEW YORK LIGHT GUARD, C. 1840 + +_USNM. 604351-M (S-K 507). Figure 224._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 224] + +The _New York Military Magazine_ provides us with a strong clue in +identifying this clipped-corner, bevelled-edged brass plate with a +silver-on-copper tiger's head applied. In a sketch of the Light Guard +of New York it is related that, following a visit in 1836 to the +Boston Light Infantry, members of the company "adopted, as part of +their uniform, a silver tiger's head, to be placed on the breast +plate, as a further memento of the spirited and elegant corps whose +guests they had been."[135] This specimen is in agreement with that +description. + +[Footnote 135: _New York Military Magazine_ (1841), vol. 1, p. 118.] + + +SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, DRAGOONS, C. 1840 + +_USNM 604352-M (S-K 508). Figure 225._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 225] + +An unusual manufacturing technique was used in making this plate. It +was struck in very heavy brass about 1/16 inch thick and the whole +tinned; then, all the tin on the obverse, except that on the crested +helmet device, was buffed away, giving the center ornament the +appearance of having been silvered. The specimen obviously was made +for a particular mounted unit, designation unknown. An interesting +detail is the letter "A" on the half-sunburst plate of the dragoon +helmet device. + + +SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, C. 1840 + +_USNM 604350-M (S-K 506). Figure 226._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 226] + +This plate, which is of brass with a cast, white-metal likeness of +Washington applied with wire fasteners, may well have belonged to +either the Washington Greys of Philadelphia or the unit of the same +designation of Reading, Pennsylvania. Prints of these two +organizations in _U.S. Military Magazine_[136] show profiles on the +shoulder-belts plates, although the plate of the Reading unit is +depicted as being oval. + +[Footnote 136: April 1839, pl. 5; June 1839, pl. 10.] + + +SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, C. 1840 + +_USNM 604337-M (S-K 493). Figure 227._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 227] + +This brass plate with its wire-applied devices obviously belonged to +an Irish-group Militia unit. The Huddy and Duval print of the Hibernia +Greens of Philadelphia[137] definitely depicts an Irish harp on both +the shoulder-belt plate and the cap plate, but the motto "ERIN GO +BRAGH" is not included. The specimen would have been suitable for +several Militia organizations, such as the Irish Jasper Greens of +Savannah, Georgia, and the Montgomery Hibernia Greens. Its devices are +wire-applied, and it possibly was a stock pattern. + +[Footnote 137: _U.S. Military Magazine_ (January 1840), pl. 27.] + + +SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, C. 1840 + +_USNM 604340 (S-K 496). Figure 228._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 228] + +This plain brass plate, having wire-applied pewter letters "S L I" is +believed to have been worn by the Salem Light Infantry of +Massachusetts. + + +SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, NEW ENGLAND GUARDS, C. 1840 + +_USNM 604343-M (S-K 499). Figure 229._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 229] + +Letters signifying the New England Guards are embossed on a shield of +white metal that is attached to this brass plate, which has scalloped +corners. Although the officer depicted in the Huddy and Duval print of +the New England Guards[138] wears a waist belt rather than a shoulder +belt for his sword, the soldier standing in the background is shown +with crossed shoulder belts. Thus, this plate may have been an item of +equipment for enlisted personnel rather than for officers. + +[Footnote 138: _U.S. Military Magazine_ (November 1839), pl. 21.] + + +SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, MASSACHUSETTS, C. 1840 + +_USNM 604342-M (S-K 498). Figure 230._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 230] + +Although the white-metal arm and sword on wreath device wired to this +large brass plate immediately identifies the origin of the specimen as +Massachusetts, the considerable heraldic license taken by this +insignia-maker is only too evident. When the Massachusetts State seal +was first adopted in 1780, the blazonry of the crest was given as +follows: "On a Wreath a dexter Arm cloathed and ruffled proper, +grasping a Broad Sword...."[139] The designer has placed the arm in +armor and replaced the "broad sword" with a scimiter-like, edged +weapon. The use of the crest of a state seal or coat of arms to +indicate the state was common usage, with the eagle-on-half-globe of +New York providing an excellent example. This plate would have been +appropriate for wear by any Massachusetts unit, and is thus considered +to have been a stock pattern. + +[Footnote 139: ZIEBER, pp. 143-144.] + + +SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, SOUTH CAROLINA, C. 1840 + +_USNM 604454-M (S-K 601). Figure 231._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 231] + +The silver palmetto tree identifies this as a South Carolina plate. +The letters "L" and "A" are subject to several interpretations, the +more probable being "Light Artillery." The devices are attached with +simple wire fasteners, and the basic brass plate can be considered to +have been a stock item adaptable to any number of units. + + +SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, C. 1845 + +_USNM 60357-M (S-K 113). Figure 232._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 232] + +This brass, lead-backed badge bears no devices that would assist in +identifying it as to unit, and its general composition would have made +it appealing to more than one Militia organization. It is considered a +stock pattern. The stars-on-belt motif, forming the border of the +oval, is very unusual, as are the 14 arrows in the eagle's left talon +and the star beneath its beak. The center eagle device is applied with +simple wire fasteners. + + +¶ Following the War with Mexico, many State Militia, especially those +in the south, began using their state coats of arms as the principal +devices on their waist-belt plates. The plates for officers followed +the earlier pattern for Regulars, a round device clasped within an +outer ring. Plates of enlisted personnel more often were rectangular, +but there were many exceptions. The following series includes examples +of both types. + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, ALABAMA C. 1850 + +_USNM 604221-M (S-K 377). Figure 233._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 233] + +The old Alabama State seal with a representation of a map of the State +hung from a tree trunk, as depicted on the inner ring of this +cast-brass waist-belt plate, became obsolete after the Civil War when +the "reconstruction" government changed the device to that of an eagle +resting on a Federal shield. Some years later, however, the original +seal, in somewhat modified form, was readopted. Although made in the +early 1850's, plates of this type were worn by personnel of the +Confederate States Army throughout the Civil War. Many plates of this +same basic pattern were made in England and run through the blockade. + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, CALIFORNIA, C. 1850 + +_USNM 604389-M (S-K 536). Figure 234._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 234] + +The 31 six-pointed stars in the outer ring of this cast-brass plate +bearing the central elements of the California State seal indicate +that it was made after statehood was granted in 1850 but before 1858 +when Minnesota became the 32d State. Actually, this design for the +arms of the State was adopted in anticipation of admission to the +Union, on October 2, 1849.[140] The ornate design of this plate is +more characteristic of the 1840's than later, indicating that it was +made very early in the 1850's. + +[Footnote 140: ZIEBER, p. 114.] + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, FLORIDA, C. 1850 + +_USNM 604224-M (S-K 380). Figure 235._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 235] + +The palm tree, standing alone, although sometimes mistaken for the +palmetto of South Carolina, is representative of the State of Florida. +Thus, this plate is ascribed to Florida Militia, about 1850. The late +Richard D. Steuart, of Baltimore, Maryland, an outstanding authority +on Confederate equipment and accoutrements, was firm in asserting that +this pattern should be ascribed to Florida. + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, MASSACHUSETTS, C. 1850 + +_USNM 604124-M (S-K 280). Figure 236._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 236] + +While cast-brass plates of this type were first made in the early +1850's, their use continued for 20 years or more after that decade. +The principal device on this specimen is taken from the arms of the +Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The form of the plate is identical to +the pattern of the eagle-wreath plate adopted by the Regulars in 1851. + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, C. 1845 + +_USNM 604244-M (S-K 400). Figure 237._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 237] + +The star device was used by the Militia of both Texas and Maine, as +well as by volunteer units located in other states; thus, this plate +cannot be ascribed to any particular geographical area. Plates such as +this, with the silver wreath of laurel and palm, are patterned +directly after the basic plate prescribed for officers of the Corps of +Engineers in 1841. They would have been stock items for general sale. + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, C. 1850 + +_USNM 604242-M (S-K 398). Figure 238._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 238] + +This cast-brass officer's plate, a pre-Civil War product of American +manufacture, would have been appropriate for wear by Texas Militia. +Obviously a stock pattern, it would also have been sold to Militia +organizations in other parts of the country. As in the case of most +round plates, the outer ring is of a standard design; variation in +pattern would occur on the inner ring. + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, NEW YORK, C. 1850 + +_USNM 604125-M (S-K 281). Figure 239._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 239] + +This brass-struck rectangular plate carries the arms of the State of +New York[141] with its familiar eagle-on-half-globe device. The whole +is superimposed on a sunburst background. The plate originally was +made for Militia, but it is conceivable that such a plate may have +been worn by early uniformed police. + +[Footnote 141: For the variations in the arms of New York see ZIEBER, +pp. 166-167.] + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, NEW YORK, C. 1850 + +_USNM 60487-M (S-K 243). Figure 240._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 240] + +This brass-cast plate with its letters "S N Y" for State of New York +is copied directly from the 1836 plate for noncommissioned officers of +the Regular Establishment. The example is the oldest known use of the +letters "S N Y" for New York Militia. In later patterns, the letters +"S N Y" and "N Y" were placed on rectangular plates and on oval plates +worn on the waist belt and on cartridge boxes just prior to and during +the Civil War. Small square plates with silver, Old English letters +"NY" are included in the 1900 catalog of the Warnock Uniform Co. of +New York as regulation pattern that year for National Guard officers. + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, NEW YORK CITY, C. 1850 + +_USNM. 604141-M (S-K 297). Figure 241._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 241] + +This cast-brass plate bears the arms of the city of New York +superimposed on an almost full sunburst. The surrounding wreath of +laurel is taken directly from the plate authorized for general and +staff officers of the Regular Establishment in 1832. While this is +thought to be the plate for the New York City Guards, for whom a +matching shoulder-belt plate is known, there is the possibility that +it was also worn by uniformed police of the 1850's. + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, C. 1850 + +_USNM 604393-M (S-K 340). Figure 242._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 242] + +A stock pattern, this cast-brass and gilded plate would have been +appropriate for any of the several organizations called "National +Guards" or "National Greys" that existed in a number of states. The +letters "N G" do not connote the National Guard as we know it today. + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, OHIO, C. 1850 + +_USNM 604136-M (S-K 292). Figure 243._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 243] + +The center piece applied to this cast-brass plate with wire fasteners +bears an early form of the arms of the State of Ohio.[142] The plate +proper has holes in it other than those needed to apply the present +device, which indicates that it was a stock part, or possibly that the +present center device is not original to the plate. + +[Footnote 142: For an interesting discussion of the evolution of the +arms of Ohio see PREBLE, pp. 639-642.] + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, OHIO, C. 1850 + +_USNM 604130-M (S-K 286). Figure 244._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 244] + +This plate bears another variation of the Ohio State arms. Here, the +arms lie within a wreath as prescribed for Regular general and staff +officers in 1832. The entire specimen is cast in brass; the wreath, +sun, arrows, canal wall, and hull of keelboat are silvered. + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, PENNSYLVANIA, C. 1850 + +_USNM 60474-M (S-K 230). Figure 245._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 245] + +Officers of the Pennsylvania Volunteer Militia wore plates of this +type in the 1850's, although most were discarded in 1861 when +Pennsylvania troops went into active Federal service. The outer ring, +with floral wreath design, has been modified to give the appearance of +a solid rectangle. Another plate in the national collections bears the +letters "P V M" with the conventional outer ring. + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, C. 1850 + +_USNM 60480-M (S-K 236). Figure 246._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 246] + +Just prior to 1850 there were two Militia units in Philadelphia using +the letters "P G" to indicate organizational designation--the +Philadelphia Guards and the Philadelphia City Greys. This brass-cast +plate is believed to have been worn by the Philadelphia Guards, whose +buttons were marked "P G." The buttons worn by the Philadelphia City +Greys carried the three letters "P C G."[143] + +[Footnote 143: JOHNSON, vol. 1, p. 145, vol. 2, pl. 63.] + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, PROVIDENCE MARINE CORPS ARTILLERY C. 1850 + +_USNM 604147-M (S-K 303). Figure 247._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 247] + +The letters and device on this rather unusual brass plate make its +identification easy. The letters stand for the Providence [R.I.] +Marine Corps Artillery; the date 1801 is the unit's original +organization date. The crossed cannon indicate Militia artillery. The +letters and numerals are of white metal and brazed to the plate. The +brass crossed cannon are affixed with wire fasteners. The reverse is +fitted with a broad tongue and two wire hooks for attachment. + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, SOUTH CAROLINA, C. 1850 + +_USNM 604455-M (S-K 602). Figure 248._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 248] + +Although this specimen is not so old as the similar South Carolina +plate described previously (fig. 162), it is believed to date about +1850. The plate proper is of rolled brass, and the applied device, +which comprises well-known elements of the arms of South Carolina, is +struck in brass and attached by means of two wire staples and leather +thongs. + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, VIRGINIA, C. 1850 + +_USNM 604253-M (S-K 409). Figure 249._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 249] + +This plate, carrying the Virginia seal, was made about 1850 for wear by +officers. Similar plates made by British manufacturers during the Civil +War to be run through the blockade are generally distinguishable by +their unusually sharp, clean die work. The center device of this +specimen is struck in brass and brazed in place; the remainder of the +plate is brass-cast. + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, GRAY GUARDS, C. 1850 + +_USNM 60489-M (S-K 245). Figure 250._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 250] + +The unit for which this plate was made cannot be precisely identified. +It is reasonable to assume that there were several Militia +organizations called "Gray Guards." The central "G" probably indicates +"Company G." The whole is cast brass. + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, C. 1850 + +_USNM 60490-M (S-K 246). Figure 251._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 251] + +This plain brass plate of unusually fine manufacture is very +definitely a stock pattern which could have been sold without ornament +or, as was more likely, with a center device added by soldering or +brazing. The plate was cast in three pieces, with the round center +brazed to the belt attachment. It was bench-fitted, as indicated by +the numbers on the reverse of the inner and outer rings. + + +WASTE-BELT PLATE, C. 1850 + +_USNM 60498-M (S-K 254). Figure 252._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 252] + +This is a typical stock pattern with the company designation "E." +Other specimens in the national collections have the letters "D," "F," +"K," and "R." Although rather crudely cast in brass, this piece has +been bench-fitted and then gilded. + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, C. 1850 + +_USNM 60492-M (S-K 248). Figure 253._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 253] + +This is another stock pattern with company designation. In this case, +the numeral "1" has been applied with wire fasteners rather than cast +integrally with the two portions of the plate. The national +collections also contain similar plates with the numerals "2," "26," +and "36." + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, C. 1850 + +_USNM 60468-M (S-K 224). Figure 254._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 254] + +This is another typical stock pattern with the eagle-on-shield device +surrounded by 13 5-pointed stars as the center ornament. It is cast in +brass in two pieces. An example of this plate, on a belt, formed part +of a cased Sharps rifle outfit displayed at the 1960 National Rifle +Association meeting in Washington, D.C. + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, MUSICIAN, C. 1850 + +_USNM 60499-M (S-K 255). Figure 255._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 255] + +The musician's lyre has never been strictly a military ornament, being +widely worn by civilian bands; thus, this plate cannot precisely be +identified as military or nonmilitary. Unlike most plates of this type +and period, the entire piece is struck in brass rather than cast. + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, C. 1850 + +_USNM 60485-M (S-K 241). Figure 256._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 256] + +The letters "T C B" on this brass-cast plate open wide the doors of +conjecture as to interpretation. Possible combinations range from +Trenton City Blues (if such a Militia organization ever existed) to +Troy Cornet Band, a nonmilitary unit. Plates such as this can seldom +be positively identified. + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, C. 1850 + +_USNM 60478-M (S-K 234). Figure 257._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 257] + +As in the case of the preceding plate, the letters "H R" on this +specimen cannot be specifically identified. Similar unidentified +plates in the national collections have the letters "S O I" and "P B." + + +WAIST-BELT PLATE, C. 1850 + +_USNM 604167-M (S-K 323). Figure 258._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 258] + +This plate is known both in heavy metal stamping and in thin, cheap +brass. Examples of the latter type appear to have been struck in the +period of the 1890's from a die then 50 years old. A plate similar to +this one has been excavated from a Civil War battlefield site. A stock +pattern, the design was obsolete for issue to Militia before the +Civil War, but it is known to have been continued almost to the end of +the century for use by groups such as secondary school cadet corps. + + +¶ The shoulder-belt plates worn in the 1850's were little changed from +those of the preceding decade. In the Regular Establishment the +shoulder belt and plate for officers had been discarded in favor of +the waist belt for carrying the sword, but Militia officers--bound by +no regulations--continued to wear the shoulder belt. Enlisted +personnel wore at least one shoulder belt, and in many cases used two +belts, which crossed, one belt carrying the cartridge box and the +other the bayonet and scabbard. Mounted Militia sometimes wore the +saber on a waist belt and the carbine cartridge box on a shoulder +belt. It is interesting to note that the custom of using elements of +state seals on waist-belt plates was not followed to any great extent +in the embellishment of shoulder-belt plates except in the Southern +States. + + +CARTRIDGE-BOX-BELT PLATE, SOUTH CAROLINA, C. 1845(?) + +_USNM 604451-M (S-K 598). Figure 259._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 259] + +In size and pattern this plate is exactly like that prescribed for the +Regular Establishment in 1841, substituting the arms of South Carolina +for the eagle. It possibly may date as early as 1845. Made for South +Carolina Militia, plates similar to this were worn during the Civil +War and several have been recovered from battlefield sites. The +specimen is struck in brass and the reverse filled with lead. It has +three bent-wire fasteners imbedded in the reverse, which indicates +that it was decorative rather than functional. A similar plate with +elements of the Virginia State seal is known. Modern reproductions of +both are being sold. + + +SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, C. 1850 + +_USNM 604446-M (S-K 593). Figure 260._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 260] + +A popular stock pattern of the 1850's, this design with the silver +numeral "1" on a rectangle of rolled brass was worn for at least half +a century after it first appeared. Similar plates are known with all +numerals through 9 and a few higher numbers. Other plates of the same +general type are known with company letters "A" through "M." The plate +proper is fitted with two brass wire hooks and a medium width tongue, +indicating a functional use. The numeral is attached by means of two +staples with leather thongs reeved through on the reverse of the +plate. + + +SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, C. 1850 + +_USNM 654360-M (S-K 516). Figure 261._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 261] + +This rolled-brass plate with its silver "TC" monogram is presently +unidentified. In the national collections there is a Militia helmet +with the same device used as part of the cap plate; also known is +another insignia, comprising the monogram alone, that was used as a +cartridge-box device. _New York Military Magazine_ for July 17, 1841, +refers to the elegant armory of the Troy [N.Y.] Corps where the Light +Guard of New York had been visitors. This plate may have been an +insignia of that organization. The monogram is affixed with staples +and leather thongs, and the plate proper carries a large safety pin +soldered to the reverse for purely decorative attachment. It is +unknown whether the safety pin fasteners are contemporary with the +plates to which they are attached. Rudimentary safety pins were known +in Egypt before Christ, but they apparently did not appear in America +until the 1830's and 1840's. Walter Hunt patented the first American +safety pin in 1849.[144] + +[Footnote 144: U.S. Patent 6281 (April 10, 1849).] + + +SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, C. 1850 + +_USNM 604361-M (S-K 517). Figure 262._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 262] + +Several Militia organizations of the 1840's and 1850's were called +"Republican Guards," and this silver "RG" monogram on a rolled-brass +rectangle would have been appropriate on shoulder belts of so-named +units. The monogram is affixed with wire fasteners, but the means of +attachment for the plate proper are missing. + + +SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, C. 1850 + +_USNM 604362 (S-K 518). Figure 263._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 263] + +The silver letters "GG" on this rolled-brass plate present several +possibilities for identification. Among the uniformed Militia units +of the 1840's and 1850's were Garibaldi Guards, German Guards, and +Gray Guards. This piece could have been the device of any of the +three. The letters are affixed with wire fasteners, and a safety pin +is soldered to the rear of the plate proper for decorative attachment. + + +SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, C. 1850 + +_USNM 604363-M (S-K 519). Figure 264._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 264] + +This oval brass plate with the wire-affixed silver-on-copper letters +"AG" is unidentified, but it might well have been worn by the American +Guards, or by a uniformed company from some city as Atlanta or Albany, +with the letter "G" representing "Grays," "Guards," "Grenadiers," or +the like. It was attached to the belt with three simple wire +fasteners. + + +SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, C. 1850 + +_USNM 604335-M (S-K 491). Figure 265._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 265] + +The white-metal device on this brass plate comprises elements of the +arms of "New Amsterdam" topped by the crest of the arms of New York +State with supporting figures representing the original Indian owner +of Manhattan Island and the mariner who became the first white +settler. The specimen is believed to have been worn by the New York +City Guard. The device is affixed with three staples originally +intended to be reeved through with leather thongs, although now bent +over. The means of attachment of the plate proper are missing. + + +SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, C. 1850 + +_USNM 604364-M (S-K 520). Figure 266._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 266] + +The letters "K L G" forming the white-metal monogram on this brass +plate indicate that it could well have been worn by the Kentish Light +Guard of Rhode Island. The monogram is attached by means of two +staples with thongs reeved through, and the plate proper is fitted +with four similar staples. The reverse bears the hallmark of William +H. Horstmann and Sons, well-known military outfitters of Philadelphia. + + +SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, C. 1850 + +_USNM 604336-M (S-K 492). Figure 267._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 267] + +The white-metal letters "SG" on this brass plate lend themselves to so +many interpretations that no identification is attempted. The applied +device has two staples for attachment, and the plate proper is fitted +with a safety pin on the reverse. + + +SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, C. 1850 + +_USNM 604338-M (S-K 494). Figure 268._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 268] + +Many volunteer companies used the designation "Rifle Guards," and this +plate with the initials "C R G" probably falls into such a category. +The "C," of course, cannot be identified. The monogram is of pewter +and has three round lugs fitted through holes in the plate proper for +attachment with pins. The plate itself has a safety pin soldered to +the reverse for attachment. + + +SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, SCOTT LEGION(?), C. 1850 + +_USNM 604347-M (S-K 503). Figure 269._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 269] + +Although this plate bearing the profile of Gen. Winfield Scott is very +similar in design and construction to several bearing the head of +Washington and dated much earlier, it is believed to postdate the War +with Mexico when Scott's popularity was at its zenith. There were +several volunteer units called "Scott Legion" during this period. The +piece was struck, with a tin backing applied, and the edges of the +obverse were then crimped over. It is fitted with three wire staples +for attachment. + + +SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, C. 1850 + +_USNM 604327-M (S-K 483). Figure 270._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 270] + +This is a stock pattern in cast brass. It is oval with raised edges +and has a white-metal "F" applied with simple wire fasteners. Although +the piece has the appearance of a waist-belt plate or cartridge-box +plate, the wire fasteners on the reverse indicate that it was intended +for shoulder-belt wear. In the national collections is a similar plate +with the letter "I," indicating that the letters designate companies +of larger units rather than a unit itself. + + +SHOULDER-BELT PLATE, ARTILLERY, C. 1850 + +_USNM 604356-M (S-K 512). Figure 271._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 271] + +This rolled-brass plate with a wire-applied silvered "A" and pile of +cannon balls topped by the hand die-struck motto "ALWAYS READY" is +unidentified beyond the fact that it was worn by a member of Company A +of a Militia unit using a popular motto. Similar specimens in the +national collections have center letters "B," "D," and "E." The plate +was attached to the shoulder belt by means of two flat brass fasteners +soldered to the reverse. The fasteners are almost as wide as the plate +itself. + + +BALDRIC DEVICE, C. 1850 + +_USNM 60409-M (S-K 165). Figure 272._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 272] + +The baldric is a highly ornamented wide sash normally worn by drum +majors and sometimes by band leaders. During at least part of the +Civil War, baldrics were worn by some aides-de-camp, and the 1902 +uniform regulations specified them for Signal Corps officers. This +specimen and the one that follows are the earlier of several examples +in the national collections; they fall in the early 1850's. The +shield, suspended from a lion's mouth by small chains, carries an +eagle with a shield on its breast. The stars and edge of clouds, +above, are somewhat similar to those on the 1851 regulation +waist-belt plate. The whole is superimposed on a three-quarter +sunburst. Both the lion's head and the shield are fitted with simple +wire fasteners for attachment. + + +BALDRIC DEVICE AND BALDRIC, C. 1850 + +_USNM 66622-M. Figure 273._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 273] + +The device is attached to a red, gold-edged-embroidered baldric worn +by the drum major of the 72d New York Militia during the Civil War but +believed to ante-date 1861. The brass shield, with ebony drum sticks, +is suspended from an eagle of the 1834 Regular Army pattern for wear +as a cap device. The shield, convex with beveled edges, is very +similar to waist-belt and shoulder-belt plates of about 1850. + + +¶ Few Militia gorgets are known, and this scarcity leads us to believe +that few were made and worn, despite the Militia's love for the "gay +and gaudy." Still, some units did adopt them, and officers of the +Portland [Maine] Rifle Corps were still wearing them in the late +1850's.[145] As a military symbol for officers, the gorget passed its +zenith in the late 18th century. Gorgets were worn during the War of +the Revolution by both American and British officers, and the British +also gave them to Indian chiefs as marks of authority. Officers in at +least one regiment of the Regular Establishment wore them as part of +their regulation dress about the turn of the 19th century, but they +were not a part of the prescribed uniform during or after the War of +1812. + +[Footnote 145: In the national collections are a uniform jacket, +chapeau, and gorget once owned by Frederick Forsyth, a member of the +Portland Rifle Corps in 1857.] + + +GORGET, C. 1821(?) + +_USNM 60311-M (S-K 67B). Figure 274._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 274] + +This gorget, of gilded brass, is of 2-piece construction. The +eagle-on-clouds, very similar to cockade eagles worn in 1808-1821, is +attached by four wire fasteners rather than brazed. The engraved +edging on the gorget proper is rather crudely done. Although composite +insignia did not come into general use until the mid-1830's, it seems +reasonable to assume that this particular design of the eagle device +applied to the chapeau might equally have been applied to a gorget. A +similar specimen in the national collections has a silver-on-copper +eagle instead of a brass one. + + +GORGET, C. 1830-1840 + +_USNM 60310-M (S-K 67A). Figure 275._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 275] + +This gorget is of 3-piece construction, the specimen proper being of +brass and the wreath and eagle of gilded brass applied with wire +fasteners. Although the eagle is of the early "on-clouds" design, the +feel of the piece is later, and this, together with the rather wide +crescent indicate that it belongs to the period of the 1830's and +1840's. + + +GORGET, STATE FENCIBLES, NEW YORK, C. 1840-1850 + +_USNM 60309-M (S-K 66). Figure 276._ + +[Illustration: FIGURE 276] + +This brass gorget, with wreath and letters in applied silver, is an +example of one of the later types worn by Militia. The letters "S F" +are interpreted as "State Fencibles," and the "Excelsior" buttons on +the ends of the crescent identify the origin of the unit as New York +State. Fencibles were basically troop units organized for home defense +only. There was a volunteer Militia company called the "State +Fencibles" in New York City as early as 1800. It apparently lost its +identity as such in 1847 or 1848 when the organization split, half +entering the 8th Regiment and half entering the 9th Regiment of New +York State Militia.[146] + +[Footnote 146: Personal communication from Frederick P. Todd, July 6, +1960. Mr. Todd is the foremost authority on New York Militia units.] + + +U.S. Government Printing Office: 1963 + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of American Military Insignia 1800-1851, by +J. 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