(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 insig- 

 nia 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. 



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. ^^ These plates were 

 made variously by William Crumpton and George 

 Armitage of Philadelphia, and Aaron M. Peasley of 

 Boston.*" 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.*' 



^ The three types of infantry cap plates issued be- 

 tween 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 exca- 

 vated 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 Crump- 

 ton late in 1811 or early 1812 by Tench Coxe, Pur- 

 veyor of Public Supplies, and issued to troop units 

 not later than the early summer.*- 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 



*' 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. Wiclcham. This 

 material is in Records .*\GO. 



" Letter from Irvine to Wickham dated July 13, 1813, and 

 bill from William Crumpton dated February 24, 1812 (both in 

 Records AGO). 



"Statement of purchases for .September 1813, by Stetson 

 (Records AGO). 



^^ Bill dated February 24, 1812, from William Crumpton 

 (Records AGO). 



just superseded Coxe, anci lo request something better. 

 Irvine approved, and he let a contract for new plates 

 with George Armitage of Philadelphia.*' 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."*'' 



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."** Furst was Hun- 

 garian 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 En- 

 graver 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. *'' 



^ 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 .^GO. 



^* Letter from Irvine to Simonds cited in preceding note. 



'■* Letter in Records .AGO. 



56 "A Bit of U.S. Mint History," pp. 45-50; and Chamber- 

 lain, pp. 588-592. 



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