Part 6

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._

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.

¶ 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._

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1836, is identical to the general and staff officers' plate of the 1832 regulations except that the letters "U.S." have been replaced by the letter "D" in Old English, as prescribed.[94]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._

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._

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._

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._

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._

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._

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._

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._

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._

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._

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._

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._

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._

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._

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._

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._

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._

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._

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._

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._

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.